PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION A Lectionary #37A, 38A
Although the liturgical planners want us to focus on the Passion narrative as the center of this celebration, people tend to focus more on the procession with palms as the “gate” to the Triduum. In our planning, we might want to think about ways of making the palm procession a strong ritual, while at the same time finding ways to highlight the Passion narrative and, this year, Matthew's unique interpretation of the meaning of Jesus’ death. Remember, too, for people who will not take part in the Good Friday Liturgy, this is the only account of the Passion they will hear this year, so it should be proclaimed well and in its entirety.

Opening Antiphon and Procession

Matthew 21:1-11. Because Matthew's community had a strong Jewish-Christian membership, this Gospel seeks to show how Jesus fulfills the expectations of the prophets for a messiah. The author also tells the story of the Passion in such a way as to show that Jesus is in charge of his own destiny, as when he sends the disciples for the ass and colt.

All Glory, Laud and Honor  WOR 428/LMGM 30/CBW 62/GP 356/BB/WC 546/JS 399/GC 402/GC2 421/RS 563/WS/PMB 244/SS/LPGG 810
Benedictus Qui Venit  WOR 429
Blessings on the King   GP 357
He Is King of Kings  LMGM 86/WOR 498
Hosanna   GC 403/GC2 423, 425/CBW 59, 60, 61/BB/RS 969/GP 358/JS 396, 397/WS/PMB 595/PRM B26/LPGG 808/BFW 101/PSL A-44/SS
Hosanna in Excelsis  WOR 430
Hosanna, Son of God  WC 537/PMB 243
Palm Sunday Procession   BB
Palm Sunday Processional   GC 420
Ride On, Jesus, Ride  GC 405/GC2 424/LMGM 264/RS 562
Ride On, King Jesus  GP 359/JS 398/BB
Ride On!  Ride On in Majesty    PMB 245/WC 543
Sing Hosanna to Our King   WS
The Children of Jerusalem   BB/PMB 596, 597/PRM A22, A23
The Children of the Hebrews   BFW 104/SS
The King of Glory (refrain only)  WOR 501/GP 423/MI‑BB/WC 719/JS 487/GC 486/GC2 494/RS 628/WS

Mass of Passion Sunday

Isaiah 50:4-7. There are several passages in the later chapters of Isaiah that are called the “songs of the servant,” in which the speaker seems to be the whole people Israel, whose sufferings bring salvation, or a particular individual whose pain leads to salvation for the people. Here is the third “song of the servant,” in which the speaker reflects on experiences suffered by slaves or conquered prisoners. Even in such sufferings, the servant knows that God is present.

Psalm of the Day: Ps (21) 22
The lament of someone who has lost everything, even clothes, to evildoers. It is clear why the early church saw references to Jesus in the description of pierced hands and feet. Once more, even in the midst of such suffering, the psalmist sings of trust in God's presence.

Dios Mío (Alturas)  FYC 180
Dios Mío, Dios Mío (Grajeda)  GP 176
Dios Mío, Dios Mío/My God, My God (Hurd)  FYC 181/JS 21
Dios Mío, Dios Mío/My God, My God (Schiavone)  FYC 182
My God, My God/Dios Mío, Dios Mío (Alonso)   SS
My God, My God   PSL A-45/SS
My God, My God (Alstott)   JS 22/BB
My God, My God (Guimont)   GC2 892/LPMG 38
My God, My God (Harbor)   LMGM 513          
My God, My God (Haugen)  GC 29/GC2 22/PCY1 30/RS 43
My God, My God (Isele)  LMGM 514          
My God, My God (Manion)  MI‑BB/GP 175
My God, My God (Peloquin)  SI 44  
My God, My God (Proulx) WC 384/WS/PMB 140, 98/PRM A24
My God, My God (Schiavone)  JS 918/SP3 10/GP 177/MI‑BB/LP 49
My God, My God (Schoen/Gelineau) WOR 806/RS 42/LPGG 811
My God, My God (Vervoort/Murray)  CBW 63
My God, My God (Willcock)  PFS 20/SS
Palm Sunday Psalm (Hughes)  CCS 2329

Philippians 2:6-11. The “kenosis” (“emptying”) hymn is probably a hymn of the early church adapted slightly by Paul (he added one line). It sings of how Jesus deliberately “emptied himself” and “humbled himself” for our sake. In his emptiness, God rewarded him and exalted him, so it is right to sing praise to Jesus’ name and especially to God.

Matthew 26:14—27:66
In Matthew's account, Jesus is in charge of his own destiny. He knows what will happen, and he even takes certain actions “that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.”
LITURGICAL NOTE: If you intend to read the Passion Narrative in parts, the traditional division is threefold: narrator, Christ, and crowd (all other voices). Some communities expand the number of voices, though it is probably not a good idea to give the congregation the “people's part” of this narrative, because that puts them in an adversarial relationship to Jesus. Instead, they should experience themselves as sharing not only in the sin that led to Jesus’ death but also in his act of self-sacrifice to which they will soon join themselves once more in the Eucharist. Therefore, it might be good to proclaim this reading with the traditional three readers (which helps to hold attention) but break it at several points for a sung acclamation by the people: Some appropriate acclamations are included in the list below. Consider these four points for singing an appropriate brief acclamation: just before Jesus and the disciples go to Gethsemani; just after Peter's denial, when he weeps bitterly; just after Jesus is led off to crucifixion, but before he meets Simon the Cyrenian; and at the end of the narrative.

Other Songs for the Liturgy

Adoramus Te Christe (2)  GC 396/GC2 400/RS 542/SS
All You Who Pass This Way (G)  WOR 440/GC 421/RS 567
*At the Name of Jesus (2)  CBW 427/WOR 499/MI‑BB/GP 424/JS 400,483/WS
Behold, before Our Wond=ring Eyes (G)   JS 381/BB
Behold the Lamb of God (1)   JS 809/GP 360/BB/GC 823/GC2 824
Behold the Wood (G)  GP 369/CBW 379/GC 420/GC2 437/JS 411/BB
Calvary (G)  LMGM 38/GC 419/RS 568
Crux Fidelis (2,G)   PMB 247/WC 751/WS
*Do This in Remembrance of Me (G) WC 645
Down at the Cross (G)  LMGM 46
Glory in the Cross (G)   JS 523/MI-BB
He Will Remember Me  LMGM 36
How Long, O Lord? (Ps)  GP 353/MI-BB
I Will Not Die  JS 658/MI‑BB/GC 657/RS 771/GP 716
*If I Must Drink This Cup (C)      PSL A-46/SS
In the Cross of Christ (2) GC2 436/RS 221/SS
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (G)  LMGM 45
*Jesus the Lord (2)  GP 370/JS 484/GC 418/GC2 403/MI‑BB/CBW 432/RS 574
Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley (G)  WOR 427/PMB 242/JS 387/WC 529/RS 557/WS
Keep in Mind (G)   PMB 36/WC 802/MI‑BB/GC 674/GC2 658/RS 940/GP 492/JS 589/WS/SS
Lift High the Cross (G)  WOR 704/CBW 435/GP 444/MI‑BB/PMB 393/WC 748/JS 522/GC 791/GC2 785/RS 884/WS/SS
Lord, We Adore You (1,G)   JS 413
My Song Is Love Unknown (G)  WOR 439/JS 415/RS 572
No Greater Love  GC 628/GC2 607/BB/CBW 599/RS 753/GP 362/SS
Now We Remain (2)  GC 694/GC2 696/MI‑BB/WC 640/RS 813/WS/SS
O Cross of Christ  CBW 368/PMB 248/WC 752/SS
O Crucified Messiah (G)   BB
O Love of God Incarnate (G)   JS 410
*O Lowly Lamb of God Most High (2)   SS
O Sacred Head, Surrounded (1,G)  WOR 434/LMGM 52/CBW 378/GP 367/BB/PMB 255/WC 547/JS 409/GC 415/GC2 435/RS 569/WS/SS
Only This I Want (2)  GC 695/GC2 701/GP 575/JS 766/CBW 516/MI‑BB
Ours Were the Griefs He Bore (G)   BB
*Philippians Canticle (2)  WOR 92
*Psalm of Hope (Ps)  RS 730
Sing, My Tongue, the Savior's Glory (G)  JS 414/BB
Sing, My Tongue, the Song of Triumph (G)  RS 573/WOR 437/CBW 69
*Take and Eat (G)  GC 831/GC2 812/WC 648/CBW 611/RS 910/WS/SS
Take Up Your Cross (2)  WOR 634//CBW 485/MI-BB/LMGM 50/GC 698/GC2 688, 690/JS 524/PMB 238/WC 750/RS 808/GP 586/WS/SS
*Though in the Form of God (2)  CBW 687
Tree of Life  GC 397/GC2 401/CBW 373/RS 541/SS
Unless a Grain of Wheat  JS 760, 802/MI‑BB/GC 697/GC2 699/RS 804/GP 579
Up to Jerusalem (G)   PMB 246/WC 536
We Acclaim the Cross of Jesus (G)   PMB 252/WC 754/WS
We Have No Glory  JS 671
We Remember  GC 593/GC2 578/MI‑BB/WC 653/RS 724/WS/SS
We Should Glory in the Cross (G)   JS 686
We Who Once Were Dead  CBW 402
Were You There (G)  LMGM 43/WOR 436/GC 416/GC2 438/JS 412/PMB 250/WC 544/BB/GP 368/RS 570/WS/SS
What Wondrous Love Is This (2,G)  WOR 600/GP 642/MI‑BB/PMB 253/WC 713/JS 755/GC 406b, 627/GC2 614/RS 749/WS/SS
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (G)  WOR 433/CBW 382/BB/PMB 249/WC 753/JS 417
When Jesus Wept (G)   JS 418/BB
*Wood of the Cross (Ps)  JS 407/BB