Palm Sunday

Back in 1970, I had the pleasure to gain third row, center orchestra seats to Jesus Christ Superstar in the third week of its run on Broadway (it's helpful to have rich former roommates when you are a starving academic in the first year of his teaching career). For some reason, almost every year since then around Easter tide, I pull out the old album of the Broadway cast and play it again, Sam.

True to form, last night I pulled out the album (now copied to MP3 format) once again and played it through from beginning to end. For those who don't know the play, it's about the final week of Christ's ministry, beginning with his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and ending with his crucifixion, all set to (what was then) contemporary music. As always, I was deeply moved, even though I'm no longer an ardent Christian.

Among other things, listening to the soundtrack reminded me of what I always thought was the most important central message of Christianity. It's the message that the whole story tells us -- that we see God (if there is one) most clearly in our dealings with each other, in our communion with each other at the dinner table (the Last Supper), in our sharing and caring for each other, and particularly in how we deal with those most in need. After all, what is the story but that God became man so we could see him as one of us? The following passage from Matthew, Chapter 25 comes to mind:

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Even if there is no God, we are at our most godlike when we take that message to heart. As I think back on my life, I cannot remember a single instance when I have gone out of my way to help someone in need that I regret, no matter how inconvenient it may have been. What I do regret is not having done more.