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Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
Blessed are you, Lord God of our salvation,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As once you ransomed your people from Egypt
and led them to freedom in the promised land,
so now you have delivered us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your risen Son.
May we, the first fruits of your new creation,
rejoice in this new day you have made,
and praise you for your mighty acts.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
John 3.16-21
Jesus said to Nicodemus: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’
Reflection
Those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.
When we go on holiday we usually hope for sunshine and warmth. In anticipation of this ideal we make sure we have our sunglasses with us. We make sure that we are shielded and protected from the brilliance of the light we crave during our time of rest and recuperation. Sadly, we often adopt the same course of action when it comes to matters of faith. We want to spend time in the presence of the risen Christ, but we find ways of shielding ourselves from what they do to us.
If we do not protect ourselves from the burning sunshine we might experience a whole range of physical ailments that might cause us harm. But, when we stand before the radiant Son of God, the greatest harm we could experience is having the reality of who we are exposed in a way that might cause embarrassment, and that will certainly highlight the need for us to re-shape the way in which we live in this world.
Today’s reading opens with some of the most well-known and powerful words in the gospel narrative: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. These words provide us with a challenge that is reiterated in the final words of our reading: Those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.
As we read in the Psalms, as well as in many other places in scripture, God knows us in a way that means any attempt on our part to shield ourselves from the brilliance of his presence is futile. God made us in his image, and God has endued each of us with specific gifts and talents. It is for us to honour God’s faith in us by offering him our faith in an open and unconditional way. We are called to come to the light, and to reflect that light into this dark and troubled world.
Let us pray that we might be open and true in our relationship with our loving God, in order it that may be clearly seen that our deeds have been done in God, and in God alone.
Prayers
To Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
and who now lives in the glory of the Father,
let us lift our voices in praise, saying:
risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
Lord Jesus, you are the Amen, the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
You are Alpha and Omega,
the one who is, and was, and who is to come:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
You search into the thoughts and affections of all people:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
You reprove and chasten those whom you love:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
You open the eyes of the blind
and set the prisoners free:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
In your paschal victory,
you have proclaimed the coming of the kingdom:
Risen Lord, we bless you, alleluia.
God of glory,
by the raising of your Son
you have broken the chains of death and hell:
fill your Church with faith and hope;
for a new day has dawned
and the way to life stands open
in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Rejoicing in God’s new creation,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
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.
The God of peace,
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the eternal covenant,
make us perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.