Readings for the Day:
The Liturgy of the Palms
The Liturgy of the Word
Sermon:
Original Manuscript:
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I remember that first clear moment when I was going through spiritual warfare. I was serving a church out in Montana during Lent. My computer had recently broken and it was Wednesday, the busiest day of the week when we began the day with Holy Eucharist and ended it leading Youth Group. The only way I was able to complete any of my work was through the use of my phone, which went missing after the morning service. I retraced my steps the whole afternoon until I had to go home after bending down and ripping my pants.
Finally I came to my senses and realized one of our worshipers that morning had a similar case to mine. She too was going through her own bought of spiritual warfare. It was the anniversary of her husband’s death and she had decided to give up coffee for Lent. Fortunately I was able to reach her and get my phone back. I somehow made it through the rest of the day, and she gave up giving up coffee.
Sometimes the evil one wants us bad, especially when we are in the midst of serving the Lord. That’s what we see with Peter and the Disciples in the Passion Narrative today. Jesus tells them that Satan has desired to “sift them like wheat.” We hear even that Peter will succumb to part of that sifting by denying the Lord.
Yet Jesus continues to pray from Peter and Disciples, that their Faith will not fail. Even through their trials, even in denying Jesus and being shaken to the core, they press on to lead the church.
This is a sign to us in our trials. We won’t get through them all unscathed, but we can make it through with our Faith intact, if not restored. Jesus prayed for His Disciples. He continues to be present and praying with us as well.
Jesus also tells Peter that when he has turned back, he must “strengthen his brothers.” We are called to do likewise after our struggles. When we battle with the evil one, the hope is we will make it back, and when we do, we are called to build up our fellow siblings in Christ. We are called to use what we’ve learned to help them in their own spiritual warfare, and in this way strengthen the church to continue to do God’s will in the world, no matter what.
On this day when we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry and His death, we are reminded of Jesus’ abiding presence with us, even in our worst moments of spiritual warfare. We are also reminded today, and where we are in our journey as a church, that when we make it through our trials that we are called to help our siblings in Christ as they undergo theirs.