MARCH 29 2026

Leader: O Lord, open my lips. All: And my mouth shall declare your praise.
Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.

Psalm 118:19-29

Open to me the gates of holiness:
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my savior.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.

Go forward in procession with branches
even to the altar.
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.

Reading: From a sermon by St. Andrew of Crete

In his humility Christ entered the dark regions of our fallen world and he is glad that he became so humble for our sake, glad that he came and lived among us and shared in our nature in order to raise us up again to himself. And even though we are told that he has now ascended above the highest heavens—the proof, surely, of his power and godhead—his love for man will never rest until he has raised our earthbound nature from glory to glory, and made it one with his own in heaven.

Pray either the Canticle of Zechariah or the Canticle of Mary. You can find them here.
Antiphon for the Canticle of Zechariah:      With palms let us welcome the Lord as he comes, with songs and hymns let us run to meet him, as we offer him our joyful worship and sing: Blessed be the Lord!
Antiphon for the Canticle of Mary:      It is written: I will strike the shepherd and his flock shall be scattered. But when I have risen, I will go before you into Galilee. There you shall see me, says the Lord.

Intercessions

Praise be to you, Lord, victor over death.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Praise be to you, Lord, for coming to save us. 
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Praised be to you, Lord, for conquering the powers of darkness.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Dear Jesus,
May we follow you in your example of humility and obedience. May we never turn away from you but follow your path that leads to that Kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.