Liturgy of Good Friday
The Ministers enter in silence
Collect
Almighty Father,
look with mercy on this your family
for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed
and given up into the hands of sinners
and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Old Testament reading
A reading from the prophecy of Isaiah
See, my servant shall prosper;
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at him
—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of mortals—
so he shall startle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.
he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at him
—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of mortals—
so he shall startle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.
Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion
with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
A reading from Psalm 22
My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?
Why are you so far from helping me,
Why are you so far from helping me,
from the words
of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
‘Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’
Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs are all around me;
a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shrivelled;
I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
they divide my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
O my help, come quickly to my aid!
Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the power of the dog!
Save me from the mouth of the lion!
From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he did not despise or abhor
the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,
but heard when I cried to him.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
May your hearts live for ever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.
New Testament
reading
A reading from the Epistle to the
Hebrews
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet
without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and
supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him
from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he
was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made
perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
[Hebrews 4.14-16, 5.7-9]
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
The Passion Gospel
After Jesus had spoken these words, he
went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was
a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also
knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas
brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests
and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them,
‘For whom are you looking?’ They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus replied,
‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to
them, ‘I am he’, they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them,
‘For whom are you looking?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus answered,
‘I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.’ This
was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of
those whom you gave me.’ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the
high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus.
Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink
the cup that the Father has given me?’
So the soldiers, their officer, and the
Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who
was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the
one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.
Simon Peter and another disciple
followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with
Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at
the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out,
spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said
to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I
am not.’ Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was
cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was
standing with them and warming himself.
Then the high priest questioned Jesus
about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered, ‘I have spoken
openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple,
where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask
me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.’ When he
had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face,
saying, ‘Is that how you answer the high priest?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I have
spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you
strike me?’ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming
himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He
denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a
relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in
the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock
crowed.
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to
Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not
enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat
the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you
bring against this man?’ They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we
would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him
yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not
permitted to put anyone to death.’ (This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when
he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)
Then Pilate entered the headquarters
again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus
answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’
Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests
have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is
not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be
fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my
kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus
answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came
into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth
listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’
After he had said this, he went out to
the Jews again and told them, ‘I find no case against him. But you have a
custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to
release for you the King of the Jews?’ They shouted in reply, ‘Not this man,
but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a bandit.
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him
flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and
they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, ‘Hail,
King of the Jews!’ and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said
to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no
case against him.’ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’ When the chief priests and
the police saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to
them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.’ The
Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die
because he has claimed to be the Son of God.’
Now when Pilate heard this, he was more
afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, ‘Where are
you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Do you
refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and
power to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no power over me
unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over
to you is guilty of a greater sin.’ From then on Pilate tried to release him,
but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor.
Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.’
When Pilate heard these words, he
brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone
Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the
Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They
cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them,
‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but
the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus; and carrying the
cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which
in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two
others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an
inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where
Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin,
and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, ‘Do not write,
“The King of the Jews”, but, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.” ’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have
written.’ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and
divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic;
now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to
one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’
This was to fulfil what the scripture says,
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of
Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and
Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved
standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he
said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple
took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was
now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar
full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on
a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine,
he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Since it was the day of Preparation, the
Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially
because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have
the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers
came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified
with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they
did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear,
and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that
you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the
truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None
of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says,
‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’
This is the Passion of the Lord.
No response is made. Silence
is kept.
Sermon
The Proclamation of the Cross
The cross of Christ.
All The cross on which the Saviour of
the world was hung.
Hymn
When I survey the wonderous cross.
1 When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
3 See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4 His dying crimson like a robe,
Spreads o’er his body on the Tree
Then am I dead to all the globe
And all the globe is dead to me.
5 Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
That were a offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(NEH 95 w. amendments)
The Reproaches
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow
which was brought upon me,
which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
O my people, O my Church,
what have I done to you,
or in what have I offended you?
Testify against me.
I led you forth from the land of Egypt,
and delivered you by the waters of baptism,
but you have prepared a cross for your Saviour.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
I led you through the desert forty years,
and fed you with manna.
I brought you through tribulation and penitence,
and gave you my body, the bread of heaven,
but you prepared a cross for your Saviour.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
What more could I have done for you
that I have not done?
I planted you, my chosen and fairest vineyard,
I made you the branches of my vine;
but when I was thirsty, you gave me vinegar to drink,
and pierced with a spear the side of your Saviour.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
I went before you in a pillar of cloud,
and you have led me to the judgement hall of Pilate.
I scourged your enemies and brought you
to a land of freedom,
but you have scourged, mocked and beaten me.
I gave you the water of salvation from the rock,
but you have given me gall and left me to thirst.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
I gave you a royal sceptre,
and bestowed the keys of the kingdom,
but you have given me a crown of thorns.
I raised you on high with great power,
but you have hanged me on the cross.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
My peace I gave, which the world cannot give,
and washed your feet as a sign of my love,
but you draw the sword to strike in my name,
and seek high places in my kingdom.
I offered you my body and blood,
but you scatter and deny and abandon me.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
I sent the Spirit of truth to guide you,
and you close your hearts to the Counsellor.
I pray that all may be one in the Father and me,
but you continue to quarrel and divide.
I call you to go and bring forth fruit,
but you cast lots for my clothing.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
I came to you as the least of your brothers and sisters;
I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,
naked and you did not clothe me,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
Acclamation
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
All because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
This is the wood of the cross,
on which hung the Saviour of the world.
All Come, let us worship.
O Saviour of the world,
who by your cross and precious blood have redeemed us,
All save us and help us, we humbly
pray.
The Prayers of Intercession
God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Therefore we pray to our heavenly Father
for people everywhere according to their needs.
Let us pray for the Church of God throughout the world:
for unity in faith, in witness and in service,
for bishops and other ministers, and those whom they serve,
for Stephen
Bishop of Chelmsford, and John Bishop of Bradwell,
and the people of this diocese of Chelmsford,
for all Christians in this place,
for those to be baptized,
for those who are mocked and persecuted for their faith,
that God will
confirm his Church in faith,
Increase it in
love, and preserve it in peace.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
All Amen.
Let us pray for the
nations of the world and their leaders:
for Elizabeth our Queen and the Parliaments of this land,
for those who administer the law
and all who serve in public office,
for all who strive for justice and reconciliation,
that by God’s help the world may live in peace and freedom.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
Most gracious God and Father,
in whose will is our peace,
turn our hearts and the hearts of all to yourself,
that by the power of your Spirit
the peace which is founded on justice
may be established throughout the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
Let us pray for God’s ancient people, the Jews,
the first to hear his word:
for greater understanding between Christian and Jew,
for the removal of our blindness and bitterness of heart,
that God will grant us grace to be faithful to his covenant
and to grow in the love of his name.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
Lord God of Abraham,
bless the children of your covenant, both Jew and Christian;
take from us all blindness and bitterness of heart,
and hasten the coming of your kingdom,
when the Gentiles shall be gathered in,
all Israel shall be saved,
and we shall dwell together in mutual love and peace
under the one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
All Amen.
Let us pray for
those who do not believe the gospel of Christ:
for those who have not heard the message of salvation,
for all who have lost faith,
for the contemptuous and scornful,
for those who are enemies of Christ
and persecute those who follow him,
for all who deny the faith of Christ crucified,
that God will open their hearts to the truth
and lead them to faith and obedience.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
Merciful God,
creator of all the people of the earth,
have compassion on all who do not know you,
and by the preaching of your gospel with grace and power,
gather them into the one fold of the one Shepherd;
Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
Let us pray for all
those who suffer:
for those who are deprived and oppressed,
for all who are sick,
for those in darkness, in doubt and in despair, in loneliness and in
fear,
for prisoners, captives and refugees,
for the victims of false accusations and violence,
for all at the point of death and those who watch beside them,
that God in his mercy will sustain them
with the knowledge of his love.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
Almighty and everlasting God,
the comfort of the sad, the strength of those who suffer:
hear the prayers of your children who cry out of any trouble,
and to every distressed soul grant mercy, relief and refreshment,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
Let us commend ourselves and all God’s children to his unfailing love,
and pray for the grace of a holy life,
that, with all who have died in the peace of Christ,
we may come to the fullness of eternal life
and the joy of the resurrection.
Silence is kept.
Lord, hear us.
All Lord,
graciously hear us.
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light,
look favourably on your whole Church,
that wonderful and sacred mystery,
and by the tranquil operation of your perpetual providence
carry out the work of our salvation:
and let the whole world feel and see
that things which were cast down are being raised up
and things which had grown old are being made new
and that all things are returning to perfection
through him from whom they took their origin,
even Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
Standing at the foot of the cross,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
All Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen
Behold the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
All Lord,
I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word only,
and I shall be healed.
While the Priest receives communion,
you are invited to use this prayer of
spiritual communion wherever you are.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for
me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly, and follow you more
nearly,
day by day. Amen.
after the Prayer of St Richard of
Chichester
Hymn
It is a thing most wonderful.
It is a thing
most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be
that God's own Son should come from heav'n,
and die to save a child like me.
And yet I know
that it is true,
He chose a poor and humble lot
and wept and toiled and mourned and died
for love of those who loved Him not.
I sometimes
think about the cross,
and shut my eyes, and try to see
the cruel nails and crown of thorns,
and Jesus crucified for me.
But even could I
see Him die,
I could but see a little part
of that great love which, like a fire,
is always burning in His heart.
It is most
wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
but 'tis more wonderful to see
my love for him so faint and poor.
And yet I want
to love Thee, Lord;
O light the flame within my heart,
and I will love Thee more and more,
until I see Thee as Thou art.
(CAHON 333)
Closing Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
set your passion, cross and death
between your judgement and our souls,
now and in the hour of our death.
Grant mercy and grace to the living,
rest to the departed,
to your Church peace and concord
and to us sinners forgiveness,
and everlasting life and glory;
for, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
you are alive and reign,
God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
Gospel of the Burial
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple
of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to
let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and
removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also
came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths,
according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place
where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one
had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and
the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there
[John 19.38-42]
The Ministers depart in silence.
Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, and Common Worship Times
and Seasons, material from which is included in this service, is copyright of the Archbishops' Council
2000, 2006
The New English Hymnal material from which is included in this service, is copyright of The
Canterbury Press, 2010
Complete Anglican Hymnal Old and New, material from which is included in this service, is
copyright of Kevin Mayhew Ltd, 2000
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