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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

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For this special liturgy, you can find the text for the readings below.

THE ORDER OF MASS

Call to Worship

At the end of the call to worship, the congregation will be invited to gather outside along the circular walk for the opening reading and blessing of palms.

Entrance Antiphon

Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessing of Palms -

Father Bass will sprinkle the palms held by the congregation with holy water.

Matthew 21:1-11

link to reading

(Brief homily)

Deacon - Dear brothers and sisters, like the crowds who acclaimed Jesus in Jerusalem, let is go forth in peace. '

(The congregation will join the procession of cross-bearer & servers into the nave of the church as we sing the opening song.)

Processional Hymn -498- All Glory, Laud, and Honor

All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
You are the King of Israel
and David’s royal Son,
Now in the Lord’s name coming,
The King and Blessed One.
All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
The company of angels
Are praising You on high;
And we, with all creation,
In chorus make reply.
All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
The people of the Hebrews
With palms before You went;
Our praise and prayer and anthems
Before You we present.
All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
To You, before Your passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To You, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.
All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
Their praises you accepted;
Accept the prayers we bring,
Great source of love and goodness,
Our Savior and our King!

Text: Gloria, laus et honor; Theodulph of Orleans, c.760-821; tr. by John M. Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

Collect

Liturgy of the Word

(please be seated)

1st Reading – Isaiah 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
   a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
   a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
   he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
   have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
   my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
   from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

The Word of the Lord

ALL - Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 22

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Music Copyright © 2021 Francesca LaRosa. Music by Francesca LaRosa. The English translation of the Psalm Response from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

2nd Reading – Philippians 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   coming in human likeness;
   and found human in appearance,
   he humbled himself,
   becoming obedient to the point of death,
   even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
   and bestowed on him the name
   which is above every name,
   that at the name of Jesus
   every knee should bend,
   of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
   and every tongue confess that
   Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord

ALL - Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

(please stand)

(All sing) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

(Cantor)
Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted Him And bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

(all) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

Gospel –
Matthew 26:14—27:66

(please join in the Crowd responses, labeled “ALL”)

N (Narrator)- One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,

V (Voice)- "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?"

N - They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,the disciples approached Jesus and said,

V - "Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?"

N - He said,

Christ - "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.’ “

N - The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,

Christ - "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

N - Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,

V - "Surely it is not I, Lord?"

N - He said in reply,

Christ - "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."

N - Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,

V - "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"

N - He answered,

Christ - "You have said so."

N - While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,

Christ - "Take and eat; this is my body."

N - Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,

Christ - "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father."

N - Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them,

Christ - "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;
but after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee."

N - Peter said to him in reply,

V - "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be."

N - Jesus said to him,

Christ - "Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows,
you will deny me three times."

N - Peter said to him,

V - "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you."

N - And all the disciples spoke likewise.
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples,

Christ - "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

N - He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress.
Then he said to them,

Christ - "My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch with me."

N - He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying,

Christ - "My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me;
yet, not as I will, but as you will."

N - When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep.
He said to Peter,

Christ - "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

N - Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,

Christ - "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!"

N - Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open.
He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time,
saying the same thing again.
Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,

Christ - "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand
when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
Look, my betrayer is at hand."

N - While he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders
of the people.
His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying,

V - "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him."

N - Immediately he went over to Jesus and said,

V - "Hail, Rabbi!"

N - and he kissed him.
Jesus answered him,

Christ - "Friend, do what you have come for."

N - Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.
Then Jesus said to him,

Christ - "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?
But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?"

N - At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,

Christ - "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me?
Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me.
But all this has come to pass
that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled."

N - Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest,
where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Peter was following him at a distance
as far as the high priest's courtyard,
and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none,
though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward who stated,

ALL - "This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.'"

N - The high priest rose and addressed him,

V - "Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?"

N - But Jesus was silent.
Then the high priest said to him,

V - "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

N - Jesus said to him in reply,

Christ - "You have said so.
But I tell you: From now on you will see 'the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and 'coming on the clouds of heaven.'"

N - Then the high priest tore his robes and said,

V - "He has blasphemed!
What further need have we of witnesses?
You have now heard the blasphemy;
what is your opinion?"

N - They said in reply,

ALL - "He deserves to die!"

N - Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying,

ALL - "Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?"

N - Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.
One of the maids came over to him and said,

ALL - "You too were with Jesus the Galilean."

N - But he denied it in front of everyone, saying,

V - "I do not know what you are talking about!"

N - As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there,

ALL - "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean."

N - Again he denied it with an oath,

V - "I do not know the man!"

N - A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter,

ALL - "Surely you too are one of them;
even your speech gives you away."

N - At that he began to curse and to swear,

V - "I do not know the man."

N - And immediately a cock crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.

When it was morning,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
They bound him, led him away,
and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,
deeply regretted what he had done.
He returned the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders, saying,

V - "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood."

N - They said,

ALL - "What is that to us? Look to it yourself."

N - Flinging the money into the temple,
he departed and went off and hanged himself.
The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,

ALL - "It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood."

N - After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.
That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet,
And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter's field just as the Lord had commanded me.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him,

V - "Are you the king of the Jews?"

N - Jesus said,

Christ - "You say so."

N - And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,

V - "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?"

N - But he did not answer him one word,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast
the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished.
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,

V - "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?"

N - For he knew that it was out of envy
that they had handed him over.
While he was still seated on the bench,
his wife sent him a message,
"Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him."
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
The governor said to them in reply,

V - "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"

N - They answered,

ALL - "Barabbas!"

N - Pilate said to them,

V - "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?"

N - They all said,

ALL - "Let him be crucified!"

N - But he said,

V - "Why? What evil has he done?"

N - They only shouted the louder,

ALL - "Let him be crucified!"

N - When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead,
he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,
saying,

V - "I am innocent of this man's blood.
Look to it yourselves."

N - And the whole people said in reply,

ALL - "His blood be upon us and upon our children."

N - Then he released Barabbas to them,
but after he had Jesus scourged,
he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes
and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,

ALL - "Hail, King of the Jews!"

N - They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;
this man they pressed into service
to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha
—which means Place of the Skull —,
they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,

ALL - "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!"

N - Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,

ALL - "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel!
Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him.
For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

N - The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
And about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

Christ - "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"

N - which means,

Christ - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

N - Some of the bystanders who heard it said,

ALL - "This one is calling for Elijah."

N - Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said,

ALL - "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him."

N - But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

N - And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said,

ALL - "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

N - There were many women there, looking on from a distance,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to 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 himself a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;
then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.
Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.
Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.
But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said,

ALL - "Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said,
'After three days I will be raised up.'
Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day,
lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people,
'He has been raised from the dead.'
This last imposture would be worse than the first."

N - Pilate said to them,

V - "The guard is yours;
go, secure it as best you can."

N - So they went and secured the tomb
by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.

All: PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Homily

(please be seated)

Nicene Creed (please stand)

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

General Intercessions:

After each prayer, respond: Lord, hear our prayer.

Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish

Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.

Amen.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory Hymn - O Sacred Head Surrounded

1. O Sacred Head, surrounded
By crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding Head, so wounded,
Reviled and put to scorn!
The pow’r of death comes o’er you,
the glow of life decays,
Yet angel hosts adore you
And tremble as they gaze.

2. I see your strength and vigor
All fading in the strife,
And death with cruel rigor,
Bereaving you of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn your face on me.

3. In this, your bitter passion,
Good Shepherd, think of me
With your most sweet compassion,
Unworthy though I be;
Beneath your cross abiding
Forever would I rest,
In your dear love confiding,
And with your presence blest.

Text: Salve caput cruentatum; ascr. To St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153; English tr. by Henry W. Baker, 1821-1877

Preface

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.

Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

All: WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD.

Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

All: IT IS RIGHT AND JUST.

Sanctus

The Sanctus acclamation is sung to conclude the introduction of the eucharistic prayer.

(all sing)
Holy, holy, holy
Lord God of hosts.
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.

(please kneel after the Sanctus)

Memorial Acclamation

The acclamation follows the priest’s invitation: The Mystery of Faith.

(all sing)
Save us, Savior,
of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection,
you have set us free.

Doxology

The Eucharistic prayer concludes:

Priest: “Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.

(all sing)
Amen

Our Father

All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass
against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Priest: ... and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.

Sign of Peace

Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be you always.

All: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.

(All are welcome to exchange a sign of peace.)

Lamb of God/Agnus Dei

(all sing)
Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us. (2x)

Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.

(kneel)

Invitation to Communion

Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Communion Antiphon

Father, if this cup may not pass, but I must drink it, then your will be done.

Musical settings copyright © 1996, 2011 by Richard Rice. All rights reserved. Antiphon texts from The Sacramentary (1985); English translation prepared by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.

Communion Hymn - At the Name of Jesus

At the name of Jesus
Every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess him
King of Glory now.
’Tis the Father’s pleasure
We should call him Lord,
Who from the beginning
Was the mighty Word.

Humbled for a season
To receive a name
From the lips of sinners
Unto which he came.
Faithfully he bore it,
Spotless to the last;
Brought it back victorious
When through death he passed.

Bore it up triumphant
With its human light,
Through all ranks of creatures
To the central height,
To the throne of Godhead,
To the Father’s breast,
Filled it with the glory
Of that perfect rest.

In your hearts enthrone him,
There let him subdue
All that is not holy,
All that is not true.
Crown him as your Captain
In temptation’s hour;
Let his will enfold you
In its light and pow’r.

Jesus, Lord and Savior,
Shall return again,
With His Father’s glory
O’er the earth to reign.
For all wreaths of Empire
Meet upon his brow;
Let our hearts confess him
King of Glory now.

Communion Meditation - Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.

Recessional Hymn - 511 - Were You There

Were you there when they
crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they
crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they
nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they
nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Were you there when
they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when
they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when
they laid him in the tomb?

Text: African American spiritual