November 29th, 2021
Matthew 21:1-11
21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Seeking Jerusalem
Most of my time since COVID started in March 2020 has been in a “bubble” – interacting only with co-workers and residents and with my sister at home. Saint Simeon’s requires staff to wear face masks at all times, except when eating. Since starting as chaplain last December, I have rarely seen the lower portion of staff members’ faces. My senses have been quietened by the relative isolation of my life.
When I registered for a conference earlier this year, the conveners said that—based on the COVID situation in Seattle at the beginning of October—a decision would be made concerning whether we would meet in person or virtually. As I waited for their decision, I found myself longing for the conference to be in person, and yet nervous about traveling as well.
My “re-entry” into a more normal life was not triumphant. Others in the airport would not have known that this was my first flight in 19 months. Fourteen of us gathered at St. Andrews House in Union, Washington—an Episcopal facility owned by the Diocese of Olympia. The nearby retreat facility, Harmony Hills, has a labyrinth. I walked this labyrinth both by myself and with others during the conference.
A labyrinth is not a maze. There is one path that leads to and from the center. Everyone walks the path at their own pace. The path swings right and left, closer and further from the center. For most labyrinths the center is left empty.
But this was not the case for the labyrinth at Harmony Hills: it circled a giant cedar tree. The ground was covered with fragrant cedar needles and the paths were marked by hundreds of clam shells. Two benches at the base of the tree invited me to enter. The maple trees had generously dropped their leaves on one side of the labyrinth and covered most of the paths there. That made walking the first part of the labyrinth an adventure – where was the path?
The gospel records that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, in fulfillment of a prophecy. There was a long wait between the prophecy and its fulfillment. The last days of Jesus’ life were spent in Jerusalem. He died on the cross there and three days later was raised from the dead. Jesus sent his followers out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
The center of a labyrinth can be called “Jerusalem.” When I finally arrived at the center of the Harmony Hills labyrinth, I was amazed to find tokens inserted into the tree: a bit of blue glass, stones painted with designs or names, and prayer cards. They reminded me of the prayers inserted into limestone at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I slowed down to gaze at them one by one. I sensed in their presence the power of story.
I wonder if entering (or re-entering) a new normal after the pandemic is more about being bravely faithful even if the path is unclear. What if we go to our metaphorical Jerusalem(s) and place tokens of our journeys there? What would you leave? What would you see or hear from others? Where is Jesus?
We are being sent out from Jerusalem. Ready or not, we go in the power of the story of God’s love, made known to us in Bethlehem, in Jerusalem, and to the ends of the earth.
The Rev. Susanne Methven
Chaplain, Saint Simeon’s Senior Community
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma