Sunday, April 17, 2011

Palm Sunday: Hosanna!


The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
while others cut branches from the trees
and strewed them on the road...
                                                Matthew 2:1-11

It is ourselves that we must spread under Christ's feet,
not coats or lifeless branches or shoots of trees,
matter which wastes away
and delights the eye only for a few brief hours.
But we have clothed ourselves with Christ's grace,
with the whole Christ --

"for as many of you as were baptized into Christ
have put on Christ" --
so let us spread ourselves like coats under his feet.
                             Andrew of Crete, 8th century

Like splendid palm branches,
we are strewn in the Lord's path.
                                               Latin antiphon