It is Palm Sunday. Spring sun spills through the window into the chapel. I have read the story of Christ riding into Jerusalem. We left our palm branches on the altar and are now gathered around the long art table to paint.
We are delving into the realm of deep questioning and we are using creativity to aid us on the journey. When the people picked up the Palm Branches to welcome Christ, what was going on?
There is movement in the children’s paintings, palm fronds interact with the air. Quick dry brush strokes belay the waving, reveal the fervor of the crowd. The crowd that welcomed Christ into Jerusalem has looked around them for a method of worship; when they use palm branches they are using whatever resources are close by.
So, I ask the children, what resources can we use to respond to God? What do we have right here and now?
They respond; paint, water, trees, the fresh air. How do we use the fresh air? We breathe.
“We can respond to God through just breathing!” exclaims Alex, our 15-year-old leader.
We laugh. Children’s paintings of palm branches teach us that we can respond to God with the resources that are near to us. If the nearest resource is air, then we can worship God right now just by breathing.
Thank God for palm branches.
