Sunday, April 14, 2019

Palm Sunday for Children



Palm Sunday-related material from the Loyola Kids Book of Signs and Symbols by Amy Welborn with an excerpt from the introduction:






We still, of course, speak this symbolic language, but the welcome increase in reading literacy has also privileged that particular form of symbolic communication, so that we often think that verbal expression – what we can read on the printed page – is somehow more “real” – more expressive of what’s true and certainly more appropriate for the mature believer who has surely moved beyond imagery, just as, when we are young, a sign of growing maturity to us is that we can read a book with no illustrations.
                But when we think about it, we realize that this privileging of the spoken or written word is just not true to what human beings really value.
                After all, what do we say?
Actions speak louder than words.
                And it’s true. The deepest realities of life – joy, love, passion, grief, hope – can certainly be expressed with words, how often to we raise our hands in resignation, knowing that in this moment, we’ve said all we can, even though we know and mean so much more?
There are no words…
…..
…..The rich world of Christian sign and symbols is a gift for children.