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
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]
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.)
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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
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]
Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia.
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]
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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
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]
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]
Alleluia,
alleluia.
We adore you, O
Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Alleluia.
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]
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]
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]
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.
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]
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