Anglican worship service | Palm Sunday | Liturgical Colors: Red
Acclamations
Celebrant: Blessed be our God.
People: Now and for ever. Amen.
Collects
Almighty and everlasting God, in your tender love for us you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon himself 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 come to 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.
Lessons
Sunday, Holy Day and Commemoration Lectionary — Year A
Liturgy of the Palms
Matthew 21:1–11
Psalm 118:19–29
Liturgy of the Word
Isaiah 52:13–53:12
Psalm 22:1–21 or Psalm 22:1–11
Philippians 2:5–11
Matthew 26:36–27:66 or Matthew 27:1–54
Daily Office Lectionary
Morning Prayer
Psalm 78:1–18
Exodus 40 or Exodus 40:1–2, 16–38
Mark 2:1–22
Evening Prayer
Psalm 78:19–40
Proverbs 31
I Timothy 5
Prefaces
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. For our sins he was lifted high upon the Cross, that he might draw the whole world to himself; and by his suffering and death he became the author of eternal salvation for all who put their trust in him.
Data was compiled by Liturgical-Calandar.com from the 2019 Book of Common Prayer by the Anglican Church in North America.
Personal Reflections
It is palm Sunday and Holy Week begins in Year A. There was a time, not so long ago, when I didn’t even know the church had a three year liturgical calendar. That’s not important. It just amuses me to think of how my relationship with Religion and Theology has changed. As we reach the end of our Lenten reflection, I thought that I might share with you something that has been weighing heavily upon me.
For reasons of my own personal complexity, I found myself estranged from the congregation that defined for me what a worship service could and should be. That separation is partially due to a flaw in my character – some irrational fear of failure you might call it “imposter syndrome.” I didn’t couldn’t feel like I was good enough or capable enough to fulfill my role on the church council. When I ultimately left my council seat, the guilt was enough to drive me from the church.
I found and joined a new church and for a time I was so happy there. I engaged in Bible study, I was nominated to a committee, and secretly I even considered joining the choir. Trust me when I tell you that it is better for everybody that I did not attempt to join the choir. I was engaged. I began to think of my fellow congregants as being “my people” and I thought about what my future with them might look like. But the deeper I became involved in the life of my new church, the more I missed the old. I missed the people, the worship, and the theology. Just like that, I lost my joy.
I tell you this so that you might stop and consider what you actually have in your life … right now. The people and the relationships that surround you, wherever you happen to be at this point in your life. Take a moment to look at those souls as Christ commended us, and love one another as He loved us. There is no perfect church and there are no perfect people but we are the beneficiaries of a perfect love. Let that love bring you the joy of fellowship. Embrace whatever flaws you see in the people around you. Imperfect people need your love and you also, being imperfect need theirs.