Palm Branches and Pink Carnations

 I was part of the procession on that Palm Sunday in 1987. I was one of a group of young women dressed in grade 8 graduation dresses that were getting a second wearing, boys with their grad suits starting to show that they had grown from the previous year.

A crucifer – a junior high student in their confirmation journey carrying a processional cross; followed by the reader and communion assistances, robed in white albs; next were the confirmands, and closing out the procession the pastor, clad in purple chausible. The congregation corralled in pews were boisterously singing, All glory, laud, and honour, waving palm branches and turning their heads as the procession moved from the back to the front of the sanctuary.

The procession had started in the church hall, with quite a hustle and bustle, as palm branches were passed around. Much to our surprise a mother bearing an arm full of pink carnations passed them out to each confirmation student; the pastor seeing but ignoring the scene. Flowers to start Holy Week, a shock of pale pink in a season devoid of such freshness, adornment, and luxury. With permission to act outside of accepted policy, we held and waved our contraband flowers as we boldly processed into the church.

 

Starting today we begin celebrating confirmation anniversaries and praying for those having anniversaries. Palm Sunday is one of a few Sundays through the church year, chosen traditionally for the occasion; bringing believers into the church family so that they may enter with the journey through Holy Week and have their first communion wrapped in the joy of Easter resurrection.

 

This idea of remembering our confirmations, or thinking about confirmation yet to be, is for all of us. The invitation going out to people having anniversaries is come celebrate, remember, reflect, reconnect.

During the confirmation service confirmands are asked a daunting and impossible to know the full weight of what is being asked question:

Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: to live among God’s faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper, to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?

 

 The answer is yes, even if at the time it simply feels like a graduation or a ritual of passage. But now--- down the road whether years or decades, we are extended an invitation to check in with ourselves, to reflect on faith, hope, journey, the big questions of life, God. Isn’t it always a good time to revisit questions of spirituality, meaning, wrestling with living and dying?

 

I was part of that procession on Palm Sunday in 1987. If this was the only thing I remembered from that day, it would be enough. It was enough because I was invited to be part of the procession; it was special – I was special. For a moment a group of people saw me, prayed for me, celebrated me, welcomed me, named me. I was encouraged, loved.

 

I don’t remember what the pastor said at my confirmation. I do remember that he spoke directly to us – not just to the whole congregation. We felt important. We felt that we had worth.

 

Confirmation Sunday is the planting of seeds to carry one through one’s life. Seeds of belief that one has worth. That they are worthy!

Sometimes we forget or the seed withers a bit – celebrating confirmation anniversaries are to return us to that moment when we had the courage to stand up in front of a group of people; to remember the feeling and celebrate that moment. To remember that seeds were plant – so that we might believe we are worthy, feel that we are most certainly worthy—of belonging, of not being alone. Having conviction that we are worthy of being loved, healed, forgiven, redeemed, fed, resurrected; that we are worthy of grace, peace, mercy, compassion.

 

Why is this message important -and not just for people celebrating confirmation anniversaries – but for all of us? The message ‘you are worthy,’ to be able to say, ‘I am worthy,’ affects how it is that we treat ourselves, and thus how we treat others; it affects how we approach living and dying.

It affects how we journey through Holy Week and how we commit to baptismal and confirmation promises.

 

If we do not believe that we are worthy, if we are not reminded that we belong, that we are not alone – we loss hope, we lack the capacity to receive grace, and we wander restlessly without purpose or focus.

 

This week’s liturgy moves from a celebratory procession to death on the cross.

The Holy Week story is for us. It is a gift. We are worthy to hear and receive this gift.

We are given a multi-faceted story that helps us reflect on how far God will go to demonstrate grace and unconditional love to humankind – so that we get it- we are worthy!

Worthy to be loved, to be forgiven, to belong.

 

It is only through believing this, having faith in this, that we can fully live to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.

 

I was part of that procession on Palm Sunday in 1987. With palm branch in hand, I slipped into an ancient ritual, marking the journey of following Jesus from life to death to life; a journey that is not taken alone, but in community; an act that tangibly connected me to a weighty never-ending story of the dance of humanity and divinity. With carnation in hand, seeds were planted that ‘I matter,’ that ‘I am worthy; ‘ worthy to receive the abundance of grace.

 

Carnations have not been handed out today – but rest assured, I see you. You are important. You matter.  As we enter the epic drama of Holy Week, be open to receive the gifts given – they are for you - grace, forgiveness, love- you are worthy.