Category: Prayers and liturgy

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

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 10:34-43
The Gospel: St. Luke 24:13-35

Artwork: Hendrick ter Brugghen, The Supper at Emmaus, c. 1621. Oil on canvas, Sanssouci Picture Gallery, Potsdam, Germany.

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The collect for today, Easter-Day, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962) :

ALMIGHTY God, who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle: Colossians 3:1-11
The Gospel: St. John 20:1-10

Artwork: Niccolò Circignani, Resurrection of Christ, 1569. Santuario della Madonna di Mongiovino, Tavernelle (Panicale), Italy.

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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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