Holy Week Yr A
Palm Sunday

Published date 3/30/2023

Introduction

Palm Sunday is the first of several steps on your journey through Holy Week. More to come.

Palm Sunday

Matthew 26:14- 27:66

. . . When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ . . .

sermons4kids: “Today we celebrate the entry of King Jesus into Jerusalem. It was a day that marked the beginning of an incredible week. A week that would see Jesus cheered, then arrested, tried, condemned, and crucified. But as that week came to an end, another week began just as the previous week had begun…with a celebration.”

Scripture: April 5, 2020—The Liturgy of the Palms: Matthew 21:1-11 (image); Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (image); The Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a (image); Psalm 31:9-16 (image); Philippians 2:5-11 (image); and Matthew 26:14- 27:66 [also known as the Passion Gospel, separate journey] or Matthew 27:11-54 (image). A visual/audio journey.

Collect: 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.

Reflection: As this week unfolds, spend some time each day pondering the mind of Christ. What is the shape of his compassion? Describe the image of such great love. Finally, what does it feel like, physically, to be so utterly cared for?


excerpt from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 1 © 2013 Westminster John Knox Press.

Ear Worm: “Hosanna in the streets” by Pepper Choplin; “Ride on, King Jesus“, spiritual arranged by Moses Hogan; "All glory, laud, and honor", hymn

Eye Candy: “Entry into Jerusalem” (1320) by Pietra Lorenzetti; “Church goin’ mule” (early 20th century), by Marshall Blevins

Brain Food: “Poem for Palm Sunday” by Andrew King; “After the parade” by Sharon Blezard

Parables: “Palm Sunday, a kid video; "Deep Impact" (1998), the impending doom; "A Knight's Tale" (2001), imagery is best feature; "Pay it forward" (2000), hard movie abut sacrifice; here is the top five movies depicting Jesus – you choose.

Hymn Notes: "All glory, laud, and honor", text written by Theodulph of Orleans, brought to France under Charles the Great; when Charles the Great died, Theodulph was imprisoned because he was suspected of being against the new king. The text was translated by J.M. Neale. Because Neale was sympathetic to Rome, he was dismissed and ridiculed. Even so, he was prolific, contributing much to hymnody in the Anglican church.

Excerpted from hymnary.org

Some eye-candy:

Brain food:

Movies


Ear Worms:


For families: Study guide, group activity, snack; kid video

For children: Activity, bulletin; craft

For middlers: Activity; bulletin; craft 

Coloring: The triumphal entry

For youth: I hope you spent time reflecting on this triumphal entry into Jerusalem of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a joyous time! And yet, we know that the dark days are ahead of him. How do you anticipate and prepare for the dark days?

If you wish, share your thoughts.


The Paschal Mystery

In Lent we will frequently hear a word unfamiliar to English-speaking Christians, but one which, if we learn to use and understand it, will open our hearts and minds to the celebration of our redemption. The word is pascha. It is the ancient biblical word for Passover and is used in the Holy Scriptures both for the exodus/Passover event which saved Israel in the time of Moses, and for the death and resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate at Easter and on every Lord’s Day. Indeed in many languages the name of Easter is some variation of pascha—see particularly French, Italian, and Spanish.

Liturgists and theologians speak of the “Paschal Mystery,” a phrase heard often in the liturgy during Lent and Eastertide. Its meaning is brought home by William Pregnall, former Dean of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He describes the Paschal Mystery as the saving event by which God in all times and in all places saves the human race. It has been specially manifested at four points in history:

Lent is not a gloomy time, a sad time, or a depressing time for those who are remembering what God has done for them. Our self-examination, which reveals our sin, prepares us to recognize our need for God. Then we gather Sunday by Sunday in the liturgy where our story as the people of God reminds us that God has met and still meets our need. Our fasting and self-denial give us the resources with which we can join Christ in his struggle against evil and death. Joining him in that struggle, we also join him in his victory.


From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2009 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.