Palm Sunday

Mark 11:8a - "And many spread their garments on the road..."

The three synoptic Gospels specifically declare that people spread their garments on the road before the Lord. No, I’m not starting a campaign to change the name of this day to Garment Sunday! Yet there’s something different about this idea of spreading garments, as distinct from palm fronds.

For one thing, palm branches are rather impersonal, but a garment, a cloak, a scarf, a jacket -- that’s a personal possession. I might ‘borrow’ a palm branch from a tree by the side of the road and wave it, then just cast it on the ground and forget it. A nice feeling, but no real sacrifice to me. On the other hand, if I take off my cloak -- perhaps my only cloak -- and throw it on the cold, wet earth under a donkey’s hooves, now that’s a different matter. There’s an element of personal involvement here, even sacrifice and offering that might not meet the eye at first. It may be, too, that the spreading of garments suggests an excitement and joy not unlike the grads who toss their caps into the air! Or the sentiment that prompts us to “roll out the red carpet” before visiting dignitaries. I'm wondering what sort of "garment" I'm spreading before the Lord.