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SUNDAY
OF THE PASSION/PALM SUNDAY
LITURGY OF THE PALMS
MATTHEW 21:1-11
LITURGY
OF THE PASSION
ISAIAH 50:4-9A
PSALM 31:9-16
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11
MATTHEW 26:14-27:66
MATTHEW 27:11-54 (8:30am)
COLLECT
Almighty and everliving God,
in tender love for all our human race
you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take our flesh
and suffer death upon a cruel cross.
May we follow the example of his great humility,
and share in the glory of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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LITURGY
OF THE PALMS
THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at
the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,
"Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will
find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them
to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord
needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took
place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
"Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a
donkey." The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed
them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks
on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their
cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and
spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and
that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in
the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds
were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in
Galilee."
MATTHEW 21:1-11
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LITURGY
OF THE PASSION
A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know
how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens
- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God
has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn
backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to
those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult
and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been
disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know
that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my
adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps
me; who will declare me guilty?
ISAIAH 50:4-9A
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PSALM
REFRAIN Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Have
mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with
sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
For
my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; my
strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are
consumed. R
I
have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbours,
a dismay to those of my acquaint-ance; when they see me in the
street they avoid me.
I
am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am as useless as a
broken pot. R
For
I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they
put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
But
as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. I have said, "You
are my God. R
My
times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and
from those who persecute me.
Make
your face to shine upon your servant, and in your loving kindness
save me." R
PSALM 31:9-16
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A
READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though
he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as
something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of
a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human
form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death
even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and
gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11
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THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
One of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the
chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I betray
him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from
that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On
the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus,
saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for
you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to
a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near;
I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'"
So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared
the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the
twelve; and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell
you, one of you will betray me." And they became greatly
distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely
not I, Lord?" He answered, "The one who has dipped his
hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as
it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man
is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have
been born." Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not
I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so." While
they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing
it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take,
eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and after giving
thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of
you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for
many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again
drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new
with you in my Father's kingdom." When they had sung the
hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to
them, "You will all become deserters because of me this
night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I
will go ahead of you to Galilee." Peter said to him,
"Though all become deserters because of you, I will never
desert you." Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this
very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three
times." Peter said to him, "Even though I must die with
you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he
said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and
pray." He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them,
"I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay
awake with me." And going a little farther, he threw himself
on the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let
this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you
want." Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping;
and he said to Peter, "So, could you not stay awake with me
one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time
of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak." Again he went away for the second time and prayed,
"My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will
be done." Again he came and found them sleeping, for their
eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed
for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the
disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and
taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See,
my betrayer is at hand." While he was still speaking, Judas,
one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords
and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I
will kiss is the man; arrest him." At once he came up to
Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.
Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do."
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly,
one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and
struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then
Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for
all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that
I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more
than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures
be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?" At that
hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords
and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I
sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all
this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may
be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest,
in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter
was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the
high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to
see how this would end. Now the chief priests and the whole
council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that
they might put him to death, but they found none, though many
false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said,
"This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God
and to build it in three days.'" The high priest stood up and
said, "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify
against you?" But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said
to him, "I put you under oath before the living God, tell us
if you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus said to him,
"You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will see
the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the
clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes and
said, "He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You
have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?" They
answered, "He deserves death." Then they spat in his
face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy
to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?" Now Peter was
sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and
said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean." But he
denied it before all of them, saying, "I do not know what you
are talking about." When he went out to the porch, another
servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This
man was with Jesus of Nazareth." Again he denied it with an
oath, "I do not know the man." After a little while the
bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you are also
one of them, for your accent betrays you." Then he began to
curse, and he swore an oath, "I do not know the man!" At
that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had
said: "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three
times." And he went out and wept bitterly. When morning came,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred
together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They
bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the
governor. When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned,
he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and the elders. He said, "I have sinned by
betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that
to us? See to it yourself." Throwing down the pieces of
silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself.
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It
is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood
money." After conferring together, they used them to buy the
potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that
field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was
fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah,
"And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the
one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of
Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter's field,
as the Lord commanded me."
[Now
Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him,
"Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You
say so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and
elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you
not hear how many accusations they make against you?" But he
gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the
governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was
accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they
wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus
Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them,
"Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or
Jesus who is called the Messiah?" For he realized that it was
out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was
sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him,
"Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have
suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." Now the
chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for
Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to
them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for
you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to
them, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the
Messiah?" All of them said, "Let him be crucified!"
Then he asked, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they
shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" So when
Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was
beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the
crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it
yourselves." Then the people as a whole answered, "His
blood be on us and on our children!" So he released Barabbas
for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be
crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the
governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around
him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after
twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They
put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him,
saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat on him, and
took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they
stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they
led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a
man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his
cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means
Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with
gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they
had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by
casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him.
Over his head they put the charge against him, which read,
"This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Then two bandits
were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying,
"You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,
save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the
cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with
the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, "He saved
others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him
come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He
trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he
said, 'I am God's Son.'" The bandits who were crucified with
him also taunted him in the same way. From noon on, darkness came
over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three
o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they
said, "This man is calling for Elijah." At once one of
them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a
stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said,
"Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."
Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At
that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to
bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also
were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep
were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and
entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion
and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the
earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said,
"Truly this man was God's Son!"]
Many
women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had
followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them
were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and
the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came
a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple
of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then
Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb,
which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the
door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is,
after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees
gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember what that
impostor said while he was still alive, 'After three days I will
rise again.' Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until
the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away,
and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the
last deception would be worse than the first." Pilate said to
them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as
you can." So they went with the guard and made the tomb
secure by sealing the stone.
MATTHEW 26:14-27:66
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PRAYER
OVER THE GIFTS
Gracious God,
the suffering and death of Jesus, your only Son,
makes us pleasing in your sight.
Alone we can do nothing,
but through his sacrifice,
may we receive your love and mercy.
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PRAYER
AFTER COMMUNION
God our help and strength,
you have satisfied our hunger with this eucharistic food.
Strengthen our faith,
that through the death and resurrection of your Son,
we may be led to salvation,
for he is Lord now and for ever.
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