My LORD’s BibleThe Roman Missal: Palm Sunday to Wednesday in Holy Week (English) 1
The Masses of the Roman Rite for Palm Sunday, with the Blessing of the Palms and the Passion according to St Matthew, and for Monday, Tuesday (the Passion according to St Mark) and Wednesday (the Passion according to St Luke) in Holy Week, in English, as printed in the Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's Missal for the use of the Laity (London, 1853), in the form used from the Council of Trent until the liturgical reform of the 1960s. Maundy Thursday to Holy Saturday are in a later book. This is the English only; the Latin of the chants and prayers is to be added. The words in square brackets are the Missal's own headings and directions. A liturgy of the Catholic Church, not scripture.
1[Palm Sunday. The Blessing of the Palms. The Choir sings the following Anthem.]
3[Then the Priest says,]
4The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.
5Let us pray.
7[Then the Subdeacon sings the following Lesson:]
8Exodus, xv. 27, to xvi. 7. In those days, the children of Israel came unto Elim, where there were twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped by the waters. And they set forward from Elim, and all the multitude of the children of Israel came into the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai; the fifteenth day of the second month after they came out of the land of Egypt. And all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat over the flesh-pots, and ate bread to the full. Why have you brought us into this desert, that you might destroy all the multitude with famine? And the Lord said to Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you: let the people go forth, and gather what is sufficient for every day, that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law, or not. But the sixth day let them provide for to bring in; and let it be double to that they were wont to gather every day. And Moses and Aaron said to the children of Israel, In the evening you shall know that the Lord hath brought you forth out of the land of Egypt; and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord.
9For the Gradual.— The chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council, and said: What do we; for this man doth many miracles? If we let him alone so, all men will believe in him: And the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation. But one of them named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, prophesied, saying: It is expedient for you, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. From that day therefore they devised to put him to death, saying; The Romans, &c.
10[Or the following:]
11On mount Olivet he prayed to his Father; Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak: thy will be done.—Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit, &c.
12[Then the Deacon sings the following:]
13Gospel. St Matthew, xxi. 1—9. At that time, when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet; he sent two disciples, saying to them, Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them to me. And if any man shall say any thing to you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them; and forthwith he will let them go. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them: and they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: and the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
14[After this, the Palms are blessed, as follows:]
15The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.
16Let us pray.
17Prayer. Auge fidem. O God, increase the faith of those that hope in thee, and mercifully hear the prayers of thy suppliants: may thy multiplied mercies come down upon us, and may these branches of palm or olive be blessed ✠: and, as in a figure of thy Church thou didst multiply Noe going forth out of the ark, and Moses going out of Egypt with the children of Israel; so may we go forth to meet Christ with good works, bearing palms and branches of olive; and by him enter into eternal joy. Who lives and reigns with thee, &c.
18World without end. Amen.
19The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. Raise up your hearts. Our hearts are raised up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is meet and just.
20It is truly meet and just, right and salutary, that we should always and in all places give thanks to thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God. Who dost glory in the counsel of thy saints. For thy creatures serve thee; because they know no other creator and God but thee: and all that thou hast made praise thee, and thy saints bless thee. For with free voice they confess that great name of thy only begotten Son, before the kings and powers of this world. Whom the angels and archangels, the thrones and dominations serve; and, with all the heavenly host, sing a hymn to thy glory, saying without ceasing:
22The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.
23Let us pray.
24Prayer. Petimus. We beseech thee, O holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, to vouchsafe to bless ✠ and sanc ✠ tify this olive which thou hast created, and hast produced from the wood, and which the dove, returning to the ark, brought in its mouth; that all those who receive of it may be protected in soul and body; and may it become, O Lord, a remedy towards our salvation, as it is the sign of thy favour. Through our Lord, &c. Amen.
25Let us pray.
26Prayer. Deus qui dispersa. O God, who dost gather what is dispersed, and preserve what thou hast gathered together; who didst bless those people who went to meet Jesus, bearing branches of palms; bless ✠ likewise these branches of palm and olive, which thy servants receive faithfully in honour of thy name; that, into whatever place they may be brought, those who dwell in that place may obtain thy blessing, and all adversity being expelled, thy right hand may protect those who have been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son. Who lives, &c.
27Let us pray.
28Prayer. Deus qui miro. O God, who, by a wonderful order and disposition, hast been pleased to signify the dispensation of our salvation even in things insensible; grant, we beseech thee, that the devout hearts of thy faithful may profitably understand what is mystically signified by the fact, that on this day the multitude, enlightened from above, going to meet their Redeemer, strewed branches of palm and olive beneath his feet. The branches of palms, therefore, signify triumphs over the prince of death; but the sprigs of olive proclaim, in a manner, the arrival of spiritual unction. For that blessed multitude of men understood then that these things were prefigured; that our Redeemer, compassionating human miseries, was to fight with the prince of death for the life of the whole world, and, by dying, was to triumph. And therefore they dutifully ministered such things as signified in him the triumphs of victory, and the abundance of mercy. Which we also, with entire faith, retaining as done and signified, humbly beseech thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, that in him, and through him, whose members thou hast pleased to make us, becoming victorious over the empire of death, we may deserve to be partakers of his glorious resurrection. Who lives and reigns, &c.
29Let us pray.
30Prayer. Deus, qui per olivæ. O God, who didst command the dove to announce peace to the earth by an olive branch; grant, we beseech thee, that these branches of olive and other trees may be sanctified with thy heavenly bles ✠ sing, that they may profit all thy people unto salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
31Let us pray.
32Prayer. Benedic. Bless, ✠ we beseech, O Lord, these branches of palm or olive; and grant, that what thy people this day bodily perform in thy honour, they may perfect the same spiritually with the greatest devotion, by gaining a victory over the enemy, and loving exceedingly every work of mercy. Through our Lord, &c.
33[The Priest sprinkles the Palms thrice with holy water, saying the Antiphon Asperges, &c. and having thrice incensed them, he says,]
34The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.
35Let us pray.
36Prayer. Deus qui Filium. O God, who didst send thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, into this world for our salvation, that he might humble himself to us, and call us back to thee; before whom also, when he came into Jerusalem, that he might fulfil the scripture, the multitude of faithful people, with most faithful devotion, strewed their garments in the way, together with palm branches; grant, we beseech thee, that we may prepare for him the way of faith, from which the stone of stumbling and the rock of scandal being removed, our works may flourish with branches of justice in thy sight, so that we may deserve to follow his footsteps. Who lives and reigns, &c.
38[While the Palms are distributing, the following Antiphons are sung, and repeated till the end of the distribution.]
39The Hebrew children bearing branches of olive, went to meet the Lord, crying out, and saying, Hosanna in the highest.
40The Hebrew children spread their garments in the way, and cried out saying, Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
41[Then the Priest says,]
42Our Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.
43Let us pray.
44Prayer. Omnipotens. O almighty and everlasting God, who wert pleased that our Lord Jesus Christ should sit upon an ass's colt, and didst teach the multitudes of people to spread their garments or branches of trees in the way, and sing Hosanna in his praise; grant, we beseech thee, that we may imitate their innocence, and deserve to obtain their merit. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.