Happy Easter you all

Alleluia Alleluia! 

He is risen as He said, Alleluia!

As usual on these special days of our Catholic Calendar, I bring you best wishes, happy celebrations and every thing spiritually good that our Creator gives to all who open their hearts to be filled up.

After that I normally find some light material to spice up the spirit of the particular Day or Season, and that is what I am about to do.

I have a couple of light material, all from Nature and I will begin with this one:

THE PALM TREE THAT WAVED ITS BRANCH ON PALM SUNDAY

You know my condition! These days when I am coming out of the “low side” of my health, — you remember my admission to UMC hospital —- I have a place in the back yard of our presbytery where I sit and admire the palm tree that is next to the “uni-port” used by the Legion of Mary and Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group. You know, that one between our garages and the Parish Hall. Mind you, from my vantage position, although I can only see the upper part of the tree, it is good enough for me.

Now throughout the Lenten Season, I’ve been keeping an eye on the top most branch of the tree. All the time, that thing appeared like a long finger pointing straight to the heavens. Every day I would look at it and thank God for that palm tree, because it was a reminder to me that “up there” (figuratively of course) in the heavens, where that long finger was pointing, sits upon the throne: The Holy one, the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8ff). And Jesus, the Lamb that was slain; —— (who together with the One who sits upon the throne be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever! Rev. 5:13)”  —- wanted me, during this Lent, to do everything I can to remove the heavy burdens that might prevent me from getting to where the long finger was pointing. Day in day out I watched the long finger!

Then came Palm Sunday (7/4/2019), the day we started Holy Week, to commemorate and participate in the events of  the Lamb's last week on the journey that ended in hi s passion, death and resurrection. You know what? The long finger that was pointing upwards, decided to do what most Christians were doing! It opened itself (see photo) and as it were, was waving its branch and joining us in singing: “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel: Hosanna in the highest.”(Mt 21:9)

Yes, it is a simple natural thing for a palm branch to open itself and eventually dry up and fall off. But the TIMING here made a great impact to me. All Lent, it has been a long spear-like finger pointing heavenwards,  on Palm Sunday while we are waving its brothers/sisters branches in its neighborhood, it also chooses to wave along with us? God is great!

That made me spend my Palm Sunday as a day to praise our God in a more reflective way; this God of ours  who reveals himself in many ways. Hope you had your own “thing” that made your Palm Sunday special and different from that of last year.

The palm tree has as usual grown another spear-like long finger again pointing heavenwards. Well, isn't He risen from the Dead and will be seen some time later, by his disciples disappearing up there in the crowds?

Fri 26, Apr 2019 15:04 pm