SPIRITUAL COMMUNION FOR PALM SUNDAY 2021
✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All reply: Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, we confess we have failed you as did your disciples.
We ask for your mercy and for your help.
When we take our ease
rather than watch with you.
Lord, have mercy.
When we bestow a kiss of peace
yet nurse enmity in our hearts.
Christ, have mercy.
When we strike at those who hurt us
rather than stretch out our hands to bless.
Lord, have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
The Collect Almighty and ever-living God,
who as an example of humility for the human race to follow
caused our Saviour 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. Amen.
AREADING FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH
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. 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.
Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Psalm 21)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
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.”
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
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.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
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!
My God, my God, why have you forsaken 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.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
SECOND READING (Philippians 2:6-11)
His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality with God
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.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory.
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 PALM SUNDAY GOSPEL - MARK
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 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 anyone 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.
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.
The ADDRESS
A TALE OF TWO PALMS
Crowds along the way greeted Jesus as a royal hero.
They spread out their coats upon the roadway,
they covered these with palm branches
to soften the pathway for the kingly one
They lined the road, and carried palm fronds in their hands
and in waving them made a swishing noise in adulation,
a bit like the old-fashioned football rattle.
The opening part of our Mass today was an historical re-enactment
of that day, of the crowd’s hope and proclamation of Jesus as king.
That adulation was short-lived, and the palms of victory
are replaced by palms of vicious mockery
as the corner is turned from a route leading to the Temple
along a diversion leading via The Governor’s House to Calvary.
Jesus comes face-to-face with those who were trying
to do their best to destroy Jesus’ kingship.
This morning’s Mass captured the mood of both ends of this week. We are there in the Crowd shouting Hosanna,
and we’re there in the Crowd shouting “Crucify!”
Soldiers mock sarcastically and deride him, “King of the Jews,”
They force him to wear a painful “royal” crown made of thorns.
They dress him up in a fake purple robe as an indignity
They spat upon him, and the palms they wave at him hurt
as they viciously slap him and whip him.
A Tale of Two Cities –
The City that welcomed its King, with open arms and waving palms;
and the City that rejected him with clenched fist and hurtful hands.
Jesus didn’t live up to human expectation.
He wasn’t the Palm Sunday King that they cheered;
nor was He the Good Friday King they jeered.
But my goodness He was a man of courage!
"It is impossible to exaggerate the sheer courage of Jesus,
a man with a price on his head,
deliberately riding into the city in such a way.
Glorious defiance and superlative courage"
Such a death was the inevitable conclusion of his life.
Jesus was a divisive figure; he warned them about that.
He was born of a radical mother,
and the agenda he proclaimed in Nazareth Synagogue at the beginning of his ministry was a tough one,
pandering to those on the margins rather than those who were important by world standards.
When you see Jesus – what are you expecting?
Follow him closely this week and discover the truth of this King;
Let him ride ride into your city today,
into the ruined places, into hearts broken and afraid,
into the midst of all that has changed this last year,
follow him through Calvary to the empty tomb…..
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL (BIDDING PRAYERS)
We stand with Christ in his suffering. For forgiveness for the many times we
have denied Jesus, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For grace to seek out those habits of sin which mean spiritual death,
and by prayer and self-discipline to overcome them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who make laws, interpret them, and administer them,
that our common life may be ordered in justice and mercy,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
For those who still make Jerusalem a battle-ground,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly
for justice and peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those in the darkness and agony of isolation,
that they may find support and encouragement, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow,
feel that God is far from them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
That we, with those who have died in faith, may find mercy in the day of Christ,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer
As the Blessed Virgin Mary stood by the cross and watched her son die,
we pray for those we have loved but no longer see.
✠ Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace, and rise in glory.
We ask Mary to pray with us, as we with her bring our care for our world in the grip of this pandemic;
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among 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.
God our Father, whose Son, the true and humble king,
was hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may also walk with Christ on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory. Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
MAKING WAY FOR CHRIST
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.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
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, too, acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high!
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
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.
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. Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
In union, blessed Jesus,
with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church
where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day,
and remembering particularly my own parish
and those who are worshipping there today.
I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving,
for creation and all the blessings of this life,
for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection,
for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
And particularly for the blessings given me….
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament,
and, since I cannot at this time receive communion,
I pray you to come into my heart.
I unite myself with you
and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind.
Let nothing separate me from you;
let me serve you in this life until, by your grace,
I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace.
Sit for a moment in silence
Come to me, Jesus, come and refresh my soul. Strengthen me, that in union with Thee I may do perfectly the Heavenly Father's will. Let me never be separated from Thee by sin. Keep me in Thy love and Thy grace. Increase my faith, strengthen my hope, kindle my love, that I may die to self and live but for Thee.
The Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me; Water from the side of Christ, wash me; Passion of Christ, strengthen me; O good Jesus hear me; Within your wounds hide me; separated from you, let me never be; From the evil one protect me; At the hour of my death, call me; And close to you bid me; That with your saints, I may be praising you forever and ever.
Christ crucified draw us to himself, to find in him a sure ground for faith,
a firm support for hope, and the assurance of sins forgiven;
and may the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit
come down upon us, and remain with us for ever. Amen.
THE ANGELUS
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary.
And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
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.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it unto me according to thy word.
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.
And the Word was made flesh.
And dwelt amongst us.
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.
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 unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God
Palm Sunday-10.30am Sung Mass, starting in the Church Hall, and processing into Church. Thanks to the latest Covid-19 Guidance issued on Friday 26th March, we will be allowed to sing "All Glory Laud and Honour" outside of Church before we enter it!
Tuesday 30th March - 12 noon Said Mass
Confession - 11am and after Mass
Maundy Thursday - 1st April - 7pm - Sung Mass of the Last Supper followed by Procession to the Altar of Repose
Good Friday 2nd April - 10.15am Stations of the Cross
11.15am Liturgy for Good Friday
Holy Saturday 3rd April - 8pm Easter Vigil, Lighting of the Paschal Candle
and First Mass of Easter
Easter Day 4th April - 10.30am Sung Mass for Easter Day