March 24, 2010

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This weekend we begin the most solemn week of the church's liturgical year. Please join us as we walk in procession with palms to re-enact the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and participate in a dramatic reading of the Passion according to Luke. The service ends with the singing of "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" and we exit the church in silence. For the schedule of Holy Week and Easter services, please click here. Please invite your friends and neighbors to join us for these services.

The holy season of Lent is a time to deepen our relationship with God and grow in our love of neighbor. We are assisted in our Lenten Reflection by the Rev. Henri J.M. Nouwen, who has written powerfully on the parable of the Prodigal Son. To read his reflection in our parish leaflet, This Week, please click here.

You are invited to our Wednesday evening Lenten program of worship, shared meal, discussion of "Lost & Found: Forgiveness and the Prodigal Son" and Compline. For information and schedule, please click here.

You are invited to our Film Series on Forgiveness and Reconciliation on Friday March 26 at 7 PM. For more information, please visit our homepage.

We continue to support humanitarian efforts to assist the people of Haiti after the earthquake that devastated their country. Your donations to provide medical care, food, water, clothing, and shelter to the people of Haiti are still needed. If you wish to make a donation online, please click on Partners in Health, Episcopal Relief and Development, Oxfam America and the Sisters of St. Margaret.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR PALM SUNDAY

The worship service begins with a reading from Luke's Gospel about Jesus' entry into Jerusalem: "Then they brought (the colt) to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!'" (Luke 19:28-40)

The reading from Isaiah describes a faithful prophet who was unjustly condemned and tortured: "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. 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; he who vindicates me is near." (Isaiah 50:4-9a)

Psalm 31 expresses the hope of the servant of God confronted by suffering and sorrow: "Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly. For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed. I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance; when they see me in the street they avoid me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am as useless as a broken pot."

The reading from Philippians expresses the faith of the early Christian community that the love of God is manifested in the cross of Christ: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he 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 every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

The Passion of Christ according to Luke tells the story of the last hours of Jesus. We hear the account of his Last Supper with his disciples, prayer at the Mount of Olives, betrayal by Judas and denial by Peter, arrest and trial, condemnation by the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, "via dolorosa" or "sorrowful walk" carrying his cross to Golgotha, crucifixion, last words, and death.

Luke's Gospel contains Jesus' words of forgiveness spoken to those who put him to death and to the "good thief" who was crucified with him: "Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.' And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, 'He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!' The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, 'If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!' There was also an inscription over him, 'This is the King of the Jews.'

"One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'" (Luke 22:14-23:56)

Please join us for our Palm Sunday services on Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 10:30 am and for our liturgies during Holy Week and on Easter Day.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday, March 27-28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, at 5:00 pm: Procession with Palms and Dramatic Reading of the Passion
Sunday, March 28, at 10:30 am: Procession with Palms and Dramatic Reading of the Passion

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