Here are the palm crosses ready for distribution to the congregation after today's Palm Sunday service at St James.
Intriguingly there's no mention of palm branches being waved in Luke's account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem which was the one we were focussing on today.
He mentions the donkey, the crowd, the cloaks spread on the ground by the people, and the cries of praise from the people: 'God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God!'
The Pharisees hate that bit - the cries of praise.
'Command your disciples to be quiet' they tell Jesus, as if it were possible to tell Jesus what to do.
He responds 'I tell you if they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting!'
I love that bit.
The events that are about to unfold are so significant, I almost said world-shattering, but 'world re-creating would' be better, and the wonder of God-become man-riding a donkey to his throne by the way of the cross is such than any response less than exultant praise is a gross under reaction to what is going on:
Ride on, ride in in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die!
O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin
O'er captive death and conquered sin
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