Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week, the last week of the Christian solemn season of Lent that precedes the arrival of Eastertide.
To all celebrating may this be a time of Holy reflection and keeping the events of this week in your thoughts.
For many in the Christian community today begins the season of Lent. This 40 days before Easter is a time for self reflection, penitence, forgiveness and thinking of ones life and mortality. Pope Francis offers this list of things one can do to observe and participate in during this season. Everyone should find something they can do from this list.
The Coronavirus pandemic began right before Lent of 2020 so it seems the season never stopped. There has been much sacrifice and loss in these days and thinking about this time in life and history giving up something isn’t what people really want to do.
Lent can be for everyone. There are universal themes that believers and non-believers can latch on to. No matter how this season of life finds you may you be encouraged, strengthened and cared for.
I miss serving on Sundays at Church as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. Due to COVID-19 my parish, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church is meeting outdoors and taking precautions to keep our members safe. This means communion, which is served in two-parts, bread and wine that is the body and blood of Christ we are only serving the bread which is safer to serve. (I would normally serve the wine which comes from a chalice which is a common cup everyone drinks from by a very ancient tradition).
Much has changed in how we live our daily lives. Everything seems different and it’s challenging to all of us to adapt and adjust. For me my faith has helped out with that. Other folks are finding comfort in their own ways. My hope is for a future where we can return to the ordinary but the normal will be redefined.
Service on Sunday is important to me but keeping my family, friends and strangers safe and well is so much more important. God calls that being good to my neighbors and myself.
As a church-going type person, I have sat through many digital worship services in these days of COVID19. Currently, my parish is meeting outdoors in-person to keep people connected yet safe. YouTube and Zoom have been instrumental in keeping many churches going and offering their parishioners the Word and Sacraments.
This graphic is a humorous take on watching church online. I do like the no parking, coffee, and relaxing in my pajamas but I would never ever mute my priest. He’s pretty good at sermonizing and that sort of thing.
No matter how you practice your faith I hope you have found a way to stay connected and to receive blessings from your spiritual community.
My priest, Fr. Quinn Parman preaching the Eucharist on the fourth Sunday of Advent at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. This Advent season has indeed been very different but our parish has indeed adapted by meeting for worship outdoors and socially distanced. Peace of The Lord be with us all in the days ahead as we head toward Christmas day and a new year.
My church, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church observed this first Sunday of Advent this morning with my priest Fr. Quinn celebrating mass. Advent is an observance of awaiting the Christ child in the Christian tradition. A candle is lit every Sunday and on Christmas Eve before Christmas day.
Today is All-Saints Sunday which is observed in some Christian traditions such as the Episcopal Church and for me personally at St. Peters. It’s a time to remember those who have died in the previous year. Remembering these souls who have blessed us in this life is an honorable thing to do. It reminds believers that follow Jesus that their lives are not forgotten. It is good to remember and reflect upon the contributions that our saints have made to make the world a better place.
