Palm Sunday (sermons and commentary)

THE COLLECT.
Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE EPISTLE. Philip. 2. 5
LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW

THE GOSPEL. S. Matth. 27. 1
WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against, Jesus to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. (Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the Potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.)
     And Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word, insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgement-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified.
     Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
     And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him; one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save: if he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
     Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Distribution of Palms:
Ps 118:19-29
OPEN to me the gates of righteousness, / that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord: / the righteous shall enter into it.
21 I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me, / and art become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders refused / is become the head-stone in the corner.
23 This is the Lord's doing, / and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; / we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Help me now, O Lord: / O Lord, send us now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord: / we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, and he hath given us light: / set in order the procession with branches, yea, even up to the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will thank thee: / thou art my God, and I will praise thee.
29 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: / and his mercy endureth for ever.

(Processional Hymn: All glory, laud and honour)

INTROIT. Ps 22:1-11
MY God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, / and art so far from my help, and from the words of my complaint?
2 O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; / and in the night-season also I take no rest.
3 And thou continuest holy, / O thou worship of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee; / they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They called upon thee, and were saved; / they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But as for me, I am a worm, and no man; / a very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn; / they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads,
8 Saying, 'He trusted in God, that he would deliver him; / let him deliver him, if he delighteth in him.'
9 But thou art he that took me from the womb; / thou wast my hope, when I hanged yet upon my mother's breasts.
10 I have been left unto thee ever since I was born; / thou art my God even from my mother's womb.
11 O go not from me, for trouble is hard at hand, / and there is none to help me.
No Gloria.

GRADUAL. Ps 22:12-21
12 Many oxen are come about me; / strng bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.
13 They gape upon me with their mouths, / as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; / my heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums, / and thou bringest me into the dust of death.
16 For many dogs are come about me, / and the council of the wicked layeth siege against me.
17 They pierced my hands and my feet; I may count all my bones: / they stand staring and looking upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, / and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord; / thou art my succour, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, / and my life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: / thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the wild oxen.

Additional Propers for Eucharistic Devotions