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Preparation

O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Praise

Eternal God,
whose Son went among the crowds
and brought healing with his touch:
help us to show his love,
in your Church as we gather together,
and by our lives as they are transformed
into the image of Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Psalm 112

Blessed are those who fear the Lord
and have great delight in his commandments.

Their descendants will be mighty in the land,
a generation of the faithful that will be blest.

Wealth and riches will be in their house,
and their righteousness endures for ever.

Light shines in the darkness for the upright;
gracious and full of compassion are the righteous.

It goes well with those who are generous in lending
and order their affairs with justice,

For they will never be shaken;
the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.

They will not be afraid of any evil tidings;
their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Their heart is sustained and will not fear,
until they see the downfall of their foes.

They have given freely to the poor;
their righteousness stands fast for ever;
their head will be exalted with honour.

The wicked shall see it and be angry;
they shall gnash their teeth in despair;
the desire of the wicked shall perish.

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
Mark 8.34 – 9.1

Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

Prayers of intercession

Let us pray to the Father through his Son,
who suffered on the cross for the world’s redemption.

Fill with your Spirit Christ’s broken body, the Church.
Give to Christian people everywhere a deep longing
to take up the cross and to understand its mysterious glory.

Bless those who lead the Church’s worship.
In the preaching of the word
and the celebration of the sacraments,
draw your people close to you.

Give your grace to those who preach your word to the nations.
Help us to witness to the faith we have received
by our words and in our deeds,
and daily conform us more and more to Christ,
that we may glory in his cross.

Look in your mercy upon the world you loved so much
that you sent your Son to suffer and to die.
Strengthen those who work to share
the reconciliation won at such a cost upon the cross.

Bring healing by the wounds of Christ
to all who are weighed down by pain and injustice.
Help the lonely and the betrayed, the suffering and the dying,
to find strength in the companionship of Jesus,
and in his passion to know their salvation.

Welcome into paradise all who have left this world in your friendship.
According to your promises, bring them with all your saints
to share in the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Prayer for the week

Lord Jesus, touch our eyes as you did those of the blind;
then we shall see in things that are visible
those things which are invisible.
Lord Jesus, open our ears,
heal our wounds and purify our lives,
as you did those who came to you;
then we shall hear and perceive what is true
amidst the sounds of the world,
and find wholeness in ourselves. 
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.

The Grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore. Amen.