INTRODUCTION
Good morning everyone. Well how do we follow last week? It was certainly an historic occasion and put the Church of England at the forefront of the nations worship. As a nation we really do know how to put on a good show to perfection. It is the beginning of a new era as it was for the disciples after Jesus had left them, but today we hear that he didn’t leave them or us, but left us with the Holy Spirit, as we will learn in today’s Gospel reading.
Today we are remembering the work of Christian Aid and think of Jen and Esther and their fight to feed and educate their families.
Today’s reflection is by Rev Hannah and the intercessions are by myself.
God bless
Jan B.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed Alleluia
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has given us new life and hope by raising Jesus from the dead.
God has claimed us as his own. He has made us a light to the world.
Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
PRAYER OF PENITENCE
Jesus Christ, risen master and triumphant Lord, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to you our weaknesses and unbelief.
We have lived by our own strength, and not by the power of your resurrection. In your mercy, forgive us. Lord, hear us and help us.
We lived by the light of your own eyes, as faithless and not believing. In your mercy forgive us. Lord, help us and hear us.
We have lived for this world alone and doubted our home in heaven. In your mercy, forgive us. Lord, Help us and hear us, Amen.
May the Father forgive us by the death of his Son and strengthen us to live in the power of the Spirit all our days. Amen.
THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE COLLECT
God our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE NEW TESTAMENT READING
1 PETER 3. 13-22
Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you – not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL
Hear the word of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Glory to you O Lord.
JOHN 14.15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ.
REFLECTION
I’m not a huge fan of my own company. I’m not saying there aren’t times when I value being on my own, but I am saying that if I felt like I was completely alone on a more permanent basis I wouldn’t be keen. I reckon I’d be irritable and frustrated, annoyed that everyone I spoke to wasn’t quite up to speed with all my thoughts. It would be worse if I was alone and in peril, feeling like there might be nobody around to rescue me from a tight spot isn’t something I’d like to experience in a hurry.
But life can sometimes feel very lonely, and I imagine that the disciples might have felt very alone and isolated when Jesus wasn’t around. Particularly after his death, Jesus’ disciples might be heading into the territory where they feel they might not be rescued, however John’s gospel offers some teaching and wisdom from Jesus today for us all to hear, words which he said to his disciples before things started to happen. Jesus said, ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.’ Remember where we are in the story. This is the night of Jesus’ betrayal. And what does Jesus say to the disciples, who were by the end of this night going to be scattered across Jerusalem and the surrounding area? On this night of confusion, fear, betrayal and mystery, he says, ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.’
Humans are naturally social and on the whole we like to have someone around, near, accessible to us. It is built into us as a desire to seek God. Longing for a relationship with God is natural. What Jesus says on the night before he dies is that it is not we who need to travel to God but God who, through the events that are about to unfold in Jerusalem, will come to us. ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.’We seek, yes, but the spirit seeks us in return too.
We are Easter people who live in the extraordinary period between the resurrection and the culmination of the kingdom of God. Into this is where the words of Jesus spoken in John’s gospel today comes. We are perpetually reminded ‘You are not alone.’ To be Easter people is to be people who know that although we go down into the waters of death, we come back out again, and as our heads break the surface and our eyes see the glory of the kingdom of God, we do so accompanied by the Christ who is no longer an unknown God but is the parent of children – children who find that they are no longer orphaned because God has come to us.
Rev Hannah
THE CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father; he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSIONS
Here we pray for the church, for the world, those in need and those who have died, you can follow your own prayers or these below on today’s theme.
Lord as you live along side us, let our lives show your love for all creation. We remember all Christians who are being persecuted for their faith or have to suffer scorn or mockery from those with whom they live. We pray for all those bear witness to you amid danger and opposition. We ask your blessing upon all who are new to the faith or have recently converted and those who have been baptised and confirmed.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord, we remember all the places in the world where there is suffering due to tyranny or lawlessness. We pray for all who are oppressed or used as cheap labour. We ask your blessing upon all who strive for justice, freedom, peace and fair trade. All whose countries are at war or political unrest, especially Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord may our homes reflect the love we share. Keep us sensitive to the needs of each other. May we be ready to share our good fortune and support those around us. We ask for your blessing on the homeless, refugees and all who are on their own.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord, we remember those who are sick at hospital or home, bring them hope and recovery and give them the strength to get through the bad times. We remember especially; Rev Peter Reiss, Joe Gande, Stanley Schofield, Stephen Haslam, Colin Roberts, Sue Roberts and Thomas Causton. We pray for all who wait for results of medical examinations and also for those looking after them.
Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord of life, we rejoice in the power of the resurrection, and we remember before you all your saints and martyrs. We ask your blessing on our loved ones departed and from our book of remembrance. Louisa Wignall, Nora Isherwood, James Frederick Cowburn and Richard Tracey. May we all abide in your presence and eternal love.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
THE BLESSING
May Christ’s holy, healing, enabling Spirit be with us and guide us on our way at every change and turn; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us now and for ever. Amen
