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.