Orienting to the Liturgy-- Entrance into Jerusalem

Floral (Palm) Sunday

[The hymns and antiphons of this Sunday express the inexorable course of events that connects the raising of Lazarus from the dead with the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus.  Despite the fact that He had worked numerous miracles during the three years of His ministry, the raising of His friend Lazarus from the dead is the sign that ultimately and finally convinces His enemies that He must be eliminated (in the words of the High Priest Caiaphas, “It is better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish”). To the authorities in Jerusalem, the journey of the Lord Jesus toward the Holy City for the Passover looks like a procession toward a royal coronation.  The city populace, and even the disciples, share this expectation, and the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem confirms everyone’s hopes, or fears.]

Antiphon 1

I am filled with love for the Lord will hear the voice of my plea.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

-For He has inclined His ear to me, and I will call to Him all the days of my life.

Through the prayers…

-The pangs of death encircled me, the trials of Hades befell me.

Through the prayers…

-I met with anguish and pain, and called upon the name of the Lord.

Through the prayers…

Antiphon 3

-Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Tropar, Tone 1: Assuring us before Your Passion of the general resurrection, You raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ God: and so, like the children we also carry signs of victory and cry to You, the conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

-Therefore, let the house of Israel say that He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Assuring us...

-Therefore, let the house Aaron say that He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Assuring us...

-Let all who fear the Lord say that He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Assuring us...

Entrance Hymn: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the Lord is God and has appeared to us.

Assuring us...

Glory...

Tropar, Tone 4

Buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God, we have been granted immortal life by Your resurrection, and we sing Your praises, crying out: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Now...

Kondak, Tone 6

Mounted on the throne in Heaven, O Christ God, and on a colt here on earth, You accepted the praise of the angels, and the hymn of the children who cried to You: Blessed are You, who have come to call Adam back.

[Of the all the hymns for this day, the kondak is especially wonderful.  It leads us to meditate on the fact that even while Christ our God was among us in the flesh, He was also in Heaven enthroned with the Father.  In this hymn, the Messianic title “the Son of David” is not mentioned, but the people’s historical expectation of a coming kingship is mixed with full realization of what Christ has accomplished.]

Prokimen, Tone 4

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; God the Lord has appeared to us.

v. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

A READING FROM THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL,
THE APOSTLE, TO PHILIPPIANS:

Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you. (4:4-9)

Alleluia, Tone 1

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has worked wonders.

v. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL

 ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then Judas the Iscariot, one (of) his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, "Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages and given to the poor?" He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." (The) large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him. On the next day, when the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, (even) the king of Israel." Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written: "Fear no more, O daughter Zion; see, your king comes, seated upon an ass's colt." His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this for him. So the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from death continued to testify. This was (also) why the crowd went to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign. (12:1-18)

[The Pharisees and the chief priests are willfully blind to the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies.  They choose to see the Lord Jesus as an imposter who deliberately takes every opportunity to take action, which could be construed to fulfill the ancient Scriptures.  This might indeed be a valid point of view if it were not for the enormous number of miraculous signs, which accompanied the Lord’s teaching and ministry at every stage.  All of these miraculous signs culminate in the raising of Lazarus from the dead. If it were not for these signs, worked through Divine Power, it is doubtful that even the Holy Apostles and the other disciples would have been convinced and converted. Over the course of the three years of the public ministry, the disciples and many of the people became convinced that this rabbi from Galilee was the Messiah, the Son of God.  Further, after they saw Him, touched Him and ate with Him after His resurrection from the dead, they became convinced that He Himself is the God of Israel.  500 such individuals, whose names we know, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead, were later tortured and died very violent deaths rather than deny that they had seen Him.]  

Zadostoynyk, Tone 4

O my soul, magnify Christ who is seated on a foal.  The Lord is God and has appeared to us: together let us celebrate.* Come with great rejoicing; let us magnify Christ with palms and olive branches, and with songs let us cry aloud to Him: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, our Saviour.

Communion verse

Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, God the Lord has appeared to us.

Alleluia. (3)