Palm Sunday
WE BEGIN OUR SERVICE IN THE PARISH HALL AT 10.30am
Hymns (NEH): 509 (Procession), 511 (Introit), 86, 74, 79
GOSPEL OF THE PALMS (Luke 19: 28-40)
When Jesus had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ‘ So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.
As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the
whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a
loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’
COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
FIRST READING (Isaiah 50: 4-9)
A reading from the prophet 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
backwards. 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?
# RESPONSORIAL PSALM (From Psalm 31)
## Response: Save me in your steadfast love.
1. Be gracious to me O Lord, for I am in distress,
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my misery,
And my bones waste away. R.
2. I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror to my neighbours,
An object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me flee from me.
I hear the whispering of many
as they scheme together against me,
As they plot to take my life. R.
3. But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say ‘You are my God’
My times are in your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
Save me in your steadfast love. R.
# SECOND READING (Philippians 2: 5-11)
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.