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Here is my litany from this Lectionary cycle in 2018: Litany for the Prophets

This week’s Lectionary texts are replete with imagery of power, rulers, strongholds…. And their polarity: weakness. Vulnerability, if you will.

The First Testament reading gives an account of the power of David during his rule, reigning over Israel from a mighty stronghold. The Psalms speak of God enthroned in the heavens, or in “his holy city,” and beseech God for mercy and victory, which is associated with love. Like: if God loves us God will give us victory over enemies.

In the epistle, Paul ruminates on the paradox of strength in weakness. And in the gospel reading, Jesus comments on the power and honor given to, and withheld from, prophets, instructing the disciples not to carry anything with them that might signify prestige, influence, honor, wealth or power. He makes sure they go about empty-handed - no supplies or weapons - powerless except for their Spirit access.

Here Christ seems to repudiate any reliance on conventional forms of power. And Paul seems to catch his vibe, producing the iconic line so many of us can recite without thinking: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”

The power of Jesus here, and the kind of power his ancestor David wields, seem to be at odds. This litany leans into these themes.

God, we are watching how power plays out in this world,
How many people are hungry for it,
How many people are utterly without worldly power,
How many are entranced by it. …

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Hi! In 2019 I moved much of my work over to Patreon
as part of my effort to make this work sustainable.
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You can find archived litanies here, and purchase my book here.

In this week’s account of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, crowds of people shout praise to God, seeming to understand that Jesus was their long-awaited God-representative. Then, mysteriously, those hordes of supporters disappear. They’re never heard from again. Or maybe they are, but they’ve changed their minds about Jesus’ goodness and divinity.

What happened to those people? Did they just stay home after that, thinking their contributions, work, and message didn’t matter? Did they not come to Jesus’ defense later because they had changed their minds about him? Or because they were afraid? Or because they were lazy and apathetic and assumed he’d take care of everything all by himself?

I’m honestly curious about those questions, despite knowing I’ll never have an answer.* But the un-knowing does lead me to one knowing: the critical mass of people either stayed home or turned against Jesus. The critical mass of people had power that they either abdicated or used against him.

So this week, as I give thanks for the witness of Christ to God’s lovingkindness, I am contemplating my own power. My own power to stay home and save lives. My own power to advocate for the poor and marginalized. My own power to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world now when “Christ has no hands and feet except ours.”

God, we remember Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem,
His arrival met with cheering Hosannas.
He, seated on a humble donkey,
Accepting the praises of a fickle crowd (Matthew 21:1-11).

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see also: “Litany for Palm Sunday, Year A” from 2016.