Today is Palm Sunday. We remember and make present the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem to begin his final week and initiate his Passion. All four Gospels recount this triumphant entry that Sunday Morning so long ago, but made present to us today. As you receive your palms, consider that you are part of that vast crowd. How will you journey with Jesus this week? Let the palm remind you to praise him with your prayerful presence during the sacred Triduum.
According to Mark 11:11 Jesus returns this evening to Bethany, a suburb of Jerusalem. Perhaps he stayed with his friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus who also lived there. Pray with Jesus this evening as he considers the difficult days ahead of him.
Here is an excerpt from the Movie “The Gospel of John” The movie is a worthy production which is taken exactly from the text of the Fourth Gospel with no additions or deletions. You can order the movie here: The Gospel of John
At the church in which I grew up, the palm fronds (i.e., Instruments of Sibling Torment) were distributed after the service. That way, the following exchange would take place in the car on the trip home, instead of in church:
Sibling 1: *poke*
Sibling 2: *glare*
Sibling 1: *poke*
Sibling 2: MOM she’s TOUCHING ME
Mom: 1, keep your hands to yourself.
Sibling 1: *snurk* I AM.
Sibling 2: *wail* She’s using the PALM FROND.
Dad: Do I need to TAKE THOSE AWAY?
Siblings 1 & 2: (meekly) No.
(a few minutes elapse)
Sibling 2: *poke*
Ah the cycle repeats. The great adventure of raising kids!
My daughter has no siblings, so she has settled for using her palm frond to tease the cat when we get home. My husband claims that using a palm frond as a cat tease is surely a sin of some sort.