Palms are blessed by prayer not by water

Words uttered clearly in public change reality. Such change can happen to an accused when the judge pronounces the words, Guilty! Or when the baseball umpire shouts, Out!, when the running player reaches the base seconds after the ball is received by the base holder. Or more significantly but mysterious change happens in the substance of bread and wine when the Mass celebrant utters, this is my Body…! This is my Blood…!

On Palm Sunday the priest prays over the palms with hands extended: “Almighty ever-living God, sanctify these branches with your blessing, that we, who follow Christ the King in exultation, may reach the eternal Jerusalem through him Who lives and reigns forever and ever.” And the people respond, Amen. Then he sprinkles the branches with holy water without saying anything. Here water is merely a symbol of the prayer blessing.

What new reality has taken place?

The ritual reminds priest and people that, just as of old the people enthusiastically welcomed Jesus waving palms as He entered Jerusalem where He suffered, died and rose again to new life, so now the Catholic faithful and priest holding the palms are blessed by the prayer of blessing as they enter into a a life of voluntary pain and suffering and dying to sinfulness (through fasting and abstinence) with joy signifying that joyousness by waving their palms.

But are the priest and people aware of this new reality signified by the Palm Sunday rites? The new reality being a strong reminder to live the Paschal Mystery (which I explained in a previous Shalom)? Hopefully they are.