Yes, it's here at last, Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week; that time beloved of small boys (and girls) who devote much of their time during Mass to fashioning their palms into small swords.
Oh, I'm sorry, did I say 'swords'? Of course I meant 'crosses' but something about the way the children attack their siblings sitting alongside them with such gusto with their palm 'crosses' makes me think that maybe I was correct in my first assumption!
Brotherly love aside, I always find the Palm Sunday liturgy very moving. We don't have a real live donkey in our procession but we do process around outside the church which stands on a busy main road.
There aren't many pedestrians around to stop and stare but I'm surprised there aren't any car accidents in the area on the morning of Palm Sunday as I'm sure I've seen a few passing motorists slow down to try and see 'what those strange Catholics are up to now'.
The other highlight of the liturgy must be the reading of the Passion.
Like many other churches, in our parish the Passion is read with many of the congregation taking the parts of the various people mentioned in the Gospel reading.
Like many other churches, in our parish the Passion is read with many of the congregation taking the parts of the various people mentioned in the Gospel reading.
Apart from the narrator, and the part of Christ spoken by the celebrant, the other 'voices' come from the body of the church. For me this makes it an even more emotional experience. When we hear more than 200 people in the congregation all proclaiming 'Let him be crucified!' it is very powerful indeed.
'Hail, Son of David, our king and redeemer of the world! The prophets foretold that you would come and save us.'
I think it might take a little bit longer to make one of these beautiful Palm Crosses. All you girls out there who like to braid your hair into French plaits probably have a head start on the rest of us! :-)
