We are loving our new new parish. But, I have to admit I've been missing our old parish. With Holy Week approaching I was feeling a bit nostalgic and at the same time wondering how things would be different this year.
I'm not a huge fan of change and I have so many fond memories of Holy Week in our previous parish. ...and I don't really like the unknown. What will it be like this year?
We had our Palm Sunday this week and it was lovely! The parish was beautifully decorated! Beautifully!! It reminds me to enjoy change.
Moses carried a palm with his candle as altar boy.
Of course everyone held palms. And yes I did get my face and eye poked about a zillion times with those palms my kids held. And yes, the kids did whack each other with the palms and pretend they were swords.
But, in the sermon our priest talked about how when Jesus came riding in on a donkey that it was the children who recognized him as the Son of God. The children were the ones who laid palms in his path and declared, "Hosanna"! I was so struck by this. The children, because of their purity of heart knew that they were in the presence of God. Amazing. It was a beautiful reminder to look at the world through a child's eyes.
One of my FAVORITE things about our new parish is this right here...the pic below. When it's time for communion the children all line up first. They stand ready for communion for maybe about five minutes before the priest is ready. That is a long time for kids....and they do an amazing job. The older children guide or help the younger ones. It is so precious!
On Palm Sunday the Orthodox process around the church with our palms. Our parish is in a tiny, tiny, tiny little tiny building so the procession was.....tiny. It was a hoot. We went out the door and around a parking median and then back into the church. Good thing since it was a very rainy day!
After the liturgy everyone went over to the priest's home for a salmon BBQ. It was very fun...even with the rain. The kids of course didn't care about rain.
So we are now heading into Holy Week...and a whole new experience. I'm looking forward to it. New and different can be wonderful.
I am so happy this transition is going so well. I know the week between Palm Sunday and Easter can be exhausting but the joy you each feel on Easter Morning, and the holy love you have, surely makes everything worthwhile. Happy Easter.
ReplyDeleteI love Palm Sunday! I also got my eyes poked a bunch by the palm. Made me LOL when I read your kids whack each other with the palms and pretended they were swords. Kids...so much fun!
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