Blessing the Neighborhood

 I tucked our palms from Passion Sunday into the birch basket on the front door. The forsythia branches in the basket signal spring and new growth. I like to think the palm branches, which scripture tells us were spread on the road as Jesus entered Jerusalem, wave blessings into the neighborhood. 

                            This blessing 
                            is making 
                            its steady way up 
                            the way 
                            toward you.
                                        Jan Richardson
                                        from Circle of Grace

This blessing is for you if you are Christian and moving through Holy Week towards Easter. Or if you are Jewish and in the midst of Passover. Or if you are Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist.

And yes, it is a blessing if you know yourself as an unbeliever or one who is unsure of your beliefs. Blessings know no boundaries, and it is good to remember that during these days of pageant and ritual. 

Here's what is most important to remember:

    An American rabbi was once asked what he thought of the
    words attributed to Jesus in St John's Gospel, "I am the way,
    and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
    through me" (John 14:6). The rabbi replied, "Oh, I agree with
    these words." To which the surprised questioner asked further,
    "But how can you as a rabbi believe that Jesus is the way, the 
    truth, and the life?" "Because," answered the rabbi, "I believe that
    Jesus' way is the way of love, that Jesus' truth is the truth of
    love, and that Jesus' life is the life of love. No one comes to the
    Father but through love."
                                p. 119 A New Harmony, The Spirit, The Earth
                                and the Human Soul
                                John Philip Newell

The only way to God is through love. The only way to live, whatever your faith or unfaith, is through love. 

And that's the blessing the palms are proclaiming.

                            This blessing
                            looms in the throats
                            of women,
                            brings from the hearts
                            of men,
                            tumbles out of the mouths
                            of children.

                                        Jan Richardson

An Invitation
What happens when you extend a blessing? I would love to know. 

Palm Sunday A Few Days Later:Tuesday's Reflection

If you went to church this past Sunday you probably were given a palm branch to wave as you shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

What did you do with your palm after church? 

I remember seeing palms tucked behind a picture of Christ in the home of childhood friends who were Catholic. You probably know the picture. A headshot of Jesus, looking more Scandinavian than like a Middle Eastern Jew. In some countries I understand the palms are placed on graves of loved ones who have died. Or the palms may be burned and the ashes preserved for use at Ash Wednesday services the next year. 

Whatever happens to the palms waved with reverence and respect, Palm Sunday signals the beginning of Holy Week, a time to reflect on the final week of Jesus' life. For practicing Christians it is a week of going to church a lot 

This week, no matter what your faith tradition or what your view of life may be, can be a week of reflection. 

Begin with noting what you reverence and respect. Continue with expressing what feels like a blessing in your life. Spend time at a table with loved ones and offer them gifts of fellowship and love. Allow yourself to feel a loss you have not yet fully realized. But then on Sunday, Easter Sunday, rejoice in new hope and life that continues to open for you. 

Imagine the swaying and waving of palms as you reflect on the many dimensions of your own life. May this be a time of new insight and growth. 

An Invitation
What is the invitation of this time of year for you? I would love to know. 

Note: Photos taken at St Paul Conservatory.