Thanks for introducing me to this, Elizabeth! Sadly, I don’t think I’ve been to a Palm Sunday service with palm branches for years, so I don’t even have a hallelujah to bury or burn. I want to think about this a bit, though.
I remember making paper palm branches for Palm Sunday when I was a kid, but other than that this is the first church I've been in that has palms for the service. But all the churches around us (there are several churches in a two block radius) do as well, and it has been tradition for us to all gather during the Sunday School hour and parade together waving palms as we sing hosannah and drop congregants off at their various churches on the return trip. But the buried hallelujahs could be anything - mostly I've seen signs or paper that actually have the word Hallelujah (or Alleluia) on them. (If you've got a mimosa tree nearby, though, I've always thought they were a good stand-in for palm branches.)
This is heavy-- in a good way. I was just trying to remember what I should be pondering today, and this was an excellent reminder. You words actually shine light on a few things that I have been hoarding for myself and calling them mine when I thought I'd given them to God.
Also, your first line startled me and broke me out of a comforted way of thinking. It's good to jarred like that sometimes. Well done.
... I'd wish you a "happy Ash Wednesday," but that hardly seems appropriate. So... Dust thou art and to dust you will return? Maybe Memento Mori.
Thank you! Each Lent I work on a painting (nearly) every day and I never know when I start what it will become by the end. These are the last three years'. We'll see what happens this year!
Thanks for introducing me to this, Elizabeth! Sadly, I don’t think I’ve been to a Palm Sunday service with palm branches for years, so I don’t even have a hallelujah to bury or burn. I want to think about this a bit, though.
And your paintings are lovely.
I remember making paper palm branches for Palm Sunday when I was a kid, but other than that this is the first church I've been in that has palms for the service. But all the churches around us (there are several churches in a two block radius) do as well, and it has been tradition for us to all gather during the Sunday School hour and parade together waving palms as we sing hosannah and drop congregants off at their various churches on the return trip. But the buried hallelujahs could be anything - mostly I've seen signs or paper that actually have the word Hallelujah (or Alleluia) on them. (If you've got a mimosa tree nearby, though, I've always thought they were a good stand-in for palm branches.)
We do have mimosas! Except they’re all leafless right now 😆. Guess I’ll go with paper!
This is heavy-- in a good way. I was just trying to remember what I should be pondering today, and this was an excellent reminder. You words actually shine light on a few things that I have been hoarding for myself and calling them mine when I thought I'd given them to God.
Also, your first line startled me and broke me out of a comforted way of thinking. It's good to jarred like that sometimes. Well done.
... I'd wish you a "happy Ash Wednesday," but that hardly seems appropriate. So... Dust thou art and to dust you will return? Maybe Memento Mori.
I think Memento Mori is apropos. I always forget that phrase exists, and it's so good.
Your paintings and pictures are so beautiful.
Thank you! Each Lent I work on a painting (nearly) every day and I never know when I start what it will become by the end. These are the last three years'. We'll see what happens this year!