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Gathering
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son Jesus Christ
to save us from our sins, to be our advocate in heaven,
and to bring us to eternal life.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith,
firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments
and to live in love and peace with all.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you
and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
May almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you your sins,
and bring you to everlasting life.
Amen.
Collect
O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Reading
A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3.6-10, 16-18
This is the word of the Lord.
Psalm 128
Blessed are all those who fear the Lord,
and walk in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands;
it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be.Your wife within your house
shall be like a fruitful vine;
your children round your table,
like fresh olive branches.
Thus shall the one be blest who fears the Lord.The Lord from out of Zion bless you,
that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity
all the days of your life.
May you see your children’s children,
and may there be peace upon Israel.
Gospel Reading
Alleluia, alleluia.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.t
Jesus said: ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.’
Matthew 23.27-32
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray for the Church which Christ has built and for the world which he has saved.
Preserve your Church in strength and stability, by your promise that no evil shall prevail against it. Make its members zealous in their callings, to work in all things according to your will.
Give to all people the desire to work together for good. As they recognise their calling, may each come to know Christ as the Son of God.
Bless us in our daily work and bless those who work with us. Use in your service the abilities of all who live and work in this community. Grant wisdom and discernment to those who are called to special responsibility.
Strengthen with hope those who think themselves of no worth. Give them light to understand their part in your purpose and grace to fulfil it.
We commend those who have died in the faith of Christ, true to the Church which he built. Keep us constant in the same faith now and at the last.
Confessing Christ as the Son of God, we pray in his name.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Peace
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
We belong to him through faith,
heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Prayers at the Preparation of the Table
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this bread to set before you,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life. Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this wine to set before you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation. Blessed be God for ever.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Father, you made the world and love your creation.
You gave your Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour.
His dying and rising have set us free from sin and death.
And so we gladly thank you,
with saints and angels praising you, and saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We praise and bless you, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord;
and as we obey his command,
send your Holy Spirit,
that broken bread and wine outpoured
may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.
On the night before he died he had supper with his friends
and, taking bread, he praised you.
He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.
Again he praised you, gave it to them and said:
Drink this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did,
in him we plead with confidence
his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross.
Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,
we proclaim his death and resurrection
until he comes in glory.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day
when your kingdom comes
and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.
Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms
and bring us with all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours,
O loving Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Breaking of the Bread
Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim the Lord’s death until his comes.
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The priest receives communion. The people are invited to participate in an Act of Spiritual Communion.
Post Communion Prayer
Lord of all mercy,
we your faithful people have celebrated
that one true sacrifice which takes away our sins
and brings pardon and peace:
by our communion
keep us firm on the foundation of the gospel
and preserve us from all sin;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Father of all, we give you thanks and praise,
that when we were still far off
you met us in your Son and brought us home.
Dying and living, he declared your love,
gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.
May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;
we who drink his cup bring life to others;
we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world.
Keep us firm in the hope that you have set before us,
so we and all your children shall be free,
and the whole earth live to praise your name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.