Palm Sunday
April 13, 2025
THE FATHER IS MY HOPE; THE SON IS MY REFUGE;
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MY PROTECTION.
ALL HOLY TRINITY, GLORY TO THEE!
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
GETTING READY FOR SUNDAY: PREVIEW OF THE READINGS
Today is Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of, and provides us with a “overture” for Holy Week. Our Gospel today will comprise a dramatic reading of the Passion of St. Matthew. In the Epistle reading for today from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians we are given to understand what the Passion is in theological terms: the self-emptying of God, and the enthronement of Jesus Christ before whom, sooner or later, every knee will bow. All of which is to say, there is no room here for the “ego ” that is the creature that lives by needs, desires, wounds, plans, and expectations. To be a Christian is to take the selflessness of Christ, and make it our own, so that Christ lives in me, and I live in him.
THE LESSON : Philippians 2:5-11
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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 GOSPEL: MATTHEW 27.1-54.
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death; 2 and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor. 3 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.” 7 So they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly.15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner, called Barab′bas.[a] 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab′bas[b] or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people to ask for Barab′bas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barab′bas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified.” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified.”24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood;[c] see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on ourchildren!” 26 Then he released for them Barab′bas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him, 29 and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.32 As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyre′ne, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Gol′gotha (which means the place of a skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots; 36 then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land[d] until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, la′ma sabach-tha′ni?” that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “This man is calling Eli′jah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Eli′jah will come to save him.”[e] 50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; 52 the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
PARISH LIFE NOTES
FAREWELL TEA for Sandra (moving to BC to be near her daughter (Bonnie) takes place Sat. May 3rd from 2-4pm in the Parish Hall. Gifts gratefully declined.
EASTER OFFERING. The Vestry has designated that this year’s Easter Offering to go to the Diocesan Lenten Appeal in support of the Bishop Nathaniel Theological Training Centre in South Sudan. Please mark any cheques, envelopes, and e-transfers as “Easter Offering”
THE CATHEDRAL VILLAGE ARTS FESTIVAL this year runs from May 21-24. The Vestry is looking for volunteers to help plan and organize St. Mary’s contribution to this event. Please speak to Revd. Claude if interested.
SCHEDULE OF HOLY WEEK SERVICES
Monday to Wednesday
- 8.30 a.m. Morning Prayer
- 5.30 p.m. Evening Prayer
Maundy Thursday
- 8.30 a.m. Morning Prayer
- 6.00 p.m. Agape Supper, Holy Communion and Stripping of the Altar
Good Friday
- 12.00 p.m. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.
Easter Sunday
- 10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer
- 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion followed by Easter brunch, Paradise Cake, Easter egg hunt for the children.