Today is Palm Sunday.  Hosanna!  

In a typical year folks would be in their churches waving palm branches and shouting or singing their hosannas in praise of Jesus, the King.  

This isn’t a typical year. There’s a nasty virus that has us worshiping together, but alone at home via electronic devices.

Because it’s not a typical year, there’s probably a shortage of palm branches.  Surely, they and the florists that provide them have been deemed non-essential. Perhaps there are those among us who found a branch or two in the backyard and are making due with oak branches to go along with the hosannas.  

Indeed, it’s not a typical year so maybe we are led to branch out (sorry!).  Take a look at your hands. Stretch them out, raise them up and sing your hosannas today.  They are palms after all.

Then in the coming week take those same palms and extend them, well scrubbed, of course, to a friend or a neighbor or a stranger and let your acts of gentle kindness speak hosannas of praise to the King who we celebrate today. 

Today’s gift… King Jesus!  Hosanna.