St Edburg's Church - Bicester

Collect of the Day

True and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory.

 

Palms Gospel

Luke 19.28–40

28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying,
‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ 40He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.

 

First Reading

Isaiah 50.4–9a

The servant of the Lord said:

4 The Lord God has given me
  the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
  the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
  wakens my ear
  to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
  and I was not rebellious,
  I did not turn backwards.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
  and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
  from insult and spitting. 

7 The Lord God helps me;
  therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
  and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8   he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
  Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
  Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord God who helps me;
  who will declare me guilty?

 

Psalm

Psalm 31.9-16

9  Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in trouble; ♦︎
  my eye is consumed with sorrow,
     my soul and my body also.
10  For my life is wasted with grief,
     and my years with sighing; ♦︎
  my strength fails me because of my affliction,
     and my bones are consumed.
11  I have become a reproach to all my enemies
     and even to my neighbours,
     an object of dread to my acquaintances; ♦︎
  when they see me in the street they flee from me.
12  I am forgotten like one that is dead, out of mind; ♦︎
 

I have become like a broken vessel.
13  For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
     fear is on every side; ♦︎
  they scheme together against me,
     and plot to take my life.
14  But my trust is in you, O Lord. ♦︎
  I have said, ‘You are my God.
15  ‘My times are in your hand; ♦︎
  deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
     and from those who persecute me.
16  ‘Make your face to shine upon your servant, ♦︎
  and save me for your mercy’s sake.’

 

Second Reading

Philippians 2.5–11

5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
  did not regard equality with God
  as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
  taking the form of a slave,
  being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8   he humbled himself
  and became obedient to the point of death—
  even death on a cross. 

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
  and gave him the name
  that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
  every knee should bend,
  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
  that Jesus Christ is Lord,
  to the glory of God the Father.

 

Passion Gospel

Luke 23. 1 - 49

 

Post Communion Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.

 

 

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. nrsvbibles.org.

The Common Worship psalter is © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England.