Prayers for the Lenten Journey – Palm/Passion Sunday
Palm/Passion Sunday is, by design, a day of drama and paradox, of triumph and tragedy. As the story begins, a crowd gathers, waving branches and shouting “Hosanna” (Hebrew for Save us), and wanting to crown Jesus as king. But as the story of Christ’s passion unfolds, the shouts of praise turn into demands for his death. Jesus is handed over to be mocked, tortured, and killed; the crown he receives is one of thorns. ( adapted from the Book of Common Worship, PCUSA)
Matthew 21: 1 -11
21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
We praise you, O God,
for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ,
who entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph
and was proclaimed Messiah and king
by those who spread garments and branches along his way.
Let these branches be signs of his victory,
and grant that we who carry them
may follow him in the way of the cross,
that, dying and rising with him,
we may enter into your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
Book of Common Worship PCUSA
