Sunday 5th April Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. Palm Branches will be left outside the church and behind the storm doors of the parish house for any of you who wish to collect them. You might also like to put a green branch outside your front door, or in your window, like we sometimes do at Christmas – only simpler probably.
Sadly, we cannot be together to remember the entry of Jesus and his disciples into Jerusalem,
but any of us who wish can hear Canon Wallace, our Dean, saying the Mass of Palm Sunday (with music added from my recordings of the St Mungo Singers) at 12.00 noon and at 6.00 p.m. The sound file can be heard here: http://staging-stleothegreat-org-uk.stackstaging.com/palm-sunday/
Churches in Scotland are joining together in prayer at 7pm this Palm Sunday, 5 April.
The Catholic Church in Scotland is joining, once more, with other Churches in Scotland in inviting Christians across the country to join in prayer at 7pm on Palm Sunday evening. For the last two weeks, thousands of people across Scotland have answered the call to pray at the same time in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Thirteen Christian churches and organisations across the country are taking part in the joint prayer.
A prayer for this time
Living God, for the precious gift of life that you have given to us,
We give you thanks.
For the enduring presence of your love in this world,
We give you thanks.
For the knowledge that you are with us at the close of the day,
We give you thanks.
On this day, we hear the Gospel words that speak of hope,
We hear the cry: Hosanna!
We hear the Gospel words that speak of promise,
We hear the cry: Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
On this day, we journey in hope as we trust in your promise.
Lord, as we journey into the Holy Week to come,
We are conscious that we share in the life of the world.
We are conscious of the presence of those who are near to us,
And of those from whom we are apart.
Whether near, or far, embrace us all in your love.
Lord, we are conscious of others,
Whose life and work is woven into the fabric of our society,
And upon whom we now depend.
We pray for them:
For delivery drivers and posties,
For refuse collectors and cleaners,
For police officers and care workers,
Protect them and keep them safe.
For nurses and doctors,
For scientists and surgeons,
For midwives and ambulance drivers,
Protect them and watch over them.
For those who govern on our behalf,
For those who make decisions that impact upon us all,
For all who shape our common life,
Protect them and increase their wisdom and understanding.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
And grant us faith to journey into the week to come,
Assured of the presence of the crucified and risen Lord,
Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Palmless Sunday ( poem from ICN)
We gather virtually these days,
with virtual palms and virtual cries of praise.
Virtual cloaks we scatter underfoot
to greet the Son of David whom we long to meet.
Two metres wide (at least) the Covid social distancing
that separates the would-be members of the crowd
as we avoid quite gathering to greet him
sanitised, clean-handed at the city gate.
But there is nothing virtual about the Prince of Peace,
subverting all our violent dreams of glory
with his choice of gentle cross-marked beast
to humbly carry him to Zion for the Feast.
Nothing virtual either in the bonds that link us all today
in honouring the ones who risk their lives to make us well;
in worrying for the elders home alone;
in understanding pressures hid behind closed doors.
Communion, then, is this: this web of praying, caring,
picking up the phone, dropping round some food,
sharing (at safe distance) smiles and tears,
this swopping words of hope for fears.
This is what we celebrate on Sundays in more normal times.
This is what our breaking bread and sharing cup proclaims:
that the Easter Lord still comes to share our little feast,
comes even through locked doors with words of peace.
© Rob Esdaile
