SUNDAY OF THE PASSION / PALM SUNDAY
SUNDAY, MARCH 29TH, 2026
INTRODUCTION
Today, we encounter the paradox that defines our faith: Jesus Christ is glorified
king and humiliated servant. We too are full of paradox: like Peter, we fervently
desire to follow Christ, but find ourselves afraid, denying God. We wave palms in
celebration today as Christ comes into our midst, and we follow with trepidation
as his path leads to death on the cross. Amid it all we are invited into this
paradoxical promise of life through Christ’s broken body and outpoured love in a
meal of bread and wine. We begin this week that stands at the center of the
church year, anticipating the completion of God’s astounding work.
PROCESSIONAL GOSPEL
MATTHEW 21:1-11
Jesus enters Jerusalem.
1 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.”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Everlasting God, in your endless love for the human race you sent our Lord
Jesus Christ to take on our nature and to suffer death on the cross. In your mercy
enable us to share in his obedience to your will and in the glorious victory of his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING
ISAIAH 50:4-9a
The servant of the Lord expresses absolute confidence in his final vindication,
despite the fact that he has been struck and spit upon. This characteristic of the
servant played an important role in the early church’s understanding of the
suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
4 The Lord God has given me
a trained tongue,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens,
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7 The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand in court together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9a It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
PSALM
PSALM 31:9-16
(Response) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Ps. 31:5)
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
10 For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing;
my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
11 I am the scorn of all my enemies, a disgrace to my neighbors,
a dismay to my acquaintances;
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12 Like the dead I am forgotten, out of mind;
I am as useless as a broken pot.
(Response) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Ps. 31:5)
13 For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around;
they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
14 But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.
I have said, “You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.”
(Response) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Ps. 31:5)
SECOND READING
PHILIPPIANS 82:5-11
Paul uses an early Christian hymn to help us comprehend Jesus’ obedient
selflessness on the cross and how God has made Christ lord over all reality. The
perspective of the cross becomes the way we rightly understand God, Christ, our
own lives, and fellowship within the community of Christ.
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
10 so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
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 ev’ry name. (Phil. 2:8-9)
GOSPEL READING
MATTHEW 26:14--27:66
In fulfillment of scripture and obedience to God’s will, Jesus goes to the cross so
that a new covenant in his blood may bring forgiveness of sins. Even the soldiers
who crucify him recognize him to be the Son of God.
14 One of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces
of silver. 16 And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.
17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says,
My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 So
the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
20 When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve disciples, 21 and while
they were eating he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they
became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not
I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with
me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that
one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one
not to have been born.” 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
He replied, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he
broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he
took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of
you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night, for it
is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 “But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 Peter said to
him, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to
him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me
three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even though I must die with you, I will not
deny you.” And so said all the disciples.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his
disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and
the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then he said
to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake
with me.” 39 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed,
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but
what you want.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and
he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41 Stay
awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again he went away for the second time and
prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So
leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same
words. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping
and taking your rest? Now the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a
large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the
people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is
the man; arrest him.” 49 At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings,
Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to
do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. 51 Suddenly one
of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the
high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back
into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think that
I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve
legions of angels? 54 But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it
must happen in this way?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you
come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a rebel? Day after
day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But all this has
taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the
disciples deserted him and fled.
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where
the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 But Peter was following him at a
distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with
the guards in order to see how this would end. 59 Now the chief priests and the
whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might
put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came
forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to
destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ” 62 The high priest stood
up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?”
63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath
before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus
said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do
we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What do you
think?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spat in his face and
struck him, and some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!
Who is it that struck you?”
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A female servant came to him
and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before all
of them, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When he went out
to the porch, another female servant saw him, and she said to the bystanders,
“This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72 Again he denied it with an oath, “I
do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to
Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then
he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that
moment the cock crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said:
“Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
27:1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people
conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. 2 They bound
him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and
brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 He
said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to
us? See to it yourself.” 5 Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he
departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the
pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are
blood money.” 7 After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field
as a place to bury foreigners. 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field
of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the
prophet Jeremiah, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one
on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a
price, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you
the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” 12 But when he was accused by
the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do
you not hear how many accusations they make against you?” 14 But he gave him
no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
15 Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the
crowd, anyone whom they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner
called Jesus Barabbas. 17 So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them,
“Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is
called the Messiah?” 18 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had
handed him over. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent
word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered
a great deal because of a dream about him.” 20 Now the chief priests and the
elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.
21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release
for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I
do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them said, “Let him be
crucified!” 23 Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted
all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
24 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing but rather that a riot was
beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying,
“I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 Then the people as a
whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 So he released
Barabbas for them, and after flogging Jesus he handed him over to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,
and they gathered the whole cohort around him. 28 They stripped him and put a
scarlet robe on him, 29 and after twisting some thorns into a crown they put it on
his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him,
saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him and took the reed and
struck him on the head. 31 After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and
put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
32 As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they
compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called
Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink,
mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they
had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots;
36 then they sat down there and kept watch over him. 37 Over his head they put
the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
38 Then two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
39 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You
who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are
the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 In the same way the chief priests
also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, 42 “He saved
others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from
the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him
now, if he wants to, for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’ ” 44 The rebels who were
crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 When
some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 At
once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick,
and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah
will come to save him.” 50 Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed
his last. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to
bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were
opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
53 After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and
appeared to many. 54 Now when the centurion and those with him, who were
keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were
terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
55 Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed
Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph,
who also was himself a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the
body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 So Joseph took the
body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth 60 and laid it in his new tomb, which he
had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went
away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the
Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember what that
impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
64 Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise,
his disciples may go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has been raised
from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate
said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.”
66 So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
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