Your Sunday Connection for Palm Sunday 2020

Dear Friends,

During the “stay in place” order in the state of Illinois, we are providing you with a weekly web page to foster your prayer life with you and your household.

There are numerous resources which offer video/streaming opportunities to see Mass such as www.thesundaymass.org. We also encourage you to take time, perhaps with your family, perhaps around the table, and share this “Your Sunday Connection” Flocknote which we will send to you every week. As you scroll through, read and pray along. A homily message from Fr. Sergio is included.

If you have petitions that you would like to include in our weekly prayers, please click on the link found in the Prayers of the Faithful below and let us know. God bless!

Opening Prayer

Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you, and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy, that, cleansed from the stain of their sins, they may persevere in holy living and be made full heirs of your promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

The Readings

Reading 1 IS 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel MT 26:14—27:66 OR 27:11-54

Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”
They all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.
Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him.

They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha — which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!”
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said, ‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

The Homily

Please click on the video link below to watch the homily for this week.

The Prayers of the Faithful

For the Church, that we may sing hosannas to the Lord, giving witness to our faith and to our joy in Christ’s saving act. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For an end to religious persecution worldwide, that all people everywhere may have the freedom to worship without fear. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For all who have been imprisoned and condemned to death, that they may know the infinite saving mercy of God. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those in our families, neighborhoods, and workplaces who feel abandoned or forsaken, that they may feel the Lord’s tender presence through the compassionate outreach of others. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those who are affected by the COVID19 that God will help them through this terrible time and for the entire world as we face this pandemic and trust in God’s will. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For the departed, who remain with us in our prayers and our memories, and for the promise of a joyful reunion, and especially for Jack Stanton, Maureen Stailey, Nella Chirchirillo, Robert Ledvina and Julio Ramirez. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

Submit Your Special Intentions

Sunday Offertory

Stewardship of Saint Andrew Parish is the responsibility of us all. Consistently throughout the year, we remind parishioners about stewarding the gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure to support the mission of Saint Andrew Parish.

During this pandemic, there are many urgent needs, among those needs are caring for the financial obligations of Saint Andrew Parish. If you do not regularly contribute electronically ether weekly or monthly, please consider making a Sunday Offering online through Give Central through the link below.

Give to the Sunday Offertory

Spiritual Communion

In many places in the world receiving Holy Communion is not possible. Catholics in these areas are encouraged to make “Spiritual Communion.” St.Teresa of Jesus wrote about this practice:

“When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you”

You can make Spiritual Communion by the bringing this prayer to your heart…

“My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”

Closing Prayer

Nourished by your saving gifts, we beseech your mercy Lord, that by this same Sacrament with which you feed us in the present age, you may make us partakers of life eternal. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN

Announcements

Holy Week Schedule: The Archdiocese of Chicago has canceled all public liturgies during Holy Week 2020. The liturgies will be celebrated privately in Holy Name Cathedral and live streamed for viewing at home. You can find the liturgies posted daily at https://radiotv.archchicago.org/television/broadcast-masses

Join Saint Andrew Parish in Prayer: On the following days of Holy Week, Saint Andrew Parish will send additional “Your Connection” flocknotes providing you with homilies from Fr. Sergio and a prayer activity for you to do at home with you household. Please expect the following:

Holy Thursday: A flocknote and prayers service to wash the feet of those in your household.

Good Friday: A flocknote and a video meditation of the Stations of the Cross narrated by members of Saint Andrew Parish.

Easter Sunday: A flocknote and an at home prayer service to bless your family’s Easter basket and renew your Baptismal Promises. We also invite each household to upload a photo of your Easter Celebration to create a parish photo mosaic. Find out more at www.standrew.org/easterphoto

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