ENTRANCE RITE

Opening Antiphon:

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. (Matthew 21:9)

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

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Dear brothers and sisters, since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works. Today we gather together to herald with the whole Church the beginning of the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery, that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection. For it was to accomplish this mystery that he entered his own city of Jerusalem. Therefore, with all faith and devotion, let us commemorate the Lord’s entry into the city for our salvation, following in his footsteps, so that being made by his grace partakers of the Cross, we may have a share also in his resurrection and in his life.

PALM BLESSING

Almighty ever-living God,
sanctify † these branches with your blessing,
that we who follow Christ the King in exultation
may reach the eternal Jerusalem through him.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. 
Amen. 

Or: 

Increase the faith of those
who place their hope in you, O God,
and graciously hear the prayers of those who call on you:
bless † those who today hold high these branches
to hail Christ in his triumph,
that we may bear fruit by good works in him.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. 
Amen.

GOSPEL

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. (11:1-10)

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Glory to you, Lord.

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, 
he sent two of his disciples and said to them, 
“Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately on entering it, 
you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone should say to you,
‘Why are you doing this?’ reply,
‘The Master has need of it
and will send it back here at once.’”
So they went off 
and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, 
and they untied it.
Some of the bystanders said to them, 
“What are you doing, untying the colt?”
They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, 
and they permitted them to do it.
So they brought the colt to Jesus
and put their cloaks over it.
And he sat on it.
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, 
and others spread leafy branches 
that they had cut from the fields.
Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:
    “Hosanna!
        Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
        Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
    Hosanna in the highest!”

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

Dear brothers and sisters, like the crowds who acclaimed Jesus in Jerusalem, let us go forth in peace.OrLet us go forth in peace. In this latter case, all respond: In the name of Christ.
Amen.

Processional Antiphons

1. The children of the Hebrews, carrying olive branches,
   wnet to meet the Lord, crying out and saying:
   Hosanna in the highest.
   Verses of Psalm 24 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
   
   — or —
    
2. The children of Jerusalem welcomed Christ the King.
   The children of the Hebrews spread their garments on the road,
   crying out and saying: Hosanna to the Son of David;
   blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
   Verses of Psalm 47 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.

Hymn to Christ the King:

Glory and honor and praise be to you, Christ, King and Redeemer,
to whom young children cried out loving Hosannas with joy. 

Responsory on Entry into Church:

R)  As the Lord entered the holy city, the children of the Hebrews proclaimed the resurrection of life. Waving their branches of palm, they cried: Hosanna in the highest.

V)  When the people heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they went out to meet him. Waving their branches of palm, they cried: Hosanna in the highest.

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]

Six days before the Passover,
when the Lord came into the city of Jerusalem,
the children ran to meet him;
in their hands they carried palm branches
and with a loud voice cried out:
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed are you, who have come in your abundant mercy!
O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is this king of glory?
He, the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed are you, who have come in your abundant mercy!

When the Priest has arrived at the altar, he venerates it and, if appropriate, incenses it. Then he goes to the chair, where he puts aside the cope, if he has worn one, and puts on the chasuble. Omitting the other Introductory Rites of the Mass and, if appropriate, the Kyrie (Lord, have mercy), he says the Collect of the Mass, and then continues the Mass in the usual way.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty everliving God
who as an example of humility for the human race to follow
caused our Savior 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.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah

I gave My back to those who strike Me. (50:4-7)

The Lord GOD has given me
    a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
    a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
    he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
    have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
    my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
    from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
    therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
    knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

(Ps 21)

Response: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me;
    they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
    let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me,
    a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
    I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them,
    and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
    O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
    in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
    all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
    revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

SECOND READING

A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (2:6-11)

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    coming in human likeness;
    and found human in appearance,
    he humbled himself,
    becoming obedient to the point of death,
    even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
    and bestowed on him the name
    which is above every name,
    that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,    
    and every tongue confess that
    Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL

Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. (Phil 2:8-9)

GOSPEL

(Mark 14:1 – 15:47)

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

Narrator: The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread 
were to take place in two days’ time.
So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way 
to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
They said,

Crowd: “Not during the festival, 
for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”

Narrator: When he was in Bethany reclining at table 
in the house of Simon the leper, 
a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,
costly genuine spikenard.
She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
There were some who were indignant.

Crowd: “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages 
and the money given to the poor.”

Narrator: They were infuriated with her. Jesus said,

Jesus: “Let her alone.
Why do you make trouble for her?
She has done a good thing for me.
The poor you will always have with you, 
and whenever you wish you can do good to them, 
but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could.
She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,
what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Narrator: Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, 
went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.
Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, 
his disciples said to him,

Speaker: “Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

Narrator: He sent two of his disciples and said to them, 

Jesus: “Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there.”

Narrator: The disciples then went off, entered the city, 
and found it just as he had told them; 
and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. 
And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,

Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, 
one who is eating with me.”

Narrator: They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,

Speaker: “Surely it is not I?”

Narrator: He said to them,

Jesus: “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

Narrator: While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, and said, 

Jesus: “Take it; this is my body.”

Narrator: Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,

Jesus: “This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine 
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Narrator: Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them, 

Jesus: “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:
    I will strike the shepherd,
        and the sheep will be dispersed.
But after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee.”

Narrator: Peter said to him, 

Speaker: “Even though all should have their faith shaken,
mine will not be.”

Narrator: Then Jesus said to him,

Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, 
this very night before the cock crows twice
you will deny me three times.”

Narrator: But he vehemently replied, 

Speaker: “Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you.”

Narrator: And they all spoke similarly.
Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,

Jesus: “Sit here while I pray.”

Narrator: He took with him Peter, James, and John, 
and began to be troubled and distressed.
Then he said to them,

Jesus: “My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch.”

Narrator: He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed
that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said,

Jesus: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.
Take this cup away from me,
but not what I will but what you will.”

Narrator: When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter,

Jesus: “Simon, are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Narrator: Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
Then he returned once more and found them asleep, 
for they could not keep their eyes open 
and did not know what to answer him.
He returned a third time and said to them, 

Jesus: “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
It is enough.  The hour has come.
Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Narrator: Then, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, 
accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs 
who had come from the chief priests,
the scribes, and the elders.
His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, 

Speaker: “The man I shall kiss is the one; 
arrest him and lead him away securely.”

Narrator: He came and immediately went over to him and said,
“Rabbi.”  And he kissed him.
At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
One of the bystanders drew his sword,
struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them in reply,

Jesus: “Have you come out as against a robber, 
with swords and clubs, to seize me?
Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, 
yet you did not arrest me; 
but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”

Narrator: And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him
wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.
They seized him,
but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.
They led Jesus away to the high priest,
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard 
and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus 
in order to put him to death, but they found none.
Many gave false witness against him,
but their testimony did not agree.
Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging,

Crowd: “We heard him say,
‘I will destroy this temple made with hands
and within three days I will build another
not made with hands.’”

Narrator: Even so their testimony did not agree.
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying,

Speaker: “Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?”

Narrator: But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked him and said to him, 

Speaker: “Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”

Narrator: Then Jesus answered,

Jesus: “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”

Narrator: At that the high priest tore his garments and said,

Speaker: “What further need have we of witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?”

Narrator: They all condemned him as deserving to die.
Some began to spit on him.
They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him,

Crowd: “Prophesy!”

Narrator: And the guards greeted him with blows.
While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the high priest’s maids came along.
Seeing Peter warming himself,
she looked intently at him and said,

Crowd: “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

Narrator: But he denied it saying,

Speaker: “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”

Narrator: So he went out into the outer court.
Then the cock crowed.
The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,

Crowd: “This man is one of them.”

Narrator: Once again he denied it.
A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,

Crowd: “Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”

Narrator: He began to curse and to swear, 

Speaker: “I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”

Narrator: And immediately a cock crowed a second time.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,
“Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”
He broke down and wept.
As soon as morning came, 
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, 
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,

Speaker: “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Narrator: He said to him in reply,

Jesus: “You say so.”

Narrator: The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,

Speaker: “Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of.”

Narrator: Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison 
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered, 

Speaker: “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

Narrator: For he knew that it was out of envy 
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd 
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,

Speaker: “Then what do you want me to do 
with the man you call the king of the Jews?”

Narrator: They shouted again,

Crowd: “Crucify him.”

Narrator: Pilate said to them,

Speaker: “Why?  What evil has he done?”

Narrator: They only shouted the louder,

Crowd: “Crucify him.”

Narrator: So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers led him away inside the palace, 
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and, 
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.
They brought him to the place of Golgotha
— which is translated Place of the Skull —,
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments 
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
“The King of the Jews.”
With him they crucified two revolutionaries, 
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,

Crowd: “Aha!  You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross.”

Narrator: Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, 
mocked him among themselves and said, 

Crowd: “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe.”

Narrator: Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 

Jesus: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”

Narrator: which is translated,

Jesus: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Narrator: Some of the bystanders who heard it said, 

Crowd: “Look, he is calling Elijah.”

Narrator: One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed 
and gave it to him to drink saying, 

Crowd: “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Narrator: Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

        Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

Narrator: The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he  breathed his last he said, 

Crowd: “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Narrator: There were also women looking on from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, 
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
These women had followed him when he was in Galilee
and ministered to him.
There were also many other women
who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
When it was already evening,
since it was the day of preparation,
the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,
a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,
came and courageously went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.
He summoned the centurion
and asked him if Jesus had already died.
And when he learned of it from the centurion, 
he gave the body to Joseph.
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
watched where he was laid.

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

PROFESSION OF FAITH

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,
(at the words that follow up to and including and became man, all bow)
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.
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.

Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, especially during Lent and Easter Time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles’ Creed, may be used.

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
(At the words that follow, up to and including the Virgin Mary, all bow.)
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.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL

Our response is: Hear us now we pray.

For the Church – that all who take up the cross and follow Christ will seek justice for the oppressed, freedom for the innocent and consolation for the downhearted. In your mercy Lord. Hear us now we pray.

For the police, the army and all who maintain good order in society – that those trusted with maintaining good order in society act for the good of all, and will remain unbiased in their judgements and act with mercy and restraint. In your mercy Lord. Hear us now we pray.

For all people of faith – that we will be steadfast in prayer, praying always for what is right, just and compassionate. In your mercy Lord. Hear us now we pray.

For friendship – that each of us builds rich friendships which overcome barriers of discrimination and draws us to work together on projects that benefit people and communities. In your mercy Lord. Hear us now we pray.

For people who have been tortured or unjustly condemned – that oppression, violence and torment of one people against another, will end. In your mercy Lord. Hear us now we pray.

THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Offertory Song

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

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.
Amen.

PREFACE and EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Preface for Palm Sunday: 
[The Passion of the Lord]

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 acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…

COMMUNION RITE

Communion Antiphon

Father, if this chalice cannot pass without my drinking it,
your will be done. (Matthew 26:42)

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

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.
Amen.

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE

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.
Amen.

Final Song