Wednesday, April 9, 2014

An Order for the Eucharist on Palm Sunday (13 April 2014)

N.B.  For the past three years Saint Faith's has chosen to celebrate the Palm Liturgy on this Sunday without the reading of the Passion Gospel.  The rationale for this practice is that this Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and should be treated as such rather than to be a combination of Palm Sunday and Good Friday.  This rationale has led to a re-ordering of the Palm Liturgy in The Book of Alternative Services.

Palm Sunday
13 April 2014

The Gathering of the Community

The Opening Hymn

‘My Song Is Love Unknown’  Common Praise #184 vv. 1, 2, 3

Introductory Responses

Christ became obedient unto death for us,
even death upon a cross.
He was pierced for our sins,
bruised for no fault but ours.
His punishment has won our peace,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches and wisdom,
strength, honour, glory and praise.  Amen.

Hymn of Confession

‘Before I Take the Body of My Lord’  Common Praise #610

May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.  Amen. [i]

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

Giver of light,
your steadfast love endures forever.
Open our hearts to the Blessed One
who comes so humbly,
on a borrowed colt.
Open before us the gates of your justice,
that we may enter,
confessing in heaven and on earth
that Jesus is Lord.  Amen. [ii]

The Proclamation of the Word

First Reading

A reading from Isaiah (50.4-9a).

            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?

Here what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Psalm of the Day

Psalm 118.1-2, 19-29 with the Refrain from Songs for the Holy One alt.

Refrain (twice):  God’s faithful love endures for ever.  Sing hosannah!

1 Give thanks to the Lord who is good; *
            the mercy of the Lord endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now proclaim, *
            ”The mercy of the Lord endures for ever.”

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures for ever.  Sing hosannah!

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
            I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20 ”This is the gate of the Lord; *
            the one who is righteous may enter.”
21 I will give thanks to the Lord who answered me *
            and has become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
            has become the chief cornerstone.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures for ever.  Sing hosannah!

23 This is the Lord’s doing, *
            and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
            we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
            Lord, send us now success.
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; *
            we bless you from the house of the Lord.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures for ever.  Sing hosannah!

27 God is the Lord and has shined upon us; *
            form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
28 ”You are my God, and I will thank you; *
            you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
29 Give thanks to the Lord who is good; *
            the mercy of the Lord endures for ever.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures for ever.   Sing hosannah!

The Second Reading

A reading from the Letter to the Philippians (2.5-11).

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.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Gradual Hymn

‘My Song Is Love Unknown’  Common Praise #184 vv. 4, 5, 6

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (21.1-11).
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            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 fulfill 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.”

The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sermon

The Apostles’ Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.  Amen.

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Thanksgivings and Petitions

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of our servant Lord be with you all.
And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory Hymn

‘We, the Lord’s People’  Common Praise #10

The Prayer over the Gifts

God our provider,
you have not fed us with bread alone,
but with words of grace and life.
Bless us and these your gifts,
which we receive from your bounty,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. [iii]

Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious God,
creator of heaven and earth;
we give you thanks and praise
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who for our salvation became obedient unto death.
The tree of defeat became the tree of victory:
where life was lost, life has been restored.
Therefore with angels and archangels
and all the heavenly chorus,
we cry out to proclaim the glory of your name. [iv]

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. [v]

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
you have brought us this far along the way.
In times of bitterness you did not abandon us,
but guided us into the path of love and light.
In every age you sent prophets to make known
your loving will for all humanity.

The cry of the poor has become your own cry;
our hunger and thirst for justice is your own desire.
In the fullness of time, you sent your chosen servant
to preach good news to the afflicted,
to break bread with the outcast and despised,
and to ransom those in bondage to prejudice and sin.

In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people, for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection,
we await the day when Jesus shall return
to free all the earth from the bonds of slavery and death.
Come, Lord Jesus!  And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.

Send your Holy Spirit, our advocate, to fill the hearts of all
who share this bread and cup with courage and wisdom
to pursue love and justice in all the world.
Come, Spirit of freedom!  And let the church say, Amen.
Amen.

Join our prayers and praise with prophets and martyrs of every age,
that, rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection,
we might live in the freedom and hope of your Son.
Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours almighty Father, now and for ever.
Amen. [vi]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.  Amen. [vii]

The Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread,
communion in Christ’s body once broken.

Let your church be the wheat
which bears its fruit in dying.
If we have died with him,
we shall live with him;
if we hold firm,
we shall reign with him.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

The Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup’  Common Praise #63

The Sending Forth of the Community

The Blessing of the Palms

Dear friends in Christ,
during Lent we have been preparing
for the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery.
On this day our Lord Jesus Christ
entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph.
The people welcomed him with palms and shouts of praise,
but the path before him led to self-giving, suffering and death.
Today we greet him as our Sovereign,
although we know his crown is thorns and his throne a cross.
We follow him this week from the glory of the palms
to the glory of the resurrection
by way of the dark road of suffering and death.
United with him in his suffering on the cross,
may we share his resurrection and new life.

Let us pray.

Assist us mercifully with your help,
Lord God of our salvation,
that we may enter with joy
into the celebration of those mighty acts
whereby you give us life and immortality;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right to praise you, almighty God,
for the acts of love by which you have redeemed us
through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Hebrews acclaimed Jesus as Messiah and Sovereign,
with palm branches in their hands, crying,
Hosanna in the highest.
May we also, carrying these emblems, go forth to meet Christ
and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life;
who lives and reigns in glory with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.  Amen.

The Distribution of the Palms

The Processional Hymn

‘All Glory, Laud and Honour’  Common Praise #181

The Dismissal

Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Let us go forth in peace.
In the name of Christ.  Amen.




[i] Common Worship (2000), 135 alt.

[ii] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), 91.

[iii] Offering Prayer for Lent, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 64.

[iv] Second Preface for Holy Week, The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 221.

[v] Common Praise #722.

[vi] Thanksgiving at the Table VIII, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 67-68.

[vii] Common Praise #744.

No comments: