Palm Sunday

Every year, as we follow the liturgical calendar, we look forward to the pageantry of Palm Sunday.  Yesterday’s processional was glorious, with children carrying lofty palms before the crimson-vested Bishop, as the schola chanted
Hosánna fílio David:
benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Rex Israël:
Hosánna in excélsis.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QotYtpW8Qx4]
Hosanna to the Son of David,
the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

followed with the full congregation joining the choir, organ and violin as we sang “All Glory, Laud and Honor To Thee, Redeemer King!”

The Gospel reading of the passion narrative was dramatic and sobering, as we all participated in the words of the crowd, saying “Crucify him!”.  Musical selections included

• O Sacred Head, Surrounded By Crown of Piercing Thorn!
• Adoramus te Christe – G. P. da Palestrina
  [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dOaqngXMWk]
  “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”
• Pater,
  si non potest hic calix transíre, nisi bibam illum :
  fiat volúntas tua. **
  [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ9WL2hJbFg]
  Father,
  if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it,
  thy will be done.
  
• What Wondrous Love is This?
• Vere languores – Tomas Luis de Victoria
  [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZU295gVWiw]
  “Truly, our failings he has taken upon himself and our sorrows he has borne.  By his wounds we have been saved.  O sweet wood, O sweet nails that bore this sweet burden which alone were worthy to support the King of heaven and Lord.”
• Christus factus est – Zingarelli
  Christus factus est pro nobis obediens
  usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.
  Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum et dedit illi nomen,
  quod est super omne nomen.Christ became obedient for us unto death,
  even to the death, death on the cross.
  Therefore God exalted Him and gave Him a name
  which is above all names.

I was additionally blessed to be able to see from my perch in the choir, that my friends, Jill and Glenn Dembroff, were sitting in the row in front of my children!  We have been friends on line for years, and their visit here to Arizona on vacation gave us a chance to meet for the first time in person.  What a joy!!  After church, they came back to our place for a bar-b-que lunch.

We barely scratched the surface of all we would have loved to talk about!!  I usually am on the job as chief photographer at such gatherings, but I was much too involved in conversation this time to think about it.  I’m so happy I did get two great pics of these dear people – and am praying like crazy for God to prepare a way for them to move here!! 🙂