This Palm Sunday, no crowds will line the streets
waving branches.
The cries of “Hosanna!” are silenced.
Yet, when Christ’s disciples are silenced, the stones will shout aloud.
Listen to the stones,
to the whispered hosannas of the Earth beneath our feet.
We hear them from the dolphins in the clear waters of Venice,
and the song birds in the fresh blue skies above Shanghai.
With them we welcome Christ to come among us.
He comes not as a conquering hero,
but as one who serves.
Today is a momentary day of rejoicing,
although shadowed by the path through which it leads.
In the face of sorrow and confusion, rejoice that Christ walks with you.
Until, once again,
we emerge from our enforced Sabbath,
may we, from wherever we are, wave whatever is to hand,
and join with creation’s eternal hymn of praise,
“Hosanna, hosanna in the highest, and peace to all creatures on Earth!”
