OPENING PRAYER

O God, may we receive your forgiveness and mercy as we celebrate the passion and death of the Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.

READING I: 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 labored 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 honored 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.”

READING II: St. Mark 14:24-36

“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

READING III: Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

The cross teaches us to believe in hope even when there is no hope. The wisdom of the cross is deeply hidden in a profound mystery. In fact, there is no other way to heaven than taking up the cross of Christ. On account of this we must beware that the active life with its good works, and the contemplative life with its speculations, do not lead us astray. Both are most attractive and yield peace of mind, but for that very reason they hide real dangers, unless they are tempered by the cross and disturbed by adversaries. The cross is the surest path of all. Blessed is the man who understands this truth.

It is a matter of necessity that we be destroyed and rendered formless, so that Christ may be formed within us, and Christ alone be in us...real mortifications do not happen in lonely places away from the society of other human beings. No! They happen in the home, the market place, in secular life..."Being conformed to Christ" is not within our powers to achieve. It is God's gift, not our own work.

He who is not CRUCIANUS, if I may coin a word, is not CHRISTIANUS: in other words, he who does not bear his cross is no Christian, for he is not like his Master, Jesus Christ.

CLOSING PRAYER

O Lord, help me to live nearer to You day by day. Keep me under the blessed influence of your Holy Spirit. Make me to be ever growing in grace. Forgetting those things which are behind, may I be ever pressing toward the prize of my high calling. Give me grace to crucify self...and to bring my thoughts and desires and will into subjection to you.

Bless, O Lord, those who are near and dear to me. Give unto them all that I have asked for myself. If any of them are at this time in sorrow, comfort them. If in doubt or difficulty, guide them. Those of them who are still afar off from you, bring near. And to those who know and love you, give more and more of your grace.

Hear me, O god, and give me an answer of peace to these my prayers for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

Ashton Oxenden (1808- 1902)