April 5 – Palm/Passion Sunday

Worship materials for Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday were contributed by Wendy MacLean, Cowansville Area P.C., Cowansville, Quebec.

 

Lectionary

Lectionary readings from Vanderbilt Divinity Library online

(http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BLent/bPalmSunday.htm)

 

Liturgy of the Palms

 

Mark 11:1–11

Jesus’ joyful entry into Jerusalem

Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29 (VU pg. 837 parts 1, 3, and 4)

The stone that the builders rejected.

 

Liturgy of the Passion

 

Isaiah 50:4–9a

The servant: “I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks….”

Psalm 31:9–16 (VU pg. 758 parts 2 and 3)

My times are in your hands, O God.

Philippians 2:5–11

Let the same mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus.

Mark 14:1—15:47

The narrative of Jesus’ final hours.

 

Spark

Use the sensual elements featured in Mark’s account of Jesus’ last days—water, perfume, and vinegar—to enhance the drama of the story. Bring the elements up to the communion table and pour them out in slow gestures before the reading. Sing from “Tree of life and awesome mystery” (VU 121) as each is being put on the table. Use a water jar for the water: Mark 14:13 (VU 121, 3rd Sunday); an alabaster jar or a perfume jar with lavender oil, which is a kind of nard: Mark 14:3 (VU 121, 4th Sunday); and a jar or crock of vinegar: Mark 15:36 (VU 121, 5th Sunday).

 

With Children

Compare the nard (lavender), water, and vinegar. Which one would you drink? What would you wear to smell nice? What would you use the vinegar for? Explain their uses from the story. Children will be fascinated with the idea that the sponge used by the soldier for the vinegar may have been the equivalent of ancient toilet paper.

 

Sermon Starter

To listen like a disciple (Isaiah 50:4c)

 

How can we make the shift in these readings from triumph to despair? We can read the texts as followers of Jesus, which makes us insiders in this story, condemning the religious authorities. If we use an “empire lens,” we might read the triumphant texts feeling smug because we support the One who resisted empire.

 

But then we look around and notice that in 2009 we are the ones who are the religious authorities!

Simon of Cyrene was an innocent passerby compelled to carry the cross by a Roman soldier. When does empire, unknowingly, give us the opportunity to witness to our faith by demanding that we carry the cross? How do poverty and grief draw us closer to Christ as we share the burden of the cross? How can we be “Simon of Cyrene” for each other as we suffer?

 

Hymns

Hebrew Scripture

VU 609            “In all our grief and fear”

VU 614            “In suffering love”

MV 78             “God weeps”

 

Psalm

VU 615            “When quiet peace is shattered”

 

Epistle

VU 366            “like a child”

VU 630            “O Christ, in thee my soul”

 

Gospel

VU 121            “Tree of life and awesome mystery”

VU 600            “When I needed a neighbour”