Once again, as well as today reading the same biblical readings, Episcopalians/Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and others will pray the same prayer. On Palm Sunday these pray slightly varying translations of:
Omnipotens sempiterne deus qui humano generi ad imitandum humilitatis exemplum salvatorem nostrum carnem sumere et crucem subire fecisti concede propitius ut et patientiae ipsius habere documenta et resurrectionis consortia mereatu.
This has been in constant use on this day since at least the Gelasian Sacramentary (628-715CE).
Almighty, ever-living God, you have given the human race Jesus Christ our Saviour as a model of humility. He fulfilled your will by becoming man and giving his life on the cross. Help us to bear witness to you by following his example of suffering, and make us worthy to share in his resurrection….
Roman Catholic (ICEL)
Almighty and everliving God,
in your tender love for the human race
you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ
to take upon him our nature,
and to suffer death upon the cross,
giving us the example of his great humility:
Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering,
and also share in his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
BCP (USA/TEC)
Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Common Worship (CofE)
Further introduction and commentary is provided at this Palm Sunday reflection.
As well as the shared feasts of Epiphany and Christ the King, I have discovered four other days (and week following) that Anglicans and Catholics pray the same prayer:
October 26
October 12
October 5
August 31
Thanks Fr. Bosco.
May we all come together with the insight that we are more alike than different. May we put aside old history and worn-out politics, mat we turn out the money changers and the very pious, but certainly vested interest, and seek the Kingdom of God.
Hmm, this is not what’s printed in my ’79 BCP; same prayer, different words.
Collect of the Day: Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Now it happens that both books I have at hand are “Proposed” (1976 to 1979, prior to second ratification by General Convention), but any alteration between Proposed and Official would have required a third vote in 1982, especially since the entire ’28 revision was adamantly opposed by a small faction; and we know that the final book was approved and published in ’79.
So I cannot resolve these slight differences in wording between your version and what I copied and pasted above. Anyway, Happy Passion Day!
Sorry, Josh – am I missing something? Can you clarify where you see your text differing from what is in my post please. I cannot spot the difference between your text and the BCP (USA/TEC) text in my post.
My parish in Klamath Falls, Oregon has a unique tradition for Passion Sunday- we are in a formal ‘covenant’ with two local communities- Klamath Lutheran and St. Paul’s Episcopal. We join with them for an ecumenical blessing of the palms service every year. (we also do the informal entrance and blessing of the palms before each Mass) We also join with them in Soup suppers and prayer during Lent and Advent. We celebrate and pray together about what we have in common, and pray that one day we will no longer have differences. Thanks for the post! It’s wonderful to see what we have in common with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
As I search for “oneness” in sharing the joy of this upcoming week, I confess disappointment as I find time and again that which separates us taking the forefront. It is our faith and love of the Truth, the Life and the Way which creates the Church. Not those denominations which mankind has assigned to the “differences” among us. My prayer for all of mankind is that the love of our Lord fill all of our hearts gathering us closer to Him perpetuating the truth that He is Lord and He has risen! Glory to God in the Highest! His Peace for all of His good will……..