“Hosanna to the Son of David!” In Jerusalem the entry of the Messiah triumphs, the crowd shouts for joy and rushes around “He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

We also came to the Chapel of Mercy with our brothers and sisters in the joy of this feast and on the occasion of the sale of jams for the benefit of the Canteen of the Poor, the Fourneau Economique of Nice.

It is a wonderful day: there is beautiful sunshine and a cool breeze is blowing. We two novices, Hoa and Bich Phung, in internship at the community, left early by streetcar and are really happy to go to sell jams: “What a joy,” we said to ourselves, “when we heard about the assignment to sell jams at the Palm Market.”

Mrs. Anna B. president of the Black Penitents, an ancient confraternity that still accompanies the poor to burial, helps us unload all the jam baskets from her car. Thus, we begin to set up our booth: a table covered with a beautiful tablecloth and a large panel presenting the Canteen of the Poor.

In Corso Saleya, a market in the heart of the old city, there are also other stands of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other beautiful handicrafts. Around 9:30 people start to arrive and we are surprised: so many people! Many are tourists and we have to get by even speaking English.

Until Christine, a Canteen volunteer, arrives: immediately she helps us make a nice advertisement about our bitter orange jams, packaged by Sister Rose-Marie.

We admire her communication talent and commitment to introduce our Canteen and convince customers to buy.

Thus our jams, sold at the price of four euros, are successful: people also leave small monetary donations, knowing that the income will go to help the poor in the Canteen. This generosity also shows us their sharing and support.

Then, at 10:30, the celebrants, Black Penitents and the faithful gather in front of the Chapel for the blessing of the Palms. We stand just to the side, so some people smile at the holy water that also blesses…our jam jars! And, indeed, it worked. There is not a single jar left!

Here is a beautiful day lived in shared joy and fraternity

For all this, let us give thanks to God!

The novice Bich Phong