Happy Palm Sunday, friends. The singing of the Passion takes the place of the homily today at Mass, but I thought I’d refer you to a couple of essays I’ve written recently that may be of interest.
First, a meditation on hands
“At our church on Palm Sunday, the priest gives each individual parishioner a palm leaf at the altar rail. It’s a touching ritual, particularly because the young children get to receive a palm. Under the age of First Communion, there’s not a Sunday that goes by when I don’t hear a complaint from a toddler during the distribution of communion. As a walk away, I hear the toddler loudly bemoan their fate to not receive the Host, complaining to their mother, “Why can’t I have that?” These little ones are eager to participate more fully in the life of the Church, but they must be patient. Not an easy task.
However, on Palm Sunday when young kids go to the altar rail, they also receive the gift. On this day, they aren’t left out. Into those small hands are given palm leaves. In their eyes the look of joy is inexpressible. They proudly take their place in the procession, gripping the treasure tightly.”
The thoughts continue at the link about the importance of the human hand, how expressive they are, and how they both receive and give gifts
The amazing, revelatory hands sculpted by Rodin
The Holy Mass as Liturgy of Light
“The sun is the symbol. Christ is the light. The Mass is a poetic communication of Light, the procession of lumen de lumine which illumines the human soul. As Claudel writes, “Speaking of the happiness of the purified soul, compare it to a light, and not to all light, but precisely to that of the morning which crosses its fires with the light whose name above the deserts is: O Oriens.”
Lots more at the link. This one was fun to write.
Pondus Meum Amor Meus 