no one is expendable. Grant us instead the riches of love. AMEN. ... [Silence]. We
called your name and you did not answer. You called our name and we did not ...
Prayers
Holy Week and Easter Sunday 2014 Palm Sunday
Monday of Holy Week
Ride on Lord Jesus.
O God, you are on the side of justice
Upon a colt,
and you call your people to be on that side too.
over cloaks,
Where people are turned off food-growing land
under branches –
so a few can make big profits,
ride on Lord Jesus.
where children work in factories for coppers,
Towards a city,
where women ruin their health to feed their families,
through its gates,
KYRIE ELEISON.
past the crowds – ride on Lord Jesus.
O God, you are on the side of justice and you call your people to be on that side too.
As Hosannas fade and enemies sneer, as danger closes and friends falter – ride on Lord Jesus. Showing the way, teaching the truth, bringing life for all. In the name of the Lord – ride on Lord Jesus.
Where crippling debt reduces whole countries to destitution, where habitats are degraded, where violence and profiteering are an everpresent threat, where subsistence pay is anything but a living wage, KYRIE ELEISON. God, forgive us if we profit from the suffering of others. Remind us that we have power in our choices if we act together. Lead us to choose justice, in our politics, in our economics, in our churches. Justice, beginning where we are, KYRIE ELEISON. O Lord Christ, who became poor that we might be rich, deliver us from a comfortable conscience if we believe or intend that others should be poor that we might be rich, for in God’s economy no one is expendable. Grant us instead the riches of love. AMEN.
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Servant God,
Lord Jesus,
who sits down and eats with us
In your own body you took upon yourself
and shows us how to love,
the invisibility of all who are crucified
even though we know the end of your story,
by war, disease, poverty, oppression and fear,
on this day of unbearable bitter-sweetness
and you made it visible.
let us not go there. When we would rather turn our faces away, Rather, help us to stay in the upper room
draw us by your love
and, as the dark clouds gather,
and give us your courage
may we wait;
to confront all that denies life
placing ourselves in the story of friendship and betrayal,
and to bear witness to your living hope.
tasting the food, hearing the conversation, observing the kiss, listening for the ring of the coins, heeding the last and desperate call to wash one another’s feet.
Amen.
Contemporary reproaches for Good Friday What’s so Good about today?
We called your name
What’s so Good about a world without God?
and you did not answer.
What’s so Good about death on a cross? You called our name Where’s God – on a dress-down Friday?
and we did not answer.
Where’s God – on a Friday night binge after work?
We called your name
Where’s God – in a traffic-jammed early escape for the weekend? What’s so Good about a day when the telly is dull? What’s so Good about a never-ending day alone? What’s so Good about a feuding family stuck together? Where’s God – in a world at war? Where’s God – in a hungry child? Where’s God – in a terrorist attack? What’s so Good about prayers filled with hate? What’s so Good about a day of enforced abstinence? What’s so Good about a world without hope? Where’s God – in fearful anger? Where’s God – in sullen silence?
and you did not answer. [Silence] What’s so Good about today? What’s so Good about a crucified God? What’s so Good about a God who touches our pain, who knows our despair, who is God-forsaken? Sustain us, God, as we look into the abyss. Comfort us, God, as we stare into the void. Hear us, God, as we scream into the darkness. And on this darkest of dark days
Where’s God – in exclusion and division?
be near to us.
What’s so Good about Friday?
In the name of the one whom we crucify again today,
What’s so Good about a crucified God? What’s so Good about today? [Silence]
Amen.
Easter Saturday
Easter Sunday
Jesus,
When we are all despairing,
You have heard our tears:
when the world is full of grief,
the tears women have shed in silence
when we see no way ahead
because we were afraid to be heard; the tears women have held back,
and hope has gone away: Roll back the stone.
thinking we deserved violence; the tears we have not held back but were not comforted; the tears women have wept alone because we would not ask to be held; the tears women weep together
Although we fear change, although we are not ready, although we’d rather weep and run away: Roll back the stone.
because our sisters cannot feed their children; because our sisters live in fear;
Because we’re coming with the women,
because the earth herself is threatened.
because we hope where hope is vain,
So we weep.
because you call us from the grave
Janet Morley, Christian Aid.
and show the way: Roll back the stone. Janet Morley, Christian Aid (Mark 16:1-8)
UK registered charity no. 1105851 Company no. 5171525 Scot charity no. SC039150 NI charity no. XR94639 Company no. NI059154 ROI charity no. CHY 6998 Company no. 426928 The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid. © Christian Aid January 2014 14-610-J2013
