Posts Tagged ‘good friday’
Good Friday Scriptures Is 52:13—53:12, Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 , Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9, Jn 18:1—19:42
A Guide for the Good Friday Liturgy is here
- Take time today and through Holy Saturday to ponder the Passion of Christ from the readings above.
- To help you prepare and reflect we present you with material from Creighton University on the Good Friday Liturgy.
A Good Friday Opening Prayer:
Remember your mercies, O Lord,
and with your eternal protection sanctify your servants,
for whom Christ your Son, by the shedding of his Blood,
established the Paschal Mystery.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
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- We enter the liturgy on Good Friday in silence. We don’t need a “gathering rite.” It is as though we have been “gathered” since the night before. The first act of the liturgy is for the Presider and ministers to lay face down before the cross, in silence. As with all liturgical rituals, that invites us to lay prostrate before the cross as well. That takes some preparation.
- We can prepare to begin the Good Friday celebration by reflecting upon ourselves laying there – with all the feelings we want to identify and pay attention to. Our feelings may not be consistent or even inspiring. I might feel awe, gratitude, guilt, powerlessness, all at once. In preparing for Good Friday, I prepare that brief silent moment at the beginning of the service. Perhaps I will want to simply open my hands when the Presider lays face down and say “I know this is all for me; thank you.“
- The scripture readings take on a special power today, from the quiet and solemnity of the service.
- The General Intercessions
These prayers, and their style, are perhaps the oldest liturgical ritual we have. They link us to the prayer of our sisters and brothers down through the centuries. They also give us a sense of our long tradition of public prayer. The Presider makes an invitation to pray – saying who it is we pray for and what it is that we ask. We respond to the invitation with our silent prayer. Then, the Presider prays out loud in our name, first praising God and naming how God has been loving and caring for the person or need we present, then asking for a particular grace. We affirm that prayer with our “Amen.” We could prepare for these great intercessions by reflection on our prayer for each of the people groups mentioned and their needs. That will help us with our responding to the invitation to pray in silence, and to appreciate the powerful words of these ancient prayers. - Adoration of the Holy Cross.
We adore the cross upon which our Savior gained for us the salvation of the world. We do that concretely by venerating an actual cross in our churches, which represents that divine act of love. This rite of veneration is called “The Showing of the Holy Cross.” - To “venerate” is becoming a lost experience to many of our cultures. In our growing equal-itarianism, we want and expect everyone to be “equal” (which is a good thing). But, sometimes it is at the expense of reverence. To revere a wise person, an extraordinary role model, or someone who has struggled heroically, is still very important. And part of that is to have reverence for places or objects or symbols which are full of meaning and very special significance for us, because they re-connect us with relationships.
- Visiting the place where I grew up, holding a newborn baby, treasuring a gift from a loved one, seeing a photograph or piece of art that stirs my spirit, and a thousand other places and things, all can become “religious” and objects of veneration.
We revere and venerate the wood of the cross, because our Savior was nailed there, and gave his life for us there. Preparing for this special veneration on Good Friday is very important. We may want to pray by making the Stations of the Cross, in our church, or in the privacy of our home, or with our Online version at: http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/stations.html - We want to be prepared to touch, kiss, embrace the cross with the greatest devotion we can express. We want our gesture to be able to ritualize our acceptance for the love, forgiveness and everlasting life that flows from that cross. We want to feel the love of Jesus, to feel it as being “for me,” and to express our grateful response as reverence.
- Receiving the Eucharist from the Holy Thursday Celebration of the Lord’s Supper. We fast from celebrating the Eucharist today, but we are gathered by the Spirit to re-connect with our celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. We do not want to forget what that liturgy continues to mean for us. This is the bread that gives life. This is his self-giving love for us. This is our nourishment for our mission.
- Prayer After Communion.
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Almighty ever-living God, who have restored us to life,
by the blessed Death, Resurrection of your Christ,
preserve in us the work of your mercy, that,
by partaking of this mystery,
we may have a life unceasingly devoted to you.
Through Christ our Lord.
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- Departing in Silence, Again. With closing prayer and a blessing, we again depart in silence. We are a people who are full of faith, but who continue to wait for the fullness of our redemption.
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Good Friday Closing Prayer:
May abundant blessings, O Lord, we pray,
descend upon your people,
who have honored the Death of your Son
in the hope of their resurrection:
may pardon come, comfort be given, holy faith increase,
and everlasting redemption be made secure.
After the celebration, the altar is stripped but the cross remains with two candles lit. We leave in Silence. Our leaving in silence links this celebration to the Easter Vigil, as our beginning in silence connected us with Holy Thursday.
www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html
Reflection Guide Good Friday
Readings – Is 52:13—53:12, Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9, Gospel – Jn 18:1—19:42
Good Friday is a day of fasting for those who are able and a day of reflection with Christ in His Passion. The Gospel is the only reflection Guide and we encourage you to take time today to be with the Lord praying with His Passion. Who stands out most for you as you read the Passion? How did that person respond to the events as they unfolded? How do you respond now? What impact does Christ dying on the Cross have on your life? Pray honestly with God, (in any personal, creative way that you feel led), about anything His Passion and this Gospel reflection brings up for you.
Spend time today aware that you too are the beloved disciple standing with Mary at the foot of the cross. Reflect on the depth of God’s love for you and every person.
Download Reflection documents
Holy Thursday – The Eucharist is for the soul what food is for the body
Good Friday – God’s judgement on the world is forgiveness
Easter Vigil – Don’t be afraid Jesus has overcome all evil
Download Reflection Document: Holy Thursday
Download Reflection Document Good Friday
Download Reflection Document Easter Sunday
Readings for Holy Thursday
Readings for Good Friday
Download Easter Vigil
Download Easter Sunday
Reflection Questions
- Easter (and the next 7 weeks) is filled with the belief in the Resurrection, the appearances of Jesus, and readings from the Acts of Apostles. Acts 10 (first reading) is very significant as it involves Peter addressing a gentile (Cornelius) and his family in their home. Jews could not be in a gentile house or eat with them because of the clean / unclean restrictions of the Jewish Laws. This ʻuncleanʼ ʻsinnerʼ ʻimpureʼ label is the biggest obstacle between Jews and gentiles not only in the Old and New Testament but even today. God was demanding the unthinkable from good and law abiding Jews. Peter was being taught by God to ʻlift the status of ʻuncleanʼ off the backs of the gentiles.ʼ What cultural, religious, family boundaries have you been brought up with which lead you to separate yourself from others? Who does the world label ʻuncleanʼ?
- The Resurrection is a belief in Jesus rising from death. It is also deeply a life-style victory over powerful rulers who crush the poor and powerless. Does your belief in the Resurrection show itself in a Resurrection lifestyle?
- The image of Easter Sunday is the empty tomb. If thieves had stolen Jesus they would not have unwrapped him. The burial cloths are ʻaloneʼ. The story and evidence is shared. People consider it ʻnonsenseʼ. Peter walks home ʻamazedʼ. If you were present in the Resurrection scene, having witnessed his suffering, death and burial. And now the empty tomb with burial cloths on the ground… what would you think? A stolen body or risen Lord? What thoughts and emotions would be present? Spend some time at the ʻtombʼ and see what it teaches you. Can you ʻseeʼ and ʻbelieveʼ?
- Jesus is risen as he said! Jesusʼ resurrection shows a victory over death. Death has lost its ʻstingʼ. Identify 3 things that you would now allow to enter your consciousness as a consequence of believing in the Resurrection? What are ʻResurrectionʼ behaviours? What does it mean to be ʻEaster peopleʼ and ʻChristianʼ?
- Imagine someone you have loved in a very intimate and special way. This person died and you were personally involved in seeing the death, the burial. In grief you go to the place of burial and see first-hand that your friend is not there. There is evidence of burial cloths and a messenger that ʻhe has been raisedʼ and that your friend so wants to meet with you and you will see each other soon. What would be your thoughts and feelings? If the resurrection is true, what change in thinking happens about death? About life? About God?
- As you have participated in the Holy Week ceremonies over the past few days what do you remember most, what struck you personally from the words, symbols, liturgies? What do you think God was trying to show you for your life journey?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Take some time to get into the week of holy celebrations. Each ceremony has much to teach us.
Holy Saturday Vigil Readings – In this ceremony we wait in expectant hope. With symbols of fire and light, water and oil, the great celebration of victory over sin and death, being washed clean and joined to Christ and annointed to continue his saving mission unfolds as we celebrate and welcome new members into the body of Christ.
Download Easter Sunday – In this ceremony the Easter story begins to be told and shared. The meaning of Jesus rising from the dead and his message to his followers unfolds for the next 6 weeks of the Easter season.
Download Easter Sunday Yr B
Reflection Questions
- Acts chapter 10 is an very significant part of the New Testament. It is hard for us to understand just how big were the divisions between Jews and Non Jews (Gentiles). Jews were not allowed to enter a Gentile house and were certainly not allowed to ‘eat a meal together’. Acts 10 reveals the story of Peter entering a Gentile home and having a meal with a Gentile (and Roman Soldier!) Cornelius. Peter had a vision from God that the ʻgentilesʼ were ʻcleanʼ and could sit at table together with Jews. This message would upset many who had long held religious views of separation. What obstacle may God wish to remove within you so you can sit together with an ‘enemy’? Who do you consider ʻuncleanʼ?
- Before the Feast of the Passover Jewish women would spend hours sweeping and tidying their homes. They particularly got rid of any ʻleavenʼ (yeast to make the bread rise). It was a symbol of sin, capable of affecting the whole ʻloafʼ. In response to the Resurrection we are called to be ʻnewʼ, people of the light, walking out of darkness. What particular action, habit, area of my life will I seek to tidy and sweep during the season of Easter as a response to living the new life of the Resurrection?
- John’s gospel has Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter and the Beloved Disciple (John) – three foundational members of the early christian community – walking about confused. Belief in the Resurrection was not something that happened instantly. Even the ‘other disciple’ who saw burial cloths before Peter, had to look again before he believed. What has been your experience of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday Vigil. What have you seen? What do you remember? What was shown to you by God to help you ‘believe’?
- Imagine someone you have loved in a very intimate and special way. This person died and you were personally involved in seeing the death, the burial. In grief you go to the place of burial and see first-hand that your friend is not there. There is evidence of burial cloths and a messenger that ʻhe has been raisedʼ and that your friend so wants to meet with you and you will see each other soon. What would be your thoughts and feelings? If the resurrection is true, what change in thinking happens about death? About life? About God?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Take some time to enter the celebrations of Holy Week. Each ceremony has much to teach us.
Download: Good Friday Readings – We kiss what we love. In this ceremony we kiss and show reverence to the Cross upon which Jesus suffered and died to establish the sacrifice to take away the sins of the world.
Reflect on the video and the readings and make this event move from the historical to the personal.
Enjoy and Share
Download: Good Friday
Having read the Passion of Jesus from the Gospel of John, consider reading what it means and why Jesus is now given the title ‘the Lamb of God’. Click here to download ‘Lamb of God’
Welcome to Holy Week. Click on the title and open this post completely into its own page. Enjoy and share with others on facebook by clicking the facebook icon at the bottom of the page. May you have a blessed Holy Week journey!
Holy Thursday – The Last Supper
Good Friday – the painful sacrifice of the Father
Good Friday – another perspective (movie – Most)
Easter Sunday – Jesus is Risen