Colors of the Church Year
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! `Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" Matthew 21:9
In ancient times, purple clothing was extremely expensive to purchase and tremendously difficult to produce. Usually those in positions of royalty were the few that could afford such expensive clothing. Purple robes were hard to come by and cost a lifetime’s worth of wages to acquire. Jesus, our Royal King, did not pay money to receive His purple robe. He received it through pain and shame, as King Herod’s entourage mockingly dressed him with a robe of purple.
The seasons of Lent and Advent (traditionally Purple in color) both include the account of Palm Sunday. On the first Sunday in Advent and the Last Sunday in Lent, we see our King coming in lowly and humble fashion. Having put on the form of a lowly servant, He humbled Himself to the point of death, so that he may raise you and me, broken and contrite sinners, to the position of royal, adopted children of God.
This season is seen as a time of repentance, sorrowfully turning from sin to the forgiveness found in our gracious and loving King Jesus. The advent of our King always provides sweet assurance that our shouts of Hosanna (“Save now!”) have been answered through Christ’s suffering in our place. When our humble King is seen suffering on the tree of the cross, it does show us the deep consequence of our sinfulness. However, it more importantly shows us that our sin debt has been paid through the innocent suffering and death of our Lord.
In these seasons of penitential sorrow, lift up your head to see your Royal Monarch, your gracious King Jesus, riding into Jerusalem to endure suffering, pain, loss, and even death for you. See the royalty of our Lord and the richness of His grace so benevolently poured out on you and know that your sins have been forgiven in Him.
Ride on, ride on, in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die.
Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O Christ, Thy power and reign.
The Lutheran Hymnal 162:5