St. Paul's Episcopal Church the Fourth Sunday in Lent March 28
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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church The Fourth Sunday in Lent March 28, 2021 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II This bulletin accompanies our service on the Zoom platform. To link to the service go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/647333282?pwd=WmtlR3ppamVET1dhNHAxU0JVZUZmQT09 or call 1-646-558-8656 (Meeting ID:647 333 282; passcode 173902). Everything you need to participate is incorporated here. We encourage you to follow, say the responses, and allow yourself to be pulled closer to God. Welcome. We are delighted you are joining us for worship today. Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. One of the earliest accounts of the liturgies we will celebrate this week comes from The Pilgrimage of Egeria, the account of this early Christian woman’s journey to the Holy Land in the early 380s. By the end of the 4th century, many elements of this service, and others for this week, were already in regular practice. We will begin today’s service with the blessing of the palm crosses that were sent to every family on our roster. (If you didn’t receive a palm cross, more are available in the church.) Today’s service also features the reading of the Passion story, this year from the gospel of Mark. As we gather, you are invited to center yourself and prepare for worship. First, enjoy three deep breaths • The first one to help you fully arrive in your body, • The second one to clear your mind so you may be present to yourself and others, • The third one to open your heart and welcome the Holy Spirit to engage you Second, select one of these three entries into worship Notice whichever one you feel drawn to… then do what you’re invited to do with it Are you hopeful today? • Pray a simple prayer of thanksgiving for the beacon of hope drawing you forward. Are you looking for light today? • Pray for the light of Christ to illumine you especially this morning, and also to illumine the world. Are you in need of joy this morning? • Pray that God would show you the simple, profound joys that surround you now. Third, be still until worship begins Empty your hands, Close your eyes, Breathe deeply and slowly, Empty your mind. Let sounds pass by you. Find interest only in silent waiting upon God. The Celebrant says Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. People Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Celebrant Let us pray. Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Reading from the Gospel of Mark (11:1-11) When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. The Celebrant then says The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People It is right to give God thanks and praise. Celebrant 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. On this day he entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph, and was proclaimed as King of kings by those who spread their garments and branches of palm along his way. Let these branches be for us 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 lives and reigns in glory with you and the Holy spirit, now and for ever. Amen. Celebrant Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. People Hosanna in the highest. Priest Let us go forth in peace. People In the name of Christ. Amen. Collect of the Day Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray. Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Homily The Rev. Samuel J. Smith The Passion Of our Lord Jesus Christ, according To St. Mark 14:1-15:27 The congregation takes the role of Jesus (in bold). The congregation may be seated after the Passion is announced, until the verse that mentions the arrival at Golgotha, indicated in the text. NARRATOR: It was two days before the Passover NARRATOR: On the first day of Unleavened Bread, and the festival of Unleavened Bread. when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, The chief priests and the scribes were his disciples said to him, looking for a way to arrest Jesus by DISCIPLES: “Where do you want us to go and stealth and kill him; for they said, make the preparations for you to eat CHIEF PRIESTS: “Not during the festival, or there may the Passover?” be a riot among the people.” NARRATOR: So he sent two of his disciples, saying NARRATOR: While he was at Bethany in the house to them, of Simon the leper, as he sat at the JESUS: “Go into the city, and a man carrying table, a woman came with an a jar of water will meet you; follow alabaster jar of very costly ointment him, and wherever he enters, say to of nard, and she broke open the jar the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher and poured the ointment on his asks, Where is my guest room where head. But some were there who said I may eat the Passover with my to one another in anger, disciples?’ He will show you a large DISCIPLES: “Why was the ointment wasted in room upstairs, furnished and ready. this way? For this ointment could Make preparations for us there.” have been sold for more than three NARRATOR: So the disciples set out and went to hundred denarii, and the money the city, and found everything as he given to the poor.” had told them; and they prepared the NARRATOR: And they scolded her. But Jesus said, Passover meal. When it was evening, he came JESUS: “Let her alone; why do you trouble with the twelve. And when they had her? She has performed a good taken their places and were eating, service for me. For you always have Jesus said, the poor with you, and you can show JESUS: “Truly I tell you, one of you will kindness to them whenever you betray me, one who is eating with wish; but you will not always have me.” me. She has done what she could; NARRATOR: They began to be distressed and to she has anointed my body say to him one after another, beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell DISCIPLES: “Surely, not I?” you, wherever the good news is NARRATOR: He said to them, proclaimed in the whole world, what JESUS: “It is one of the twelve, one who is she has done will be told in dipping bread into the bowl with me. remembrance of her.” For the Son of Man goes as it is NARRATOR: Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of written of him, but woe to that one the twelve, went to the chief priests by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! in order to betray him to them. When It would have been better for that they heard it, they were greatly one not to have been born.” pleased, and promised to give him NARRATOR: While they were eating, he took a money. So he began to look for an loaf of bread, and after blessing it he opportunity to betray him. broke it, gave it to them, and said, JESUS: “Take; this is my body.” 3 NARRATOR: Then he took a cup, and after giving JESUS: “Simon, are you asleep? Could you thanks he gave it to them, and all of not keep awake one hour? Keep them drank from it.