Preparation
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
My trust is in you, O Lord.
I have said, ‘You are my God.’
Praise
Gracious Father,
you gave up your Son out of love for the world:
lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,
that we may know eternal peace
through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 102:1-3, 16-23
O Lord, hear my prayer
and let my crying come before you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
when I call, make haste to answer me.
Then shall the nations fear your name, O Lord,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the Lord has built up Zion
and shown himself in glory;
When he has turned to the prayer of the destitute
and has not despised their plea.
This shall be written for those that come after,
and a people yet unborn shall praise the Lord.
For he has looked down from his holy height;
from the heavens he beheld the earth,
That he might hear the sighings of the prisoner
and set free those condemned to die;
That the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion
and his praises in Jerusalem,
When peoples are gathered together
and kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Reading
Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
John 8:21-30 (NRSV)
Prayers
Let us pray to the Lord, who knows all the secrets of our hearts.
Give grace to the Church to be steadfast in faith, firm in your word, zealous in good work. Keep your people strong when their discipleship is costly and the burden is heavy.
Have mercy on a world where peoples are separated by selfishness and lack of understanding. Bless all who work for the relief of poverty.
Fill us with praise for the good gifts that you have given to us in families and friendships. Give us grace to use our time and our talents in your service for the good of others.
We pray for the sick in body, mind or spirit. Bless and enable all who work in the caring and medical professions.
We remember those who have departed this life and now rest in God’s nearer presence. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you
for all the benefits that you have won for us,
for all the pains and insults that you have borne for us.
Most merciful redeemer,
friend and brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Conclusion
May Christ, who bore our sins on the cross,
set us free to serve him with joy.
Amen.