THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY (APRIL 13TH)

We Rejoice in Christ’s Holy and Triumphant Entrance into Jerusalem, Proving that He is the True Messiah

LITURGICAL PROPERS ACCORDING TO THE USE OF THE LITURGY OF ST JAMES OF JERUSALEM IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST 

INTROIT: PSALM 22 (Domine, ne longe)

Be not thou far from me, O Lord, thou art my succour, haste thee to help me: save me from the lion's mouth, thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns. Ps. ibid. My God, my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me: and art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint? Be not thou.

COLLECTS

Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast vouchsafed that thine only-begotten Son should ride in triumph into the Holy City, while the multitudes spread their garments in the way and with palms and praises glorified his majesty: Grant, we beseech thee, that we also, bearing branches of righteousness, may with pure hearts receive him as our King; that being made partakers of his victory over sin and death, we may ever cry with the heavenly host, “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord”; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING: EXODUS 5:1-23 (ACCORDING TO THE 5 YEAR ST JAMES LECTIONARY) 

Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 

The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them; you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” 

So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?” 

Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.” But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 

They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” 

Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” 

Reader: The Word of the Lord!

All: Thanks be to God! 

SEQUENTIAL NEW TESTAMENT READING: ACTS 27:21-44 (ACCORDING TO THE 2 YEAR ST JAMES LECTIONARY) 

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.” 

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go. 

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. It will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 

Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. 

The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. 

Reader: The Word of the Lord!

All: Thanks be to God! 

THE EPISTLE READING: PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 (ACCORDING TO THE 1 YEAR TRADITIONAL WESTERN LECTIONARY) 

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. 

Reader: The Word of the Lord!

All: Thanks be to God! 

GRADUAL: PSALM 73

Thou hast holden me by my right hand: thou shalt guide me with thy counsel: and after that receive me with glory. 

V. Truly God is loving unto Israel, even unto such as are of a clean heart: nevertheless, my feet were almost gone: my treadings had well-nigh slipt: and why? I was grieved at the wicked, I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity. 

TRACT: PSALM 22

My God, my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? 

V. And art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint? 

V. O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not: and in the night season also I take no rest. 

V. But thou continuest holy, O thou Worship of Israel. 

V. Our fathers hoped in thee: they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them. 

V. They called upon thee, and were holpen: they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded. 

V. But as for me, I am a worm, and no man: a very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. 

V. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying: 

V. He trusted in God, that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he will have him. 

V. They stand staring and looking upon me: they part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 

V. Save me from the lion's mouth: thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns. 

V. O praise the Lord, ye that fear him: magnify him, all ye seed of Jacob. 

V. They shall be counted unto the Lord for a generation: they shall come, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness. 

V. Unto a people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made. 

¶ The Passion shall be begun immediately: Cleanse my heart is not said, nor is a blessing asked, nor are lights carried, nor incense. The Lord be with you is not said, nor Glory be to thee, O Lord, and the Celebrant, or Deacon, when he announces the Passion of our Lord, does not sign the book, nor himself. And this is to be observed on the other days also, when the Passion is read. 

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW 27:1-54 (ACCORDING TO THE 1 YEAR TRADITIONAL WESTERN LECTIONARY) 

+++ THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW +++

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, which 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 judgment 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. 

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? 

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil 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. 

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. 

Priest: The Holy Gospel of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

All: Praise be to Thee, Lord Christ! 

OFFERTORY: PSALM 69 - 

Thy rebuke hath broken my heart, I am full of heaviness: I looked for some to have pity on me, but there was no man: neither found I any to comfort me: they gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.

SECRET PRAYER

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that these gifts which we offer in the sight of thy divine majesty, may obtain for us grace to serve thee in this life with all godliness, and bring us in the end to everlasting felicity. Through.

COMMUNION COLLECT: ST. MATTHEW 26

O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it: thy will be done.

POSTCOMMUNION COLLECT 

Grant, O Lord, that by the operation of these thy mysteries, we may be cleansed from all our sins: and obtain that which we have asked according to thy will. Through.