In the 1998 film "Shakespeare in Love" Dame Judi Dench has a very small part, playing Queen Elizabeth I. She comes to the production of "Romeo and Juliet" where a woman actually plays Juliet, in a time when men played all of the parts in live theater. As she is leaving, she waits for someone to place their coat over a mud puddle so she doesn't have to step in it, which would be appropriate to do for the Queen. As no one can figure out who ought to do it, she sighs impatiently, steps right into the puddle. and continues on her way.
The movie is set in 1593, and the coat over the puddle scene refers to the legend that in 1581 Sir Walter Raleigh flamboyantly demonstrated his devotion to the Queen by placing his coat over a puddle for her to walk on--the joke being that it then became the accepted practice of chivalry. Remarkable how long a legend can last, isn't it?
I wonder if the idea came from Palm Sunday. We know about the palms laid on the road to honor Jesus' entry into Jerusalem by highlighting the path he is taking. We still often have palms at Palm Sunday to commemorate that. But the Scriptures say it wasn't just palms. Luke 19:35-36 says ""Then they brought it [the “colt”] to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road" (cloaks were the kind of garments worn over day-to-day clothes, like our coats).
This practice was apparently to honor royalty, and the crowd was proclaiming Jesus as King, so that makes sense here. And yet, we know now that Jesus was not the king they were expecting.
Perhaps this week, as we see coats—perhaps as we transition between winter coats and spring coats—we might consider what kind of King we want Jesus to be in our own lives.
GOSPEL Matthew 5:38-42
38 ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
GOSPEL Luke 19:29-40
29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34 They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,
‘Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ 40 He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’