
Palm Sunday Reconsidered
Palm Sunday, as we know it today, is an amalgamation of two distinct lines of the church’s tradition: the palm branch custom …

Palm Sunday, as we know it today, is an amalgamation of two distinct lines of the church’s tradition: the palm branch custom …

Jesus was anointed so many times, it is no wonder that He was called “the Christ,” which in Greek means “anointed.”

Jesus was crucified, and He hung on the cross until death — alone. He understands loneliness. He understands sadness. He understands suffering.

If we truly examine our words and actions, we are forced to admit that we have sometimes echoed Peter’s words: “I know not the man!”

As the family sat down to open Christmas presents, their 7-year-old son began to cry: “Mommy! Mommy! My duplicate is dead!” What could it mean?

Christ alone. It seems so simple, so elementary. Every Lutheran knows and believes that, don’t they? And yet … how often do we forget?

Even though we know how the story of Christ’s passion ends, the sacred readings, hymns and services of Holy Week keep our longing for Easter fresh and real each and every year.