The Rev. Brandon C. Ashcraft Good Friday, Year B / John 18:1—19:42. April 18, 2025 Trinity Church in the City

Palm Sunday Michael Battle Trinity Church Boston April 13, 2025 Lectionary: Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 19:28-40; and Luke 22:14-23:56 When my

During these waning days of Lent, with only scattered palms ahead of us, we can deny the accusation of our insignificance: by pouring out our love. No matter how much the world tells us that we are wasting our energy and our resources and our God-given potential. But we pour it out, over each imperfect human. Towards our savior, Jesus. Abundantly offered to God not as a sacrifice, friends, but as revolutionary declaration.

See what the eldest son fails to recognize: we always tend the fatted calf for our brother’s return. We receive strengths of spirit and nurture them in order that they might benefit all people.

Although fear of divine punishment may no longer motivate us today, to turn around, to repent, to say “I’m sorry”, to make amends, to reorient ourselves toward loving God and loving our neighbor… Scriptural memory can encourage us and nourish us.

How remarkable that the almighty Son of God eschews the regal image of the lion, or the mighty image of the ox, and chooses instead the nurturing image of a mother hen. To anyone who complains that maternal imagery for the divine is a new-fangled innovation, I present the ancient words of today’s Gospel.

By Jesus’ model, when the world turns to selfishness and judgment, we do not overcome those trials by returning aggression for aggression; we do not give cruelty for cruelty.

As we enter into this season of Lent, what lies and falsehoods will you let go of and how will you be held in the love of God in the community you find yourselves?

This is why we do this. This is why we gather together, and this practice of holding one another in both the joy and pain every week is to affirm that we don’t only understand God as being in the highlights, but God’s presence is indeed part of our interwoven existence encompassing all parts of the spectrum.