Dear All Saints,
When I get to Palm Sunday I am often reminded of this poem by Chesterton.
The Donkey
G.K. Chesterton
WHEN fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will,
Starve, scourge, deride me I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools, for I also had my hour,
One far fierce hour and sweet,
There was a shout about my ears
And palms before my feet.
We love the heroes and especially the heroes of the faith. We are Anglicans because we love tradition, and tradition is all about remembering the great things of the faith once delivered to the saints. We are All Saints Parish after all! But we should all remember that all of us small ones, those of us who have nothing special to offer, are just as precious to God. He has made us, he has given us the gifts that he wants us to have, and he wants us to play our part.
At the end of the Gospel according to John, Jesus is cooking fish for breakfast over a charcoal fire. He asks the confounded disciples to bring some of what they had caught. But he was already cooking breakfast for them. He invites to bring our poor small contribution, but he has already provided for us. He asks us to walk with him to Calvary, but he is the one who will die and rise again. He simply asks us to watch and to tell others who come after.
So Chesterton’s donkey reminds us that small things get to play big parts. He may be awkward, and rough and ugly. But he got to carry Jesus into Jerusalem! One of my parishioners in Fort Worth had what they called a Nubian Ass, a rather small donkey. But they would always bring it to Church on Palm Sunday. That was the first time I noticed that the donkey had a cross on its shoulders. And that is a tradition for Palm Sunday. That’s where the donkey got his cross!
We won’t be together to sing All Glory Laud and Honor tomorrow, so here it is. Sing loud!
Finally, our service of Morning Prayer will begin at 9am (April 5, 2020) on Facebook. May the Lord be pleased with our worship.
Blessings and peace to you all,
Fr. Morse
