HARLINGEN — Many people know today as Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jesus that day entered the holy city on a donkey as people spread palm leaves before him.
The true name is Passion Sunday, said Rev. Larry Klein at St. Anthony Catholic Church.
At St. Paul Lutheran Church in Harlingen, church members were making preparations yesterday for the worship service today.
Steve Potter was placing donated palm leaves on exterior walls.
“We’re also setting up our palm leaves inside our church,” said Potter, facilities manager. “We’re going to have candles, different lights and just fresh cut leaves,” he said.
St. Paul’s Rev. Nathan Wendorf stepped outside and considered for a moment the significance of Passion Sunday and Holy Week.
“It’s the important week in the history of the world because of what Jesus did,” he said. “We remember how he came into Jerusalem as the prophecies said, riding on a donkey. What we forget is they also took off their outer coats as he walked by and they shouted Hosanna.”
At St. Anthony Catholic Church, parishioners also were making preparations yesterday.
“We’re beginning to celebrate the final week of Christ’s life here on Earth before he died,” Klein said as parishioners arranged palms in the church for today’s service.
“This marks the beginning of Holy Week,” he said.
Parishioners went about their work with great seriousness.
“We’re just working with the height of the trees for the sanctuary,” said Elsa Morales. “Most of these already have a place here. We just maintain them.”
She stopped to reflect on the significance of Holy Week.
“It’s that extreme sacrifice that Jesus made for us and gave us that gift of salvation,” she said.
At Treasure Hills Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. Charles Palmer said Palm Sunday commemorates the day Jesus humbly rode into Jerusalem in an unexpected way bringing a message of peace and love for all.
It was not the message the people expected.
“They praised him as King as they waved Palm branches, but He was not a king of their world but of God’s world. What started out as a welcomed reception soon turned into a march to the cross for the man named Jesus,” Palmer said.
Volunteers at the church yesterday were making gifts out of palm leaves.
“If you lose your concentration you forget how to do it,” said Loma Frazier as she gingerly folded a slender palm leaf over itself to make a small cross.
“Here,” she said, folding a leaf back up. “You make a 90-degree angle this way and then fold it down, fold it back up.”
She stopped as it came apart.
“Bob?”
She was looking to Bob Underly who sat next to her making palm leaf crosses. He stopped to assist her and she continued the tedious process.
The rustling of leaves across the table directed their gaze toward Patricia Coffey.
“I’m cutting off some more leaves,” she said.
Several palm crosses lay ready on the table, the result of their industrious labor. The crosses will be given away this morning as people enter the church.
