Flip Sides

Palm Sunday, Year C

April 14, 2019

A few weeks ago my family went to the Nationals first home game against the Phillies.  

This was the first time Bryce Harper returned to what had been his home stadium after signing his $330 million contract with his new team and moving to Philadelphia.

The last game I’d been to at Nats Park had been near the end of the previous season.  One of those hot days when a cold $10 beer feels well worth the price. And of course that day Bryce Harper was playing for us.  The majority of my family and probably a majority of the fans were proudly wearing our Harper jerseys.  Everytime he came up to bat the crowd rejoiced, and when he hit a home run or caught a ball in the outfield they broke into chants of “MVP.”

Well, things were sure different this time.  It probably didn’t help that the day was cold and there had been a rain delay to make people grouchy.  But maybe it wouldn’t have mattered.

Last year’s home team hero was now a visiting villain.  He could not have been less welcome.

Everywhere around me were Harper jerseys with the word “traitor” painted over top or somehow defaced.  

Everytime Harper came up to bat or ran out onto the field, the booing echoed across the stadium.  People shouted: “Sellout! Turncoat! Go home to Philadelphia!” And various other curses and epithets not to be repeated in this setting.  Let’s just say that it was not family friendly.

When Trea Turner broke his finger, people near me screamed out: “Harper, it’s all your fault!”  And when Harper was at bat, people yelled for Scherzer to hit him in the jaw.

It was a glimpse of the flip sides of humanity.  

Sometimes we are kind and generous and open and loving.  

And sometimes we are hateful and judging and hurtful and mean.  

And that turn can happen fast and without much warning.  We humans can be very fickle and unpredictable.

We see those extremes of humanity even clearer in our stories for today.

From the Palm Sunday celebration and joy and waving of branches as Jesus enters Jerusalem - with everyone shouting “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  It seems so hopeful and triumphant. “If the crowd were silent, even the stones would shout out!”

But then come the Passion story with the crowd’s jeers and accusations.  Now everyone is shouting “Crucify, crucify him!” And suddenly there is suffering and death, brokenness and pain.

Oh how the tide has turned!

The crowds just went from welcoming Jesus as king to shouting for his death.

In contrast, look at Jesus.

These two experiences couldn’t be more different.  And yet somehow through these stories emerges a more complete picture of Jesus.  Somehow the truth about God is wrapped up in what seem to be impossible opposites.

We have a God who wins by losing and lives by dying.  A God whose light is often best seen in darkness. A God who meets hatred with love, anger with forgiveness, and power with humility.

Somehow the God of creation and power and might and glory is also the God of suffering and loneliness and despair and death.  

Through the contrasts of this day we see God for who God really is:

The One who walks with us no matter what.

The One whose arms stretch out in love even on the hard wood of the cross.