Hosanna, to the Son of David!

On Palm Sunday, we hear the Gospel reading of Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. How fitting that this lowly creature was chosen to carry Christ (and Our Lady) to the place of His birth in Bethlehem and now bears Our King through the streets where He will suffer His Passion and Death on the Cross. From the womb to the tomb. What a beautiful prefigurement to reflect on during Holy Week.

I wanted the girls to be familiar with this bible story so that when they heard it on Sunday, they would be able to follow along. So we cuddled on the couch and read from the book of Matthew. After explaining to my 3 year old why it was ok for the donkey to step on the clothes, we pulled out the markers and crayons for some coloring. This coloring sheet and cut-out Jesus (my personal favorite) were great visuals. We reenacted the scene of Jesus entering Jerusalem. I drew a few palm branches for the girls to use as props and place on the road.

"When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, "Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them.The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee" Matthew 21, 1-11

My two year old wandered off to set up her Jesus in the other room. I peeked in and heard her singing, "Osanna, 'Osanna!" Too cute.

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Custodians of Beauty

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