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Good Friday Liturgy
INTRODUCTION (Philippians 2. 5-11)
Though Christ was by nature divine,
he did not cling to equality with God,
but emptied himself, took the form of a slave,
and was born as a human.
Lord have mercy.
Appearing in human form,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Christ have mercy.
Therefore God has highly exalted him,
and given him the name above all others,
that every knee should bend, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Giver of Life.
Lord have mercy, and grant us your peace.
KYRIE
PRAYER
Jesus, you carried our sins and sorrows in your own body on the cross so that we might have life. God, look with mercy upon your beloved people, for whom Christ was willing to suffer. Look upon us with mercy, that by your grace we, and all who remember this day, may find forgiveness, liberation from our sin, and new life in you, that we may walk in your ways, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to your eternal glory. Amen.
SILENT PRAYER
FIRST GOSPEL READING John 18: 1-27
SILENT REFLECTION
PRAYER
God of Truth, keep always in our minds your love for us, and our love for you. Deliver us from our fear of speaking out for justice and standing with those who are oppressed. Forgive us for tolerating injustice and wrong. Give us the strength to confront evil and to proclaim your grace, in the spirit of Christ. Amen.
HYMN
OLD TESTAMENT (Isaiah 52:13 — 53:12)
My servant, you shall prosper;
you shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at you—
so marred was your appearance, beyond human semblance,
and your form beyond that of mortals—
so you shall startle many nations;
rulers shall shut their mouths because of you;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.
Who would have believed what you have just heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Holy One been revealed?
For you grew up before God like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
you had no form or majesty to impress us,
nothing in your appearance that we should desire you.
You were despised and rejected;
one who knew suffering and was familiar with pain;
people despised you and looked away,
and considered you worthless.
Surely you have borne our weakness and carried our diseases.
We thought you were being stricken by God,
punished and humiliated—
but you suffered because of our sins,
and were wounded by the evil we have done.
You were punished, and yet we are made whole;
for in your suffering we find healing.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way;
in you God has exposed our violence.
SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
You were oppressed, and afflicted,
yet you did not open your mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so you did not open your mouth.
By a perversion of justice you were taken away.
Who could have imagined your future?
For you were cut off from the land of the living,
and suffered what was not yours to suffer.
They made your grave with the wicked
buried you with the rich,
although you had done no violence,
and had only spoken the truth.
Though you were crushed with pain, yet God believed in you,
and healed you, whom we made an offering for sin.
You shall see your offspring,
and shall prolong your days;
through you God’s will shall prosper.
Out of your anguish you shall see light;
and knowing the truth, you will find peace.
You, God’s righteous servant,
shall make many righteous,
and you shall bear their sins.
Therefore God will allot you a portion with the great,
and you shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because you poured yourself out to death,
and were numbered with the transgressors.
You bore the sin of many,
yet forgave the transgressors.
SONG
NEW TESTAMENT (Hebrews 10: 16-25)
RESPONSE [Kyrie, Song, Choir or instrumental piece]
SECOND GOSPEL READING (John 18:28 — 19:16)
SILENT REFLECTION
PRAYER
God of mercy, deliver us from our fear in which we judge others. We pray for all who are oppressed, imprisoned, persecuted or rejected. To you who have delivered us from slavery we pray for the faith and courage to work for justice and the freedom of your children, and to proclaim the good news of your grace. Amen.
RESPONSE [Kyrie, Song, Choir or instrumental piece]
THIRD GOSPEL READING (John 19: 17-30)
PSALTER — Psalm 22
FOURTH GOSPEL READING (John 19: 31-42)
SILENT REFLECTION
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, in your humility, your lonely struggle and your agony,
you share our suffering. Give us faith to trust your grace.
In your weakness, rejection and humiliation, your crown of
thorns, your bitter death and your resting in the grave,
you accompany those who suffer, who are in sorrow or who are alone, who face death or who know injustice.
In your steadfast love and forgiveness,
receive our sins, set us free, and grant us peace.
In your kindness in the face of evil,
give us trust in the power of love.
By the mystery of your grace in the face of violence,
show us your way, God. Put to death all that is evil in us, that we may never judge, blame or harm your children; that we may resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves; that we may bear your love to the world. Grant that we may die with Christ; and raise us to new life. Into your hands we commit our spirit.
We pray for your holy Church, the Body of Christ. Impart to us the Spirit of gentleness and peace, the Spirit of compassion and forgiveness, the Spirit of justice and freedom for all. By the grace of the crucified Christ, may we learn your way of love.
God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. God, have mercy.
SILENT PRAYERS … THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN
THE SEVEN LAST WORDS
SILENT REFLECTION
You may remain as long as you wish, in silent prayer.