Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Let your ways be known upon earth

Your saving power among the nations.

Blessed are you, Lord God of our salvation,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
As we behold your Son, enthroned on the cross,
stir up in us the fire of your love,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and walk with you in newness of life
singing the praise of him who died
for us and our salvation.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Blessed be God for ever.

Hymn

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die,
it remains a single grain, a grain with no life.

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him;
if we hold firm we shall reign with him.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

If anyone serves me, then they must follow me;
wherever I am my servants will be.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

Make your home in me as I make mine in you;
those who remain in me bear much fruit.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

If you remain in me and my word lives in you;
then you will be my disciples.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

Those who love me are loved by my Father;
we shall be with them and dwell in them.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you;
peace which the world cannot give is my gift.

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall…

Words & Music: Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)

That this week may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.

Amen.

The Word of God

Psalm 36

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;

you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we see light.

O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your salvation to the upright of heart!

Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,

or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

Psalm 36.1-11

O God, the well of life,
make us bright with wisdom,
that we may be lightened with the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament Reading

A reading from the prophecy of Isaiah.

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
    he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
    until he has established justice in the earth;
    and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth
    and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
    I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
    a light to the nations,
    to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
    my glory I give to no other,
    nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
    and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
    I tell you of them.

Isaiah 42.1-9

Canticle

Christ Jesus was in the form of God, 

but he did not cling to equality with God.

He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in our human likeness.

Being found in human form he humbled himself, 

and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him, 

and bestowed on him the name above every name,

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth;

And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2.5–11

New Testament Reading

A reading from St. John’s Gospel.

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

John 12.1-11

Address

The Very Reverend Richard Giles

The Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord:
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded:
the lowliness of his hand-maiden.

For behold, from henceforth:
all generations shall call me blessèd.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me:
and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him:
throughout all generations.

He hath shewèd strength with his arm:
he hath scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat:
and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath fillèd the hungry with good things:
and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.

Luke 1.46–55

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:
and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end.  Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

The Response to the bidding

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

At the end.

Let us commend the world, for which Christ died,
to the mercy and protection of God.

Silence is kept.

The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race 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 our Lord.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Standing at the foot of the cross,
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.

The Conclusion

May Christ, who bore our sins on the cross,
set us free to serve him with joy.

Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.