A meditation in words and music on The Passion
MUSIC 1: PROLOGUE
Hymn: The royal banners forward go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a6COrCR5K0
1. The royal banners forward go,
the Cross shines forth in mystic glow;
where he in flesh, our flesh who made,
our sentence bore, our ransom paid.
2. O Tree of glory, Tree most fair,
ordained those holy limbs to bear,
how bright in purple robe it stood,
the purple of a Saviour’s blood!
3. Upon its arms so widely flung
The weight of this world’s ransom hung
The price of humankind to pay
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.
4. To Thee, eternal Three in One,
let homage meet by all be done;
as by the Cross Thou dost restore,
so rule and guide us evermore. Amen.
NARRATION 1: GREETING AND INTRODUCTION – FATHER IAN
https://share.getcloudapp.com/4guyQxgm
PRESIDENT: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all
All: and also with you
PRESIDENT: Friends in Christ, for the Christian Church the most solemn time in all the year is that week in which it celebrates the passion, death, and glorious resurrection of its Saviour.
Let us now recall that Holy Week from its beginning when Christ enters his own city on Palm Sunday to complete his work, to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.
(Silence)
PRESIDENT: Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards mankind
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example
of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All: Amen.
MUSIC 2: PALM SUNDAY
Taizé – Benedictus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C5xiGIzrNo
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord
MUSIC 3: MAUNDY THURSDAY
Hymn: My God, I love Thee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYPJ82c2skQ&list=
1. My God, I love thee; not because
I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because who love thee not
are lost eternally.
2. Thou, O Lord Jesus, thou didst me
upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear,
and manifold disgrace.
3. And griefs and torments numberless,
and sweat of agony;
yea, death itself; and all for me
who was Thine enemy.
4. Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
should I not love thee well,
not for the sake of winning heaven,
nor any fear of hell.
5. Not with the hope of gaining aught,
not seeking a reward;
but as thyself hast loved me,
O ever loving Lord!
6. So would I love thee, dearest Lord,
and in thy praise will sing,
solely because thou art my God
and my most loving King.
NARRATION 2: RHONA AULD
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Reading: 1 Corinthians 11: 23-29
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God
MUSIC 4:
Anthem: Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face, by Percy Whitlock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgY7BNxQFRY
Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;
Here faith can touch and handle things unseen;
Here would I grasp with firmer hands Thy grace;
And all my weariness upon Thee lean.
Here would I feed upon the Bread of God;
Here drink with Thee the Royal wine of Heav’n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
And taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv’n.
NARRATION 3: FATHER IAN
https://share.getcloudapp.com/p9u7gKR5
Responsory
PRESIDENT: At the Eucharist we are with our
crucified and risen Lord.
We know that it was not only our ancestors,
but we who were redeemed
and brought forth from bondage to freedom,
from mourning to feasting.
We know that as he was with them in the upper room
so our Lord is here with us now.
All: Until the Kingdom of God comes
Let us celebrate this feast.
PRESIDENT: Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
you bring forth bread from the earth.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
PRESIDENT: Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
You create the fruit of the vine.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
MUSIC 5:
Hymn: And now, O Father, mindful of the love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTBkw994IR8&
1. And now, O Father, mindful of the love
that bought us, once for all, on Calvary’s Tree,
and having with us him that pleads above,
we here present, we spread forth to thee
that only Offering perfect in thine eyes,
the one, true, pure, immortal Sacrifice.
2. Look, Father, look on his anointed face,
and only look on us as found in him;
look not on our misusings of thy grace,
our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim:
for lo, between our sins and their reward
we set the Passion of thy Son our Lord.
3. And then for those, our dearest and our best,
by this prevailing Presence we appeal:
O fold them closer to thy mercy’s breast,
O do thine utmost for their souls’ true weal;
from tainting mischief keep them white and clear,
and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere.
4. And so we come: O draw us to thy feet,
most patient Saviour, who canst love us still;
and by this food, so aweful and so sweet,
deliver us from every touch of ill:
in thine own service make us glad and free,
and grant us never more to part with thee.
NARRATION 4: GOOD FRIDAY – MIKE KERSHAW
https://share.getcloudapp.com/BluZXJxx
The Passion of our Lord according to John
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says,
“They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
MUSIC 6: ANTHEM OF THE CROSS
Anthem: God so loved the world, by John Stainer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f455-TFvcE0
God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoso believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;
But that the world through Him might be saved.
NARRATION 5: THE INTERCESSION – JEAN BOOTHBY
https://share.getcloudapp.com/kpuL9RJP
MINISTER: We stand with Christ in his suffering.
For forgiveness for the many times we have denied Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For grace to seek out those habits of sin which mean spiritual death, and by prayer and self-discipline to overcome them, let us pray o the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For Christian people, that through the suffering of disunity there may grow a rich union in Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those who make laws, interpret them, and administer them, that our common life may be ordered in justice and mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those who still make Jerusalem a battleground, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those who have the courage and honesty to work openly for justice and peace, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those in the darkness of agony and isolation, that they may find support and encouragement, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those who, weighed down with hardship, failure, or sorrow, feel that God is far from them, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: For those who are tempted to give up the way of the cross, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: That we, with those who have died in faith, may find mercy in the day of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
MINISTER: As our Saviour has taught us, so we pray.
All: 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.
MINISTER: Almighty Father,
look with mercy on this your family
for which our Lord Jesus Christ
was content to be betrayed
and given up into the hands of the wicked
and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All: Amen.
MUSIC 7:
Hymn: Lift high the Cross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcBXYP4AlE&
1. Lift high the Cross, the love of Christ proclaim
Till all the world adore His sacred name.
2. Come, Christians, follow this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in unity combine:
3. Each newborn servant of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of Him who died:
4. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee:
5. So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory:
NARRATION 6: RESPONSORY – MARTIN ALLEN
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PRESIDENT: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
PRESIDENT: My people, what wrong have I done to you?
What good have I not done for you?
Listen to me.
All: Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
PRESIDENT: We glory in your cross, O Lord.
All: And praise you for your mighty resurrection;
for by virtue of your cross
joy has come into our world.
PRESIDENT: Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved mankind: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross, we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
MUSIC 8:
Anthem: Agnus Dei, by Basil Harwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9PXRorxBr0
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
grant us Thy peace.
MUSIC 9:
Hymn: Praise to the Holiest in the height
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPBE5r3a0UA
1. Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
2. O loving wisdom of our God!
when all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.
3. And in the garden secretly,
and on the Cross on high,
should teach His brethren, and inspire
to suffer and to die.
4. Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
NARRATION 7: EPILOGUE – FRANIE WILLIAMS
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Reading: Job 14:1-14
A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble,
comes up like a flower and withers, flees like a shadow and does not last.
Do you fix your eyes on such a one? Do you bring me into judgment with you?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one can. Since their days are determined, and the number of their months is known to you, and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, look away from them, and desist, that they may enjoy, like labourers, their days.
For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. But mortals die, and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they? As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, so mortals lie down and do not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake or be roused out of their sleep. O that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If mortals die, will they live again? All the days of my service I would wait until my release should come.
MUSIC 10: SPIRITUAL
Were you there? Spiritual, arr. James Whitbourn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5qUnKC9rPU
1. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
2. Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
3. Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?