Palm Sunday

Following church on Palm Sunday we gather all the trees together outside. We read the Prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1: 1-14) and talk about the evergreen as symbolic of on-going life and the meaning of the Incarnation. Then we read the portion of scripture when Jesus is brought before Pilate, and even though understood to be innocent, is stripped of his garments, mocked and led away carrying his cross.
(Matthew 27:24-37).

Participants are instructed to strip away the branches of the Christmas trees just as Jesus was stripped of his garments and to shape the symbol of “everlasting” life into the instrument of Jesus’ death. We encourage them to do this task quietly, focusing on the task. Some adults are pre-selected to cut and notch the stripped trees and help the children lashed the trunks together.

Beginning in Advent and throughout Christmastide, encourage members of your parish who purchase live Christmas trees to save them. If your church is near a wooded property it sometimes helps to allow members to drop their trees off at church at a designated area.

After the process is complete we gather together and read the collect for Holy Cross Day (BVP 244) and then reflect together on the experience of making the crosses. Allow silence and time for response.

- How did it feel to strip the tree?
- How do you think you would have felt if you were the one to strip Jesus?
- How did it feel to fashion the cross?
- How is it that the Prince of Peace became known as the King of the Jews?
- What does it mean that God became Incarnate?
- Why is that important?
- What will you take home from this experience?

We usually then decide which cross should be used for the Veneration of the Cross for the Good Friday service and ask for volunteers who then practice carrying it reverently up the center aisle to the altar. The other crosses are placed at strategic places on the church property as reminders to those who drive by that this week is different than any other week. On Easter Sunday, we drape all the crosses with a white cloth.

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