Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Good morning, heavenly Father.
We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning, Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Psalm 70:1-5
Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me!
Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonour who desire to hurt me.
Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay!
New Testament Reading
John 13:21-32
21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’
22 The disciples started looking at one another – uncertain which one he was speaking about. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, ‘Lord, who is it? ’
26 Jesus replied, ‘He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.’ When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, ‘What you’re doing, do quickly.’
28 None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival,’ or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.
31 When he had left, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
Lord of all compassion, as Maundy Thursday approaches
we are reminded that your presence is not reserved for those in palaces of ease.
You are not a savior who stands aloof, removed from the difficulty of life.
You come to us, and you embrace the very things in life that we embrace.
As we deal with rejection from friends, we walk the path of rejection.
Just as we sometimes struggle to pray through our agonies,
you threw yourself down in the garden of Gethsemane, too.
And you do all this so that you might join us when we face such things.
Gracious Saviour, I pray that you give me the capacity to feel you ever near me
as I walk the road. When I am discouraged, give me a sign of your delight for me; when I struggle in prayer, may your groanings carry me;
when I feel overwhelmed by chaos, may your presence calm my heart and soul.
I open my heart to receive you, not as an escape from all I face,
but as an embracing of you who join me, who cry with me,
and who will lead me through this time. I thank you, Gracious Lord,
and I pray all this is in your holy name. Amen.
– Rev. Dr Kyle Norman, Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamloops BC, Canada
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia.
We are thankful for:
- the faithful witness of Christians here through the centuries, especially in times of occupation and persecution
- the peaceful resolution of disputes
- the distinctive cultural contributions and resources in these lands
- the religious freedom and ecumenical cooperation that is growing.
We pray for:
- greater respect for the Roma people and others who are marginalized and who lack adequate livelihoods in these lands
- welcoming and engaging those of other faiths and ethnicities
- growth in spiritual as well as physical health
- democratic governance that advances God’s justice and peace for all.
In our own place in the world, we pray for:
- all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- federal, state and local politicians
- church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local congregation and its ministries
- our local communities, businesses, and schools
- the needs of our families and friends
- our personal needs, challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
O Bread of Life from heaven,
To saints and angels given;
O manna from above!
The souls that hunger, feed Thou,
The hearts that seek Thee, lead Thou,
With Thy sweet, tender love.
O fount of grace redeeming,
O river ever streaming
From Jesus’ holy side!
Come Thou, Thyself bestowing
On thirsting souls, and flowing
Till all are satisfied. Amen.
Contemporary Prayer
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us a little child
one of us, flesh and blood to share in our humanity
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as carpenter
and yet in whose creative hands a world was fashioned
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as fisherman
and yet pointed to a harvest that was yet to come
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as teacher
and opened eyes to truths that only
the poor could understand
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as healer
and opened hearts to the reality of wholeness
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as prophet, priest and king
and yet humbled himself
to take our place upon the cross
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
Blest are you, Lord Jesus who came to us as servant
and revealed to us the extent of his Father’s love
for humankind
For God so loved the world
That all might have eternal life
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray
that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day
you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light,
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield,
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
iDigress 