Good Friday Friday 2nd April 2021

                    Place a Cross before you.

The Kyries        

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

The Collect

Loving God, look graciously, we pray, on this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen

 

The Passion Gospel                  John 18:1 – 19:42   

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. ²Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. ³So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, ‘For whom are you looking?’ ⁵They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus replied, ‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ⁶When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he’, they stepped back and fell to the ground. ⁷Again he asked them, ‘For whom are you looking?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ ⁸Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.’ ⁹This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.’ … 12 The soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. ¹³First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ¹⁴Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. … 19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. ²⁰Jesus answered, ‘I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. ²¹Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.’ ²²When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, ‘Is that how you answer the high priest?’ ²³Jesus answered, ‘If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?’ ²⁴Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. … 28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. ²⁹So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ ³⁰They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’ ³¹Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’ ³²(This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) 33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ ³⁴Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ ³⁵Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ ³⁶Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ ³⁷Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ ³⁸Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth? ’After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, ‘I find no case against him. ³⁹But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ ⁴⁰They shouted in reply, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a bandit. 19Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ²And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. ³They kept coming up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and striking him on the face. ⁴Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.’ ⁵So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’ ⁶When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.’ ⁷The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.’  8 Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. ⁹He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?’ ¹¹Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’ ¹²From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.’ 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. ¹⁴Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ ¹⁵They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ ¹⁶Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; ¹⁷and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. ¹⁸There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. ¹⁹Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ ²⁰Many 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. ²¹Then 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.” ’ ²²Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’ Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ ²⁷Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. 28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ ²⁹A 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.

³⁰When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, … the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. ³³But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. ^{.. 36}These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ 38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. ³⁹Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. ⁴⁰They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴²And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Hold the Cross in your hands

Behold the wood of the cross,

on which our Saviour died.

We glory in your cross, O Lord,

and praise you for your mighty resurrection;

for by virtue of your cross

joy has come into our world.

Intercessions at the Foot of the Cross.  Let us pray:

For all victims of violence and for those who commit violence against others. For all who live in war torn countries and for those who seek, and those who are sent to restore peace and justice. For all who are mocked and insulted and for those who seek to belittle their neighbour, that the ways of gentleness and servant-hood may reign.

Holy God, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For the mission of God in the world and for a church that seeks to be true to the ways of Christ; that love, tolerance and acceptance of difference will be seen as strength and not weakness. For all Christians, everywhere, that they may be inspired to be the servants of  God’s people and stewards of God’s creation.

Holy God, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For those who are weak and in pain, especially for those living with incurable disease, those affected by the Covid19 Virus and those hurt by the violence of others. For those who are physically and mentally exhausted and those weak and sick from hunger and famine. For those who care for others and those who seek to help relieve the pains of life.

Holy God, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For the dying, for all in the last hours of their lives this day, that none may die alone or without hope. For those who mourn and those bereft of hope and joy, that they may find comfort and relief. For those who care for the dying and the bereaved that they may be supported and encouraged in all they do. For all who have died, that they may come to share in the risen and eternal life of Christ.

Holy God, holy and immortal,  have mercy on us.

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 Seven Last Words from the Cross

Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Silence)

Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.” (Silence)

Jesus said: “Woman, behold your son. Son behold your mother.” (Silence)

Jesus said: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Silence)

Jesus said: “I thirst.” (Silence)

Jesus said: “It is finished.” (Silence)

When I survey the wondrous Cross,

On which the Prince of glory died.

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

 

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast

Save in the death of Christ my God;

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to his blood.

 

See from his head, his hands, his feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down;

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

 

His dying crimson like a robe,

Spreads o’er his body on the Tree;

Then I am dead to all the globe,

And all the globe is dead to me.

 

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were an offering far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

The Agnus Dei 

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world: grant us your peace.

Silence

Closing Prayer

Merciful God, you have restored us to life by the triumphant death and resurrection of Christ. Continue this healing work within us.  Grant that by faith in him who suffered on the Cross we may triumph in the power of his victory and never cease to give you dedicated service.  We ask this through Jesus Christ, our crucified Lord. Amen