Palm SUNDAY - not just childs play!

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"Hosanna: to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna" in the highest!" (Matthew21:9

In a recent review of my years in ministry I began to reflect on the high holy days of the Christian calendar. How did I lead the various congregations in celebration? How did we enter into the experience? What would I attempt now that I did not do then?

One of the most glaring omissions was the involvement of adults in the pageantry! I remember well that on many a Palm Sunday we would have some form of greenery for the 'children' to walk down the aisle waving, while all the adults in the congregation smiled or sang a hymn. Some of the bystanders laughed at a wayward child who was 'doing his own then' with his palm branch. I don't remember a time when the whole congregation - particularly any adult - waved a palm branch. Maybe the one walking with the kids, trying to get them down the aisle to the altar, but never the whole 'body of Christ' we were there to embody.

What a loss! If I had it to do over again I would place a branch in every ones hand. Or better yet, have the whole church go out into the church yard, cut a small branch (first hand) and begin singing and waving the branches as we re-entered the sanctuary.

Young and old alike would be singing Hosanna in the highest. There would be singing and maybe a tambourine or two. A careful reading of the Matthew text indicates 'Nearly all the people in the crowd threw down their garments' and 'others cut branches from the trees'. There is no indication that this was child's play. No, adults were surely involved and celebrating and rejoicing... showing the children how it was done. The adults were very much involved.

Indeed, what a loss! I lost the opportunity to encourage adults to express their own deep joy of what the Christ had done for them - not just for children - but for all creation. It might have been awkward, but it might also have drawn all of us into the story a bit deeper.

O God, forward me for this small oversight along with oh so many more sins.
In the most Holy and Blessed name of Your Son - the Christ - I pray...

AMEN