SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THAT OTHER ARAGALAYA: a small Palm Sunday sermon!
(above) Daily Mirror photo; (below) https://liturgy.co.nz/passion-palm-sunday-holy-week-2023 In the midst of a flood of social media messaging about a false prophet and a fallen angel a deep conversation with Shantha Premawardene helped me regain my sanity and restore some clear thinking. Part of our conversation focused on Holy Week and that other Aragalaya, Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode in on a donkey to Jerusalem along with the masses, challenging the oppressive Roman government. In 2022 Galle Face, they shouted #GoHomeGota, expressing Sri Lankans’ desire to be free of an incompetent and corrupt leader, elected no doubt, but who had driven the country to bankruptcy. Palestinians chant Allahu Akbar! invoking the greatness of their God to free them from oppressive Israeli occupation; the masses that gathered round Jesus, waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna! meaning Help!, help to be liberated from the rule of Caesar. Capitalism and the cooption of the Christian message