"If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

          

Monday musical meditations on God's good news






















An opening prayer:

    Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
    Hark! all the tribes Hosanna cry;
    O Savior meek, pursue your road
    With palms and scattered garments strowed.

    Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
    In lowly pomp ride on to die!
    O Christ! Your triumphs now begin
    Over captive death and conquered sin.

    Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
    The angel armies of the sky
    Look down with sad and wondering eyes
    To see the approaching sacrifice.

    Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
    Your last and fiercest strife is nigh;
    The Father on his sapphire throne,
    Awaits his own anointed Son.

    Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
    In lowly pomp ride on to die;
    Bow your meek head to mortal pain,
    Then take, O God, your power, and reign. Amen.

Luke 19:28–44

  • After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 
  • 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
  • 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 
  • 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 
  • 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 
  • 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 
  • 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 
  • 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 
  • 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace— but now it is hidden from your eyes. 
  • 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Good news questions

  • This week Jesus does the unthinkable. Knowing exactly what is coming, he heads to Jerusalem to die. And he weeps on the way, amidst the cheers! What does his boldness mean to you? His tears?

For others pray

  • That God spreads the good news of the kingdom of the Son he loves in Uruguay

J.S. Bach's beautiful music for today

  • BWV 22 (YouTube, "Jesus, took the Twelve aside")
  • This piece starts with Jesus taking the Twelve aside and telling them that they will all go up to Jerusalem and that he will suffer and die. 
  • "Jesus," we pray, "pull me to you, so I follow you.
  • "Crucify the world in me, with all its wicked desires."

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