Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem: Icon by Tatiana Grant
(click on image for larger version)

The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
while others cut branches from the trees
and strewed them on the road...
Matthew 2:1-11

It is ourselves that we must spread under Christ's feet,
not coats or lifeless branches or shoots of trees,
matter which wastes away
and delights the eye only for a few brief hours.
But we have clothed ourselves with Christ's grace,
with the whole Christ --
"for as many of you as were baptized into Christ
have put on Christ" --
so let us spread ourselves like coats under his feet.
Andrew of Crete, 8th century

Like splendid palm branches,
we are strewn in the Lord's path.
Latin antiphon