Feasts of the Lord

 

The Annunciation - 25 March

 

Invitations to Confession

 

Confessions

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Intercession

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

Prefaces

 

Extended Prefaces

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Acclamations

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

 

The Transfiguration - 6 August

 

Invitations to Confession

 

Confessions

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Intercession

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

Prefaces

 

Extended Prefaces

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Acclamations

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

 

Holy Cross Day - 15 September

 

Invitations to Confession

 

Confessions

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Intercession

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

Prefaces

 

Extended Prefaces

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Acclamations

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

 


The Annunciation - 25 March

 

Invitations to Confession

 

The grace of God has dawned upon the world      

     through our Saviour Jesus Christ,       

     who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us confess our sins.[i]                                                 cf Titus 2.11-14

 

 

Confessions

 

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
The Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory.                                            John 1.14

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. [ii]           

 

 

or, during Easter

Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory.                                            John 1.14

Alleluia. [iii]        

 

 

Intercession

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

In the tender mercy of our God,
the dayspring from on high shall break upon us,
to give light to those who dwell in darkness

     and in the shadow of death
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[iv]                    Luke 1.78,79

(In Easter, add Alleluia.)

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

Prefaces

 

And now we give you thanks
because, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
he took our nature upon him
and was born of the Virgin Mary his mother,
that being himself without sin,
he might make us clean from all sin. [v]

 

 

Extended Prefaces

 

It is indeed right and good,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
We give you thanks and praise
that the Virgin Mary heard with faith the message of the angel,
and by the power of your Holy Spirit
conceived and bore the Word made flesh.
From the warmth of her womb
to the stillness of the grave
he shared our life in human form.
In him new light has dawned upon the world
and you have become one with us
that we might become one with you
in your glorious kingdom.
Therefore earth unites with heaven
to sing a new song of praise;
we too join with angels and archangels
as they proclaim your glory without end:
[vi]

 

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

God most high,
whose handmaid bore the Word made flesh:
we thank you that in this sacrament of our redemption
you visit us with your Holy Spirit
and overshadow us by your power;
strengthen us to walk with Mary the joyful path of obedience
and so to bring forth the fruits of holiness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,
fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will;
and the blessing …[vii]

 

Acclamations

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

 

 

The Transfiguration - 6 August

 

Invitations to Confession

 

When Christ appears we shall be like him,

because we shall see him as he is.

As he is pure,

all who have grasped his hope makes themselves pure.

So let us confess our sins that mar his image in us.[viii]

 

Confessions

 

Your unfailing kindness, O Lord, is in the heavens,

and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Your righteousness is like the strong mountains,

and your justice as the great deep:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

 

For with you is the well of life

and in your light shall we see light:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.[ix]

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia.

 

Intercession

 

In power of the life giving Spirit and in union with the Christ of glory

let us pray to the Father of all mercy.

 

Lord of glory, it is good that we are here.

In peace we make our prayer to you.

In trust we confirm our faith in you…

Help us to set our faces steadfastly where you would go with us.

Lord, look with favour.

Lord, transfigure and heal.

 

Lord of glory, look with favour on your Church,

proclaiming your beloved Son to the world

and listening to the promptings of his Spirit…

May she be renewed in holiness that she may reflect your glory.

Lord, look with favour.

Lord, transfigure and heal.

 

Lord of glory, look with favour on the nations of the world,

scarred by hatred, strife and war…

May they be healed by the touch of your hand.

Lord, look with favour.

Lord, transfigure and heal.

 

Lord of glory, look with favour on those in need and distress,

suffering as your Son has suffered

and waiting for the salvation you promise...

May the day break

and Christ the Morning Star bring them the light of his presence.

Lord, look with favour.

Lord, transfigure and heal.

 

Lord of glory, it is good if we suffer with you

  so that we shall be glorified with you.

According to your promise bring all Christ’s brothers and sisters…

to see him with their own eyes in majesty

and to be changed into his likeness from glory to glory.

 

To him be praise, dominion and worship

now and for all eternity.  Amen.[x]

 

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

Christ will transfigure our human body

and give it a form that of his own glorious body.

We are the body of Christ

We share his peace.[xi]

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

 

Prefaces

 

And now we give you thanks

because the divine glory of the incarnate Word

shone forth upon the holy mountain

before the chosen witnesses of his majesty;

and your own voice from heaven proclaimed your beloved Son.[xii]

 

 

Extended Prefaces

 

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

Holy God,
we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ:
may we who are partakers at his table
reflect his life in word and deed,
that all the world may know

his power to change and save.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,

fill you with radiance

  and scatter the darkness from your path.  Amen.

 

Christ, the Sun of Righteousness,

gladden your eyes and warm your heart.  Amen.

 

Christ, the Dayspring from on high,

draw near to guide your feet into the way of peace.  Amen.

 

And the blessing…[xiii]

 

 

or

Christ Jesus,

the splendour of the Father and the image of his being,

draw you to himself

that you may live in his light and share his glory;

and the blessing…[xiv]

 

 

Acclamations

 

By the appearance of earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ

God has broken the power of death

and brought life and immortality to light.

 

Arise, shine, for you light has come

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For though darkness shall cover the earth

and thick darkness the nations,

The Lord will rise upon you

and his glory will be seen upon you.

 

By the appearance of earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ

God has broken the power of death

and brought life and immortality to light.[xv]

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

 

Holy Cross Day - 15 September

 

Invitations to Confession

 

God shows his love for us

in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Let us then show our love for him

by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.[xvi]

 

 

or

Christ himself carried up our sins in his body to the tree,

so that, free from sins,

we might live for righteousness;

by his wounds we have been healed.

Let us confess our sins.                         1 Peter 2.24

 

[Both of these are also in the Passiontide chapter]

 

Confessions

 

Lord Jesus,

you came to reconcile us to one another and the Father:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Lord Jesus,

you heal the wounds of sin and division:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

 

Lord Jesus,

you intercede for us with your Father:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.[xvii]   

 

Gospel Acclamation

 

Alleluia, alleluia.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Alleluia.

 

Intercession

 

Let us pray to the Father through his Son

who suffered on the cross for the world’s redemption.

 

Fill with your Spirit Christ’s broken body, the Church . . .

Give to Christian people everywhere a deep longing

to take up the cross and to understand its mysterious glory.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Bless those who lead the Church’s worship. . .

In the preaching of the word

    and the celebration of the sacraments

draw your people close to you.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Give your grace to those who preach your word to the nations. . .

Help us to witness to the faith we have received

by our words and in our deeds

an daily conform us more and more to Christ

that we may glory in his cross.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Strengthen those (among us)

  who are preparing for baptism or confirmation,

those who are returning to the faith

  and those who are find it for the first time.

Bless their teachers, sponsors and families . . .

Teach them what it means to die and rise with Christ

and prepare them to receive the breath of his Spirit.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Look in your mercy upon the world you loved so much

that you sent your Son to suffer and to die . . .

Strengthen those who work to share

the reconciliation won at such a cost upon the cross.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Bring healing by the wounds of Christ

to all who are weighed down by pain and injustice . . .

Help the lonely and the betrayed, the suffering and the dying,

to find strength in the companionship of Jesus,

and in his passion to know their salvation.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

 

Welcome into paradise all who have left this world

     in your friendship . . .

According to your promises,

bring them with all your saints to share

in all the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection.

By the Saviour’s cross and passion,

Lord, save us and help us.

Holy God, holy and strong,

holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.[xviii]

 

[This form of intercession also appears in the Passiontide chapter in a slightly different form]

 

Introduction to the Peace

 

Once we were far off,

but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near

  through the shedding of Christ's blood,

for he is our peace.                                            Ephesians 2.13[xix]

 

 

or

Christ is our peace.

He has reconciled us to God

in one body by the cross.                      

We meet in his name and share his peace.[xx]

 

[Both of these are also in the Passiontide chapter]

 

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

 

Prefaces

 

And now we give you thanks

because, for our salvation,

he was obedient even to death on the cross.

The tree of shame was made the tree of glory;

and where life was lost, there life has been restored.[xxi]

 

 

or

And now we give you thanks

because for our sins he was lifted high upon the cross,

that he might draw the whole world to himself;

and, by his suffering and death,

became the source of eternal salvation

     for all who put their trust in him.[xxii]

 

 

or

And now we give you thanks

that through his suffering and death

you have brought life to the whole world

and moved our hearts to praise your glory.

The power of the cross reveals your judgement on this world

and the kingship of Christ crucified.[xxiii]

 

 

[the first two of these are also in the Passiontide chapter]

 

Extended Prefaces

 

 

Post Communion Prayer

 

Faithful God,

whose Son bore our sins in his body on the tree

and gave us this sacrament to show forth his death

     until he comes:

give us grace to glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

for he is our salvation, our life and our hope,

who reigns as Lord, now and for ever.

 

 

Blessings and Endings

 

Christ crucified draw you to himself,

to find in him a sure ground for faith,

a firm support for hope,

and the assurance of sins forgiven;

and the blessing . . .[xxiv]

 

[this is also in the Passiontide chapter]

 

Acclamations

 

 

Short Passages of Scripture

 

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.                                                                    Galatians 6.14

 

 

We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ:

through which the world is crucified to us and we to the world.

 

 

Jesus said, When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.                                                                    John 12.32

 

 

Through Christ God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.                                                       Colossians 1.20

 

 


 



[i] CW p310

[ii] CW p310

[iii] CW p310

[iv] CW p310

[v] CW p310

[vi] CW p311

[vii] CW p311

[viii] ECY p78 Michael Perham

[ix] ECY p78 Michael Perham

[x] ECY p70 adapted (in a hurry) by RWH and Sarah Archer for use on the BBC

[xi] ECY p81 Michael Perham

[xii] CW President’s Edition p598

[xiii] ECY p80 Michael Perham

[xiv] ECY p80 Michael Perham

[xv] ECY p80 Michael Perham

[xvi] Romans 5.8: Common Worship Orders for the Eucharist

[xvii] ECY p22 Roman Missal

[xviii] ECY 3C1 p23 slightly adapted

[xix] CW p312

[xx] CW p290

[xxi] CW p312

[xxii] CW President’s Edition p583

[xxiii] Roman Missal preface 17 (adapted by JMH)

[xxiv] CW p313