We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship.
The Cathedral is equipped with a hearing loop for assisted listening via telecoil.
The Fifth Sunday of Lent
five o’clock in the evening
The Rev. Canon Bradley Varnell Celebrant
Sean Stultz Cantor
Good evening and welcome to The Well. The order of service has been adapted to observe the holy season of Lent. We are so glad that you are here. Come close, draw near, and receive the grace of God.
Opening Music
Traditional Irish Tunes
Prayer for the Evening
Lord, in these days of mercy, make us quiet and prayerful; In these days of challenge, make us stronger in you; In these days of emptiness, take possession of us; In these days of waiting, open our hearts to the mystery of your cross. Amen.
Please stand.
Hymn 645 (verses 1, 5, and 6) St Columba
Collect of the Day
Lord of the new covenant, in Christ you draw all people to yourself: may we die with him to the powers of hate and let him show us a world loved by you, through Jesus Christ, the fruitful grain. Amen.
Please be seated.
Psalm 51:1–13
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; * in your great compassion blot out my offenses. Wash me through and through from my wickedness * and cleanse me from my sin.
Miserere mei, Deus
For I know my transgressions, * and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned * and done what is evil in your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak * and upright in your judgment.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, * a sinner from my mother’s womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me, * and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; * wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
Make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the body you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins * and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your prevsence * and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Give me the joy of your saving help again * and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
Please stand.
The Holy Gospel John 12:20–33
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say — ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
All sit. A period of silence is observed.
The Reflection
A period of silence is observed following the reflection.
Hymn
& b b b
Je sus, re
& b b b œ
Je sus, re
Kyrie Eleison
The intercessor says
Jesus, remember me
We will sing the entire hymn 6 times.
mem ber me
you come in to your
king dom.
mem ber me
you come in to your
king dom.
text: Luke 23:42; music: Jacque Berthier (1923-1994), 1981 ©Les Presses de Taizé (France), Used by permission of G.I.A. Publications ©1989 Taizé SongsofPrayer~ Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. CCL # 11426131 and OneLicense.net #726591-A
You enter the desert to face the hardest truth; we live in self-deception. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
You offer the bread that gives true life; we consume what leaves us craving more. Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
You refuse to worship empty power; we let greed rule our world. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Confession
The intercessor says
God has promised forgiveness to all who truly repent, turn to Christ in faith and are themselves forgiving.
In silence we call to mind our sins.
Our insensitivity to the needs of others, O Lord, forgive.
Our prejudice and fear that prevent us from love, O Lord, forgive.
The narrowness of our vision and our shrinking from your demands, O Lord, forgive.
Our resentment against those who have hurt us, O Lord, forgive.
Our desire to do your work in our way,
O Lord, forgive.
Our impatience with those who are different from us, O Lord, forgive.
Our failure to listen properly to other points of view,
O Lord, forgive.
Our fear of coming out of the fortress of our own souls into fuller life and deeper love,
O Lord, forgive.
Absolution
The Celebrant says
Through the cross of Christ, God have mercy on you, pardon you and set you free. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. God strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in life eternal. Amen.
Silent Prayer and Candle Lighting
Following the Confession and Absolution during the instrumental music, you are welcome to come forward to light a votive candle as a symbol of your prayer. As we see others light candles, we recognize that we are all carrying prayer concerns known to us alone, and we are reminded to treat one another with kindness and care. Tapers and votives are located to the right of the altar and in front of the transept to the left. Please feel free to go to either of these places to light a candle.
The Peace
The Celebrant says
He will not command legions of angels nor ride the machine of holy war; he will become a slave, take our hate into his heart and win us with forgiveness, for he is God’s unexpected peace.
Celebrant
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The people greet one another in the name of the Lord, after which the people are seated for brief announcements.
Offertory Hymn
The love of Christ surround us
We will sing the entire hymn twice.
Wewillsingtheentirehymntwice.
& b b b 4 3 œ œ
The ú œ loveof ú œ Christsur œ ú roundus,& b b b ú œ œ the ú œ lightof ú œ Christ œ ú leadus, & b b b ú œ œ the ú œ peaceof
ú œ Christ œ ú fillus, & b b b ú œ œ the œ œ œ powerof ú œ Christ
œ ú aidus,& b b b ú œ œ the
ú œ joyof ú œ Christ œ œ ú thrillus, & b b b ú œ the œ œ
presenceof ú œ Christbe
. œ j œ œ œ withusever ú U more. -
The people stand.
The Holy Communion
The Great Thanksgiving
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give God thanks and praise.
We thank you, desert Mother, for in the valley of dry bones you create hearts of flesh quickened by the Spirit’s breath. We thank you, wise Sister, that you walk in cloud and fire with your lost and faithless people. We thank you, Son of Heaven, that you empty yourself of might and glory and set your face towards the fickle crowd, the cruel empire, the faithful despisers.
We welcome you as God’s own fool whose cross brings to nothing the violence of the world and reveals another wisdom outside the city walls. Therefore, with all who follow your way with the traders and tax collectors, the soldiers and prostitutes, and all who caught a glimpse of glory in the humanity you shared, we worship God’s own holiness revealed in sweat and tears:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We ask that your Holy Spirit will fall upon us and upon these gifts that these fragile, earthly things may be to us the body and blood of our lord and brother, Jesus Christ; who, on the night that he was betrayed, gathered with his faltering friends for a meal that tasted of freedom. Calling them to his table, he took bread and broke it and said: “ Th is is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way after supper, he took the cup saying: “Th is cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, to remember me.” As on that night, so here and now he offers himself in touch and taste beyond all words can hold.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again.
Therefore we come in memory and hope, responding to your call and the promise that echoes from the dawn of all time.
May mind and heart be held by your self-giving love as we stand before the cross, approach the empty tomb, and praise the one whose name is lifted high above all earthly power.
Receive our broken offering through his all-powerful grace and bind us in communion with all who share your gifts; through Jesus Christ, in whom all ages and all the worlds are drawn into ceaseless love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of The Bread
Celebrant We break this bread to share in the Body of Christ;
People We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
Celebrant Bread and wine; the gifts of God for the people of God.
People May we who share these gifts be found in Christ and Christ in us.
At the direction of the ushers you are invited to form a single line in the central aisle to receive Communion in front of the altar. Receive the Bread in the palm of your hand and the Wine either by drinking from the cup or by intinction, touching the Bread to the Wine. Gluten-free Bread is available; simply ask the priest. If you need Communion brought to you in the pew, please tell an usher.
