28 March 2021

PALM SUNDAY of the Passion of the Lord

Blessing of Palms, Procession and SOLEMN MASS

11am Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem

Please stand as the bell rings and the clergy and servers move to the west end of church, turning to face them. The choir sings the antiphon.

Hosanna filio David: benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Rex Israel: Hosanna in excelsis.

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. Cf. Matthew 21.9

✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All Amen.

The Lord be with you. All And with your spirit.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

Blessing of Palms

The congregation hold up their palm crosses to be blessed.

Let us pray.

God our Saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and die; bless ✠ these palms as signs of his victory and grant that we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All Amen.

The Priest sprinkles the palm crosses with holy water.

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Gospel

The Lord be with you. All And with your spirit.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. (11.1-10) All Glory to you, O Lord.

When they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it. If any one says to you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.”’ And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street; and they untied it. And those who stood there said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ And they told them what Jesus had said; and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it. And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed cried out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!’

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

The Procession

Dear brothers and sisters, like the crowds who acclaimed Jesus in Jerusalem, let us go forth in peace.

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The procession moves through the church and the clergy reverence the altar. During the procession the choir sings:

Ingrediente Domino in sanctam civitatem, Hebraeorum pueri resurrectionem vitae pronuntiantes, cum ramis palmarum: Hosanna, clamabant, in excelsis. Cumque audisset populus, quod Jesus veniret Jerosolymam, exierunt obviam ei.

As the Lord entered the Holy City, the children of the Hebrews proclaimed the resurrection of life, and, waving olive branches, they loudly praised the Lord: "Hosanna in the highest." When the people heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem, they went to meet him and, waving olive branches, they loudly praised the Lord: "Hosanna in the highest.”

The Collect ¶ Stand Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus 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. All Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD ¶ Sit First Reading

A reading from the prophet Isaiah. (50:4-7)

The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away.

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I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face against insult and spittle. The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed.

The word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God.

Psalm 21(22):8-9,17-20,23-24

All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads. ‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him; let him release him if this is his friend.’ Many dogs have surrounded me, a band of the wicked beset me. They tear holes in my hands and my feet I can count every one of my bones. They divide my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe. O Lord, do not leave me alone, my strength, make haste to help me! I will tell of your name to my brethren and praise you where they are assembled. ‘You who fear the Lord give him praise; all sons of Jacob, give him glory. Revere him, Israel’s sons.

Second reading

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians. (2:6-11)

His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality with God

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but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation ¶ Stand Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Christ was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all names. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. (15:1-39) ¶ Stand (or sit if you find this easier) and join in the bold text.

Key: N. Narrator. ✠ Jesus. O. Other single speaker. C. All.

N. First thing in the morning, the chief priests together with the elders and scribes – in short, the whole Sanhedrin – had their plan ready. They had Jesus bound and took him away and handed him over to Pilate.

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Pilate questioned him: O. Are you the king of the Jews? N. He answered, ✠ It is you who say it. N. And the chief priests brought many accusations against him. Pilate questioned him again: O. Have you no reply at all? See how many accusations they are bringing against you! N. But, to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply. At festival time Pilate used to release a prisoner for them, anyone they asked for. Now a man called Barabbas was then in prison with the rioters who had committed murder during the uprising. When the crowd went up and began to ask Pilate the customary favour, Pilate answered them O. Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews? N. For he realised it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. The chief priests, however, had incited the crowd to demand that he should release Barabbas for them instead. Then Pilate spoke again: O. But in that case, what am I to do with the man you call king of the Jews? N. They shouted back, C. Crucify him! N. Pilate asked them, O. Why? What harm has he done? N. But they shouted all the louder, C. Crucify him! N. So Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and, having ordered Jesus to be scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away to the inner part of the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and called the whole cohort together. They dressed him up in purple, twisted some thorns into a crown and put it on him. And they began saluting him, C. Hail, king of the Jews!

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N. They struck his head with a reed and spat on him; and they went down on their knees to do him homage. And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple and dressed him in his own clothes.

They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull. They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it. Then they crucified him, and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get. It was the third hour when they crucified him. The inscription giving the charge against him read: ‘The King of the Jews.’ And they crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, C. Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself: come down from the cross! N. The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way. They said, C. He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe. N. Even those who were crucified with him taunted him. When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ✠ Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? N. which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said C. Listen, he is calling on Elijah. N. Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink, saying: O. Wait and see if Elijah will come to take him down. N. But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

All kneel and pause for a moment.

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And the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, O. In truth this man was a son of God.

Homily ¶ Sit

The Nicene Creed ¶ Stand All 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.

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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.

Prayer of the Faithful ¶ Stand Brief bidding prayers are offered, and this response is used:

Lord, hear us. All Lord, graciously hear us.

THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The Offertory ¶ Sit The gifts of bread and wine are prepared at the altar. The choir sings the Offertory Antiphon.

Improperium exspectavit cor meum : et miseriam : et sustinui qui simul contristaretur, et non fuit consolantem me quaesivi, et non inveni. Et dederunt in escam meam fel et in siti mea potaverunt me aceto.

My heart awaited reproach and misery; and I hoped for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none; I looked for one who would comfort me, and found no one. For food they gave me gall; in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Cf. Psalm 69.20

Invitation to Prayer ¶ Stand Pray my brothers and sisters that this our sacrifice 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.

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The Priest sings the Prayer over the Offerings.

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. All Amen.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you. All And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts. All We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All It is right and just.

The Priest sings the preface of the prayer, which praises God for his mighty acts. At the end of which the choir sings:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

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.

Fauré (arranged Moore) Messe Basse

¶ Kneel The Priest now recalls the Last Supper and calls the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts of bread and wine, that they may become for us the body and blood of Christ.

This acclamation is used.

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: All Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.

As the Eucharistic Prayer continues we recall the death and resurrection of Christ, and offer our prayer to the Father. As the prayer reaches its conclusion we acclaim.

All Amen.

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The Lord’s Prayer ¶ Stand At the Saviour’s command, and formed by Divine teaching, we dare to say:

All Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy 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.

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 Saviour, Jesus Christ.

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

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.

The peace of the Lord be with you always. All And with your spirit.

Breaking of the Bread

During the breaking of the host the Agnus Dei is sung by the choir.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem. 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, us peace.

Messe Basse (Faure)

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Invitation to Communion ¶ Kneel 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.

The priest shows the host and says: The body of Christ. Amen.

The priest shows the chalice and says: The blood of Christ. Amen.

Please make your way forward to receive Holy Communion using the central aisle and maintain the two metre distance. Return to your place via the side aisles.

Holy Communion is distributed in one kind (the consecrated host) directly into your extended hands. Remove your face covering before approaching the priest.

Communicant members of other Christian Churches are welcome to receive communion here. Non communicants are warmly invited to come forward to receive a blessing – please indicate this by bringing this service booklet with you.

During Holy Communion the choir sings:

Antiphon

Pater, si non potest hic calix transire, nisi bibam illum, fiat voluntas tua.

Father, if this chalice cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done. Cf. St Matt.26.42

Motet

Tantum ergo Sacramentum Therefore we, before him bending, this great Veneremur cernui: Et antiquum Sacrament revere; types and shadows have documentum, Novo cedat ritui: their ending, for the newer rite is here; Praestet fides supplementum faith, our outward sense befriending, Sensuum defectui. makes our inward vision clear.

Genitori, Genitoque Laus et iubilatio, Glory let us give, and blessing to the Father Salus, honor, virtus quoque and the Son, honour, thanks, and praise Sit et benedictio: addressing, while eternal ages run; Procedenti ab utroque ever too his love confessing, Compar sit laudatio. Amen. who from both with both is One. Amen.

Gregory Drott

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Prayer after Communion ¶ Stand Let us pray

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. All Amen.

Notices relating to the life of the parish may be given now.

The Blessing and Dismissal ¶ Stand The Lord be with you. All And with your spirit.

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.

May almighty God bless you, the Father, ✠ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All Amen.

Go forth, the Mass is ended. All Thanks be to God.

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Angelus

The angel of the Lord brought tidings to Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary…

And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary…

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts; that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ, by the message of an angel, so by his + cross and passion we may be brought to the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.

May the Divine assistance remain with us always; and may the souls of the faithful departed + rest in peace. Amen.

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