Category: Prayers and liturgy

The collect for today, Easter Even, or Holy Saturday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that, through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St. Peter 3:17-22
The Gospel: St. Matthew 27:57-66

Artwork: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Pieta, 16th century. Tempera on panel, Pinacoteca, Vatican. Photograph taken by admin, 26 April 2010.

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These meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross were read at this morning’s Good Friday service.

Through the eyes of John
Good Friday Meditations
Ecumenical Service at Christ Church, Windsor
March 25^th, 2016

Introduction: Fr. David Curry

“They shall look upon him whom they have pierced”

We immerse ourselves in the Passion of Christ. Such is the purpose of the Christian season of Lent and, especially, Holy Week. On this day which we call Good Friday, we gather to immerse ourselves in the Passion of Christ according to St. John. In the classical liturgical traditions of western Christianity, the Passion according to St. John provides the template for our contemplation of Christ crucified, gathering up into his words what is present in the other accounts of the Passion. We see through the eyes of John. It is John who, quoting Zechariah, names the purpose of our Good Friday contemplations. It is, he says, that the scripture might be fulfilled, “they shall look upon him whom they have pierced.” It belongs to our good to look upon the crucified. Why? To learn the deep lessons of sin and love. In that we find our sorrow and our joy.

Another feature of the Christian Church’s devotions on Good Friday is the meditation upon the Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross. These are taken from all four Gospels. The first, second and seventh words are taken from the account of the Passion in St. Luke’s Gospel. The third, fifth and sixth words are taken from St. John, while the fourth word is found in both the Passion according to St. Matthew and St. Mark. Scripture illumines scripture and, in some sense, the Gospel of John, and, especially on Good Friday, the Passion according to St. John shapes our understanding of the central mystery of Christ’s crucifixion and the meaning of human redemption. Through the eyes of John we shall look upon him whom we have pierced.

Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, who, of your tender love towards mankind, has sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Word: Scott Gilbreath, Warden of Christ Church, Windsor

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23. 24)

First words often catch our attention. The last words, too, especially of the dying, hold our attention. Here is the first of the last words of Christ. Forgiveness. What is forgiveness? It isn’t about pretending that what has happened hasn’t happened. It isn’t simply about ignoring wrongs which are suffered and done by us and to one another, not to mention sin which is always against the truth of God. Forgiveness does not ignore sin and judgement. It just doesn’t stop there. If sin is about our denial of the goodness of God, forgiveness is about the power of God’s goodness in the face of sin and evil. The God who creates out of nothing recreates even out of our will to nothingness, even out of our sin and our ignorance about the real meaning of sin.

John helps us to see this. He tells the powerful story of the woman taken in adultery. She is hauled before Jesus as a way of putting him to the test about the strictures of the law which mandated the stoning of adulterers, a sad reality even in parts of our world to this day, it seems. “Jesus,” John tells us, “bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.” It is the only time in the gospels that we are told Jesus wrote something. What he wrote we do not know. We only know from the Evangelist what he said. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” The accusers “convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.” Only Jesus and the woman are left. “When he lifted up himself … he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” To which she replied, “No man, Lord.” Jesus said to her “Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.”

A most powerful scene, it at once convicts us of our judgements against one another and convinces us of the greater goodness of God which is there for us to live again and always. “Go and sin no more.” There is more than the folly of our sins. Christ crucified convicts us of our folly but seeks our good in the Father’s forgiveness. Christ crucified is the book of love written for us to read. Only as convicted in our own conscience can we learn the power of forgiveness. It means new life. He who is lifted upon the cross speaks the word of forgiveness and love. It is his First Word to us. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.

Leader: Against thee only have I sinned,
People: And done that which is evil in thy sight.

Let us pray:

Blessed Lord, who in love and forgiveness prayed for those who nailed you to the cross, and taught us to forgive one another as you have forgiven us: Take away from us all bitterness and resentment towards one another, and give us the spirit of mutual forgiveness and brotherly love; that in perfect charity, we may be partakers of your everlasting kingdom; for your mercy’s sake. Amen.

(more…)

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The collects for today, Good Friday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John
The Gospel: St. John 18:33-19:37

Artwork: Donatello, Crucifix, 1412-13. Wood, Santa Croce, Florence.

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The collects for today, Thursday in Holy Week, commonly called Maundy Thursday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also he made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O GOD, who in a wonderful sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy passion: Grant us so to reverence the holy mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever know within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
The Continuation of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
The Gospel: St. Luke 23:1-49

Artwork: Francisco Goya, Christ on the Mount of Olives, 1819. Oil on panel, Escuelas Pías de San Antón, Madrid.

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The collect for today, Wednesday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 9:15-28
The Beginning of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke
The Gospel: St. Luke 22:1-71

Artwork: Rembrandt, The Denial of St. Peter, 1660. Oil on canvas, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

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The collect for today, Tuesday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Isaiah 50:5-9a
The Continuation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark
The Gospel: St. Mark 15:1-39

Artwork: Gerrit van Honthorst, Christ Before the High Priest, c. 1617. Oil on canvas, National Gallery, London.

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The collect for today, Monday in Holy Week, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Isaiah 63:7-9
The Beginning of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
The Gospel: St. Mark 14:1-72

Artwork: Hieronymus Bosch, Ecce Homo, 1475-80. Tempera and oil on oak panel, Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt.

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The collect for today, the Sunday Next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Matthew
The Gospel: St. Matthew 27:1-54

Artwork: Pietro di Giovanni d’Ambrogio, Entry into Jerusalem, 1435-40. Tempera on wood, Pinacoteca Stuard, Parma.

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The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Joseph of Nazareth, Guardian of Our Lord, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron Saint of Canada, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O GOD Most High, who from the family of thy servant David didst raise up Joseph the carpenter to be protector of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Grant that we may so labour in our earthly vocations, that they may become labours of love and service offered unto thee, our Father; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Epistle: Galatians 4:1-7
The Gospel: St. Matthew 1:18-25

Artwork: Bartolome Esteban Murillo, St. Joseph Leading the Christ Child, c. 1675. Oil on canvas, Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

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The collect for today, the commemoration of Thomas Ken (1637-1711), Bishop of Bath and Wells, Non-Juror, Hymn Writer (source):

O God, from whom all blessings flow,
by whose providence we are kept
and by whose grace we are directed:
assist us, through the example of thy servant Thomas Ken,
faithfully to keep thy word,
humbly to accept adversity
and steadfastly to worship thee;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

With the Epistle and Gospel for a Bishop, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962)
The Epistle: 1 Timothy 6:11-16
The Gospel: St. Luke 12:37-44

Ordained an Anglican priest in 1662, Thomas Ken served as rector in several parishes before becoming chaplain to members of the royal family and, in 1685, Bishop of Bath and Wells. A man of principle and strong conviction, he was one of seven bishops imprisoned for refusing to sign King James II’s “Declaration of Indulgence”, the purpose of which was to allow Catholics to resume positions of political power in England. After strong expressions of popular support by the people of London, Bishop Ken was quickly tried and acquitted.

King James II was forced to flee the country when King William and Queen Mary were invited to become co-monarchs of England. William and Mary demanded oaths of allegiance from all persons holding public positions, including the bishops. Thomas Ken and others (known as the Non-Jurors; the older meaning of “juror” is “one who takes an oath”, hence “perjurer” as “one who swears falsely”) refused to take the oath on the grounds that they had sworn allegiance to James and could not during his lifetime swear allegiance to another monarch without making such oaths a mockery. Bishop Ken took this stand as a matter of principle despite his strong disagreement with much that James had done. In 1690, he and the other surviving non-jurors were deposed.

(Most of the bishops of Scotland also refused the oath; William and Mary retaliated by disestablishing the Episcopal Church in Scotland and making the Presbyterian Kirk the established state church there instead.)

Bishop Ken was also a poet and hymn-writer. He wrote the text for the well-loved doxology “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow“, which is actually the last verse of his longer hymn, “Awake My Soul, and with the sun“.

A prayer of Thomas Ken:

God, our heavenly father, make, we pray, the door of this Cathedral Church wide enough to welcome all who need human love and fellowship and a Father’s care; but narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride, and lack of love. Here may the temped find help, the sorrowing receive comfort, the careless be awakened to repentance, and the penitent be assured of your mercy; and here may all your children renew their strength and go on their way in hope and joy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Artwork: Thomas Ken window, Wells Cathedral, installed in 1885 to celebrate the bicentenary of his consecration as Bishop of Bath and Wells.

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