“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 c
Not fig leaves or animal skins, desperately sown
after eating forbidden fruit, to cover our sin and nakedness.
This time it’s God’s Lamb shedding his blood,
giving his life, for the life of the world.
Riding on a donkey’s back
Jesus, our King and Savior,
triumphantly enters Jerusalem.
Those who line the way, caught up in the moment,
spread coats and lifeless branches under his feet.
Joyfully proclaiming,
“Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
–the king of Israel!”
It’s different this time…
no animal skins to cover our nakedness…
no palm branches, coats or cloaks
to throw under his feet.
We, the baptized, are clothed with Christ’s grace,
unmerited favor and mercy,
dressed finer than even the wildflowers.
Called to put on the whole Christ
summoned, if we will, to spread our whole selves,
not coats or lifeless branches, costing nothing, under his feet.
Clothed with the whole Christ, made new,
we commit ourselves, like him,
to God’s way, acquiesce to God’s will,
and in doing so find peace, joy, purpose.
“ Let us spread ourselves like coats under his feet”.