Liturgy and Prayers - Sunday, 24 March 2024 – Palm/Passion Sunday, Year B

Liturgy in one document: Liturgy in One Document Palm/Passion Sunday Palm Sunday Resources including Liturgy for Palm Procession, Music Suggestions

Opening sentence

One theme for the service on this Sunday is the passion of Jesus. The service for Passion Sunday focuses on the suffering and death of Jesus. The central focus of the service is the reading of the long gospel, usually the entire passion narrative of the gospel for the year (for year B, the Gospel of Mark).

The other theme for this Sunday is Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before his death. In Lutheran practice, following late medieval piety, the focus on the Sunday in Holy Week became almost predominantly Palm Sunday.

It is important to note that the readings given by the Revised Common Lectionary are intended to be used in the following way:

  • The Palm Sunday gospel and psalm are used for the palm procession and/or entry into the church
  • The Passion Sunday readings, psalm and gospel are for use in the service itself.

 It is possible to omit the palm procession, and to use the Palm Sunday psalm and gospel in the service itself instead of the Passion psalm and gospel, but this may result in a rather odd mixture of triumphant jubilation and sorrowful reflection. When we observe the separation of the two themes, the day appropriately begins in shouts of joy, but ends in silence.

The liturgy choices below reflect these dual themes.

You can find the specific liturgy and instructions for the palm procession, along with appropriate music suggestions here.

The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.  (John 12:23)

OR
The Lamb who was killed is worthy
to receive power and wealth, wisdom and strength, honour, glory and praise!  (Rev 5:12 TEV)

OR
If we have been united with him in a death like his,
we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
(Rom 6:5 NRSV)

OR (suitable only for use at the beginning of the service)
Your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zech 9:9 NIV)

Prayer of the day - (Collect):

Traditional

Almighty and eternal God,
since you sent your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ,
to take our nature upon himself,
and to suffer death upon the cross:
Mercifully grant
that we may patiently follow
the example of his great humility,
and share in his resurrection;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Modernised Traditional

Almighty and eternal God,
you sent your Son, our Saviour,
to take our nature on himself
and to suffer and die on the cross.
Lead us to follow
the example of his great humility,
and bring us to share in his resurrection.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternative

(Let us pray for humility. [silence])
Loving Father of all,
your only Son came as a servant
and was obedient
all the way to his death on the cross.
Make us humble like Christ,
and bring us to be with him in his glory.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

New

Alleluia Verse

The Alleluia Verse is not used during Lent. Instead, a verse may be used after the second reading.
Use either the Verse given in the order of service or the following verse.

Christ humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death –
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name.  (Phil 2:8,9 NRSV)

OR, if the palm gospel is used as the main gospel of the day:
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor, David!
(Mark 11:9b,10a NRSV)

Prayer after the Gospel

This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ (, Lamb of God).
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
for suffering and dying for us.
Remember us and save us.
Amen.

OR, for the Palm gospel only:
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming as a gentle king,
in God’s name.
May we always praise and worship you.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

Thank you, loving Father,
that your Son was obedient all the way to the cross,
and suffered and died for us.
Make us humble and self-giving,
serving others as he served us.
Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Prayer points

Additional Prayer Points

LCA International Mission

Services with Holy Communion:

Preface

It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
On the tree of the cross he gave salvation to all,
so that, where death began,
there life might be restored,
and that the enemy,
who by a tree once overcame,
might by a tree be overcome.
And so, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we adore and praise your glorious name:

Communion Invitation

Every time we eat this bread and drink from this cup
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

OR
Behold the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
Happy are those who are called to his supper.
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

Prayer after Communion

The following variation of the post-communion prayer may be used during Lent:

Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, as you did not spare your own Son,
but gave him up to die on the cross for us all:
Grant that we who have received
his body and blood in the sacrament
may live in him and he in us,
so that, as your children,
we may walk in your ways
and serve you all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows:

Loving Father of all,
your only Son came as a servant
and was obedient
all the way to his death on the cross.
As he has served us here at this table,
make us humble like him,
and bring us to be with him in his glory.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Dismissal

SEASONAL BLESSING
This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

(May) Christ our crucified Saviour draw you to himself,
so that you may find in him the assurance of sins forgiven
and the gift of eternal life; . . .

DISMISSAL
Go in peace and have the same humble attitude as our Lord.
Thanks be to God. 

OR  In the name of Christ. Amen.