In the time of Christ, palm branches must have been the cultural equivalent to rolling out the red carpet. When I was a kid, we didn’t have any palm trees handy, so on Palm Sunday we would make construction paper palm branches and remember who the “red carpet” was being rolled out for.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday and I didn’t see a single construction paper palm leaf. Perhaps having real palm trees has something to do with it. Everywhere you go on Palm Sunday you run into people selling these palm leaves which have been woven into a….. something. Yes it is a definite something.
I was curious, so I pulled over and for 30 cents was able to purchase one. The reason I did this was culture study. I took my palm leaf home and after asking a couple friends, found out that it is called a palaspas. You might ask, “What is a palaspas good for?” That is what I asked too. A palaspas is for keeping evil spirits and lightning out of your home. You hang it up inside and keep it there until you get a new one on the next Palm Sunday.
It is sad that instead of remembering Jesus, the one who came to save, so many are just honoring the red carpet.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday and I didn’t see a single construction paper palm leaf. Perhaps having real palm trees has something to do with it. Everywhere you go on Palm Sunday you run into people selling these palm leaves which have been woven into a….. something. Yes it is a definite something.
I was curious, so I pulled over and for 30 cents was able to purchase one. The reason I did this was culture study. I took my palm leaf home and after asking a couple friends, found out that it is called a palaspas. You might ask, “What is a palaspas good for?” That is what I asked too. A palaspas is for keeping evil spirits and lightning out of your home. You hang it up inside and keep it there until you get a new one on the next Palm Sunday.
It is sad that instead of remembering Jesus, the one who came to save, so many are just honoring the red carpet.
1 comment:
I've never had lightening in my home so I guess I don't need a palaspas!
How easily our attention is diverted from the important things. Thank you for the great reminder that Jesus is "the point", the reason for the palm branches.
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