27th December Reading, Reflection and Intercessions
St John the Apostle Land’s End Benefice Eucharist
Please join in with the words in bold. The bold with underlining is to mark the sections.
The Greeting
As God’s people we have gathered: let us worship him together.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Invitation to Confession
Hear what Saint John says: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.8,9
God of mercy, we acknowledge that we are all sinners. We turn from the wrong that we have thought and said and done, and are mindful of all that we have failed to do. For the sake of Jesus, who died for us, forgive us for all that is past, and help us to live each day in the light of Christ our Lord. Amen
May the God of all healing and forgiveness draw us to himself, and cleanse us from all our sins that we may behold the glory of his Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
Merciful Lord, cast your bright beams of light upon the Church: that, being enlightened by the teaching of your blessed apostle and evangelist Saint John,
we may so walk in the light of your truth that we may at last attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your incarnate Son our Lord, Amen.
Psalm 117
1 O praise the Lord, all you nations; ♦
praise him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his steadfast love towards us, ♦
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia.
Gracious God, we praise you for your faithfulness and pray that every nation may find your blessing in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading 1 John 5-10
5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Gospel
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John 21.19b-25
Glory to you, O Lord.
19After this Jesus said to Peter, ‘Follow me.’
20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ 22Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’ 23So the rumour spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’
24This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Prayers by Carrie Snaden
Rejoicing in the love and life of God made visible among us, let us pray to Jesus, the only-begotten Son.
Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist said: ‘If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ We pray that we may walk in the light of Your truth O Lord and attain everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Bread of life, Your beloved disciple John has brought us Your living word, inspire all evangelists and teachers to build up Your Church here on earth. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Almighty God, we pray for Your Church; the Clergy; for Readers and Lay Ministers; for Churchwardens; and PCCs. We pray that You will give them courage and teach them to take control with understanding, always reflecting the love of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Light of the world, illuminate the dark places of this world, where sin, violence and death cast their shadow over human lives. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Gracious God, protect all who are in trouble or danger, minster all who are lost, help to heal the sick, bind the broken, give rest to the weary and protect all who are in trouble or danger. We pray for the lonely and distressed especially those tormented by fear arising from the Global Pandemic. We pray for healing and wholeness in their lives. We pray for all those treating the effects of Covid-19 and those working to roll out the vaccine. (add names of those requesting prayers)
Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Resurrection and the life, raise us up at the last day with all who have gone before us in faith, with those whom we love but see no longer, with John and all Your saints, that in Your Father’s house we may come to the place You have prepared for us. (We especially remember.... add names)
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
A prayer is said over the bread and wine
Blessed be God, by whose grace creation is renewed, by whose love heaven is opened, by whose mercy we offer our sacrifice of praise.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is always right to give you thanks, God our Creator, loving and faithful, holy and strong. You made us and the whole universe, and filled your world with life. You sent your Son to live among us, Jesus our Saviour, Mary’s child. He suffered on the cross; he died to save us from our sins; he rose in glory from the dead. You send your Spirit to bring new life to the world and clothe us with power from on high. And so we join the angels to celebrate and say:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Father, on the night before he died, Jesus shared a meal with his friends. He took the bread, and thanked you. He broke it, and gave it to them, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this to remember me.
After the meal, Jesus took the cup of wine. He thanked you, and gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, the new promise of God’s unfailing love. Do this to remember me. Great is the mystery of faith.
Jesus Christ has died. Jesus Christ is risen. Jesus Christ will come again.
Father, as we bring this bread and wine, and remember his death and resurrection, send your Holy Spirit, that we who share these gifts may be fed by Christ’s body and his blood. Pour your Spirit on us that we may love one another, work for the healing of the earth, and share the good news of Jesus, as we wait for his coming in glory. For honour and praise belong to you, Father, with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit: one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread and Giving of Communion
We break the bread of life, and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us, light in the midst of us, bring us to light and life.
Christ is the true bread which has come down from heaven.
Lord, give us this bread always.
The priest receives the bread and wine on behalf of the community, you are invited to come and receive the bread.
Final Prayer and Blessing
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that the Word made flesh proclaimed by your apostle John may, by the celebration of these holy mysteries, ever abide and live within us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
Grace from the eternal Father be with you; grace from the Word made flesh be with you; grace from the Spirit of truth be with you; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.