Palm Sunday of the Lord's
Passion
March 25, 2018 Cycle B
Red priestly vestments symbolize a life of sacrifice and Christ's preparation to
accomplish His Paschal Mystery.
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Liturgical
Year Cycle B 2017-2018
Commemoration of the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem
The Procession
Entrance Antiphon:
Matthew 21:9 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.
The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar:
The
altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five crosses to recall the five
wounds of Christ. The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in
it the relics of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to celebrate
the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because of the glory surrounding the
altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest
unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Priest: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Dear
brothers and sisters, since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by
penance and charitable works. Today we gather together to herald with the
whole Church the beginning of the celebration of our Lord's Paschal Mystery,
that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection. For it was to accomplish
this mystery that he entered his own city of Jerusalem. Therefore, with
all faith and devotion, let us commemorate the Lord's entry into the city for
our salvation, following in his footsteps, so that, being made by his grace
partakers of the Cross, we may have a share also in his Resurrection and in his
life.
Priest: Let us pray.
Almighty ever-living God, sanctify these branches with your blessing, that we,
who follow Christ the King in exultation, may reach the eternal Jerusalem
through him. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
The Gospel:
The Liturgy of the Word is completed
by the reading of the Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental
acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it,
and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their
lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for
all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation. It
is God who is speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the example of
His life and by His own words.
Priest: Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your
holy Gospel. Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
also with you.
Priest/Deacon: A
reading from the holy Gospel according
to Mark.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel before the Mass
Mark 11:1-10
When
Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the
Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the
village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt
tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone should say to you, 'Why are you doing this?' reply, 'The Master has
need of it and will send it back here at once.'" So they went off and
found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it.
Some of the bystanders said to them "What are you doing, untying the colt?"
They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, and they permitted them to do
it. So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it.
And he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others
spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as
well as those following kept crying out: "Hosanna! Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father
David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!"
Priest: Dear
brothers and sisters, like the crowds who acclaimed Jesus in Jerusalem, let us go forth in
peace.
Entrance Song
Antiphon: The children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went
to meet the lord, crying out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
Psalm 24: The Lord's
is the earth and its fullness, the world, and those who dwell in it. It is
he who set it on the seas; on the rivers he made it firm.
Antiphon: The
children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went to meet the lord, crying
out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
Who shall climb the
mountain of the Lord? The clean of hands and pure of heart, whose soul is
not set on vain things, who has not sworn deceitful words.
Antiphon: The
children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went to meet the lord, crying
out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
Blessings from the Lord
shall he receive, and right reward from the God who saves him. Such are
the people who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Antiphon: The
children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went to meet the lord, crying
out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
O gates, lift high your
heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is this king of glory? The Lord, the mighty, the valiant; the Lord,
the valiant in war.
Antiphon: The
children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went to meet the lord, crying
out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
O gates, lift high your
heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is this king of glory? He, the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.
Antiphon: The
children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches, went to meet the lord, crying
out and saying: Hosanna in the highest.
Hymn to Christ the King
Choir: Glory and honor and praise be to you, Christ, King and
Redeemer, to whom young children cried out loving Hosannas with joy.
All: Glory and
honor and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children
cried out loving Hosannas with joy.
Choir: Israel's King
are you, King David's magnificent offspring; you are the ruler who come blest in
the name of the Lord.
All: Glory and honor
and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried
out loving Hosannas with joy.
Choir: Heavenly
hosts on high unite in singing your praises; men and women on earth and all
creation join in.
All: Glory and honor
and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried
out loving Hosannas with joy.
Choir: Bearing
branches of palm, Hebrews came crowding to greet you; see how with prayers and
hymns we come to pay you our vows.
All: Glory and honor
and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried
out loving Hosannas with joy.
Choir: They
offered gifts of praise to you, so near to your Passion; see how we sing this
song now to you reigning on high.
All: Glory and honor
and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried
out loving Hosannas with joy.
Choir: Those
you were pleased to accept; now accept our gifts of devotion, good and merciful
King, lover of all that is good.
All: Glory and honor
and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried
out loving Hosannas with joy.
Priest: As the
Lord entered the holy city, the children of the Hebrews proclaimed the
resurrection of life. Waving their branches of palm, they cried: Hosanna
in the highest.
All: When the people heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, they went out to meet him. Waving their branches.
The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar:
The
altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five crosses to recall the five
wounds of Christ. The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in
it the relics of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to celebrate
the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because of the glory surrounding the
altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest
unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
The Collect:
The
priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the
Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: Almighty ever-living God, who as an example of
humility for the human race to follow caused our Savior to take flesh and submit
to the Cross, graciously grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering
and so merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Liturgy
of the Word
Christ is made known to us through the
Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him. In those days, God
inspired men who spoke His message. Now, the New Testament Gospel reading
announces His presence to us directly through His Son. Both
readings bring God's message to us. Our responsibility is to respond.
The First Reading:
From the Old Testament Book of Isaiah.
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.
Priest/Reader:
The Word of the
Lord.
All:
Thanks
be to God.
The Responsorial Psalm:
This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God,
or recommends the practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between
the scriptural readings. It provides yet another instructional setting and
invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the
verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David. The
verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the
refrain is sung by the people.
Responsorial
Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Cantor: My God, my God, why have
you abandoned me?
All: R/. My
God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Cantor: All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted
lips, they wag their heads: “He relied on the Lord; let him deliver him, let him
rescue him, if he loves him.”
All: R/. My
God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Cantor: Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers
closes in upon me; they have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my
bones.
All: R/. My
God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Cantor: They divide my garments among them, and for my
vesture they cast lots. But you, O Lord, be not far from me; O my help, hasten
to aid me.
All: R/. My
God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Cantor: I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the
midst of the assembly I will praise you: “You who fear the Lord, praise him; all
you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of
Israel!”
All: R/. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
The Second Reading:
Taken from the New Testament, often
from a letter written by St. Paul.
Philippians 2:6-11
Christ Jesus, through 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.
Priest/Reader: The word
of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
The Alleluia:
An ancient expression of joy anticipating
the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
St. Paul to the Philippians 2:8-9
Cantor: Praise to you, Lord
Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
ALL: R/. 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: R/. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless
glory.
The Gospel:
The Liturgy of the Word is completed
by the reading of the Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental
acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it,
and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their
lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for
all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation. It
is God who is speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the example of
His life and by His own words.
Narrative of Our Lord's Passion is read:
Lent - Palm Sunday (The Passion of Jesus Christ)
Gospel of St. Mark
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Priest: Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped
away.
The Priest's Sermon:
The priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words,
so our minds may be
enlightened, and our
hearts enriched.
(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession of Faith:
We state in the
Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise and definite terms.
All: I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. 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 for the resurrection of the dead and the
life of the world to come. Amen.
General Intercessions:
We pray for the needs of the pope, civic
leaders, our own needs, those of others,
the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world.
The response of all to each intercession: Lord, hear our prayer.
All: Lord,
hear our prayer.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Gifts of bread and wine
symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will offer them to God the
Father. Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of
Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus unites Himself with
us for our spiritual nourishment and strength. Today, when individuals do
not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary contribution
symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice. The priest makes and
offering of the bread and wine to God.
Preparation of the Bread and
Wine:
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of
life.
All:
Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: By
the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of
Christ, who humbled himself to share
in our humanity.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have
received the wine we offer you; fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: With
humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our
sacrifice in your sight this
day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
The Priest's Hands are Washed: This
act was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the various gifts
presented by the people. Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the
priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul.
Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become
His dwelling place.
Priest: Wash
me o Lord, from m iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that
my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his
name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Prayer over the Gifts:
Speaking in our name, the priest asks
the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.
Priest: Through
the Passion of your Only Begotten Son, O Lord, may our reconciliation with you
be near at hand, so that, though we do not merit it by our own deeds, yet by
this sacrifice made once for all, we may feel already the effects of your mercy.
Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer:
(Number Two: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your
spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right
and just.
Preface Prayer:
Priest: It is truly right and just, our duty and our
salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty
and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. For, though innocent, he
suffered willingly for sinners and accepted unjust condemnation to save the
guilty. His Death has washed away our sins, and his Resurrection has
purchased our justification. And so, with all the Angels, we praise you,
as in joyful celebration we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest
and All:
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.
Priest: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fountain of all
holiness. Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your
Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and
Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The priest repeats the words which
Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the
wine into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present but under the
appearance of bread and wine. The death of Christ is prolonged in each of
those who receive Him worthily. We apply His death to ourselves so that we
may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn on earth because it is
Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross which Christ
willingly took upon Himself.
We are called to die to sin and
lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have
us do, to become what God would have us become. Our own little cross can
lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting
happiness with God the Father.
The
Lord's Supper:
At the time he was betrayed and entered
willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave
it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given
up for you.
In
a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving
thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and
drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and
eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may
select from several forms).
Priest: The
mystery of faith.
Priest
/ All: When we
eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you
come again.
Memorial Prayer: (The
priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church,
the dead, and ourselves.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and
Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of
salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and
minister to you. Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of
Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord. your Church, spread throughout the
world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with _____ our Pope,
and _____ our Bishop, and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers and
sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have
died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy
on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the
blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,
we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Prayer of Praise:
Through
him, 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: Amen.
Communion Rite
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we
symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine.
At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father
through the Cross of Christ. In Communion, we find that we have not died
at all, but have come to life. We have surrendered ourselves to God
through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return become ennobled and
enriched. We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we
receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine
Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything. For the Son of God
says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us.
But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us,
bringing us into Himself.
God makes His Cross the very means
of our salvation and our life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal
love cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the very life we
crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion,
His death into our everlasting life.
The Lord's
Prayer:
Priest: At
the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Priest and
All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; Thy 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: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously
grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free
from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming
of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the
kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Prayer for
Peace:
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave
you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who
live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with
you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Breaking of the Bread:
Priest: May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priest and All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Priest Preparation: May the receiving of your Body and
Blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to judgment and condemnation, but through
your loving mercy be for me protection in mind and body and a healing remedy.
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.
Priest and All: Lord,
I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the world and
my soul shall be healed.
Priest: May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion Antiphon:
Matthew 26:42 Father, if this chalice
cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done.
Communion of the Faithful:
Priest: The Body of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Priest/Deacon/
Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister:
The Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing of the Vessels:
Priest: What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we
possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our
healing for eternity.
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: Nourished
with these sacred gifts, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, that, just as through
the death of your Son you have brought us to hope for what we believe, so by his
Resurrection you may lead us to where you call. Through Christ our Lord.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Dismissal Prayer: (The priest may select
from several forms)
Priest: Look, we pray, O Lord, on this your family, for whom our
Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of the wicked
and submit to the agony of the Cross. Who lives and reigns for ever and
ever.
All: Amen.
Final Blessing:
Priest: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and
the son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia.
All: Thanks be to God,
alleluia, alleluia.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of your mercy.
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