¶    The Gathering

In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
All   Amen.

Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.’

Matthew 16.24,25

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 2.13,14

A brief moment of silence follows.

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All   Amen.

All   Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

¶    The First Reading

Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,

   pay attention, you peoples from far away!

The Lord called me before I was born,

   while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.

He made my mouth like a sharp sword,

   in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow,

   in his quiver he hid me away.

And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,

   Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’

But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain,

   I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my cause is with the Lord,

   and my reward with my God.’

And now the Lord says,

   who formed me in the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him,

   and that Israel might be gathered to him,

for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,

   and my God has become my strength—

he says,

‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

   to raise up the tribes of Jacob

   and to restore the survivors of Israel;

I will give you as a light to the nations,

   that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’

Thus says the Lord,

   the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,

to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,

   the slave of rulers,

‘Kings shall see and stand up,

   princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,

because of the Lord, who is faithful,

   the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

Music for reflection, today’s variation on Bach’s Passion Chorale, Kittel's, 'Herzlich Thut Mich Verlangen':

¶    The Second Reading

John 12:20-36

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 honour.

‘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 judgement 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. The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

¶    The Reflection

¶    The Conclusion

Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom
in the words our Saviour taught us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
All   Amen.

Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All   Amen.

To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
and made us a kingdom of priests
to stand and serve before our God;
All   to him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.

May God bless us,
that in us may be found love and humility,
obedience and thanksgiving,
discipline, gentleness and peace.
All   Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2006.