Proper Liturgies
for Special Days
Ash Wednesday
On this day, the Celebrant begins the liturgy with the
Salutation and the
Collect of the Day.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
Old Testament Joel 2:1 2, 12 17, or Isaiah 58:1 12
Psalm 103, or 103:8 14
Epistle 2 Corinthians 5:20b 6:10
Gospel Matthew 6:1 6, 16 21
After the Sermon, all stand, and the Celebrant or Minister
appointed
invites the people to the observance of a holy Lent, saying
Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great
devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and
it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a
season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided
a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy
Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of
notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful
were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to
the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation
was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set
forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all
Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self denial; and by reading and
meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.
Silence is then kept for a time, all kneeling.
If ashes are to be imposed, the
Celebrant says the following prayer
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the
earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our
mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is
only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The ashes are imposed with the following words
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. |
The following Psalm is then sung or said
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
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18
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Psalm 51 Miserere mei, Deus
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
loving kindness; *
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, *
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your judgment.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother’s womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure;
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
and sinners shall return to you.
Deliver me from death, O God, *
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.
Open my lips, O Lord, *
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice; *
but you take no delight in burnt offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. |
Litany of Penitence
The Celebrant and People together, all kneeling
Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
The Celebrant continues
We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and
strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We
have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.
We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved
your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.
We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the
pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our self indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation
of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those
more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and
our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to
commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.
Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our
indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.
For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our
neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those
who differ from us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.
For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of
concern for those who come after us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.
Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;
Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.
Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.
By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,
Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.
The Bishop, if present, or the Priest, stands and, facing the
people, says
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn
from their wickedness and live, has given power and
commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to
his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of
their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly
repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.
Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his
Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on
this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure
and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A deacon or lay reader leading the service remains kneeling
and substitutes the prayer
for forgiveness appointed at Morning Prayer.
The Peace is then exchanged.
In the absence of a bishop or priest, all that precedes may be led by a
deacon or lay reader.
The Litany of Penitence may be used at other times, and may be preceded by an
appropriate invitation and a penitential psalm.
When Communion follows, the service continues with the Offertory.
Preface of Lent
The Sunday of the Passion:
Palm Sunday
The Liturgy of the Palms
When circumstances permit, the congregation may gather at a
place
apart from the church, so that all may go into the church in procession.
The branches of palm or of other trees or shrubs to be carried in the
procession may be distributed to the people before the service, or after
the prayer of blessing.
The following or some other suitable anthem is sung or said, the people
standing
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our
salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation
of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and
immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here a Deacon or other person appointed reads one of the
following
Year A Matthew 21:1 11
Year B Mark 11:1 11a
Year C Luke 19:29 40
The Celebrant then says the following blessing
The Lord be with you.
People And also
with you.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right
to give him thanks and praise.
It is right to praise you, Almighty God, for the acts of love by
which you have redeemed us through your Son Jesus Christ
our Lord. On this day he entered the holy city of Jerusalem in
triumph, and was proclaimed as King of kings by those who
spread their garments and branches of palm along his way.
Let these branches be for us signs of his victory, and grant that
we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our King,
and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who lives
and reigns in glory with you and the Holy Spirit, now and
for ever. Amen.
The following or some other suitable anthem may then be sung
or said
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Procession
Deacon Let us go forth in peace.
People In the name of Christ. Amen.
During the procession, all hold branches in their hands, and
appropriate hymns,
psalms, or anthems are sung, such as the hymn “All glory, laud, and honor”
and Psalm 118:19-29.
At a suitable place, the procession may halt while the
following or some other
appropriate Collect is said
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the absence of a bishop or priest, the preceding service
may be led by a deacon or
lay reader.
At services on this day other than the principal celebration, suitable portions
of the
preceding may be used.
At the Eucharist
When the Liturgy of the Palms immediately precedes the
Eucharist, the celebration
begins with the Salutation and Collect of the Day.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the
human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take
upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross,
giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant
that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share
in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
Old Testament Isaiah 45:21 25, or Isaiah 52:13 53:12
Psalm 22:1 21, or 22:1 11
Epistle Philippians 2:5 11
The Passion Gospel is announced in the following manner
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to_________
The customary responses before and after the Gospel are
omitted.
Year A Matthew 26:36—27:54(55 66) or 27:1 54(55 66)
Year B Mark 14:32—15:39(40 47) or 15:1 39(40 47)
Year C Luke 22:39—23:49(50 56) or 23:1 49(50 56)
The Passion Gospel may be read or chanted by lay persons.
Specific roles may be
assigned to different persons, the congregation taking the part of the crowd.
The congregation may be seated for the first part of the Passion. At the verse
which
mentions the arrival at Golgotha (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33)
all stand.
When the Liturgy of the Palms has preceded, the Nicene Creed and the Confession
of Sin may be omitted at this service.
Preface of Holy Week
Maundy Thursday
The Eucharist begins in the usual manner, using the following
Collect,
Psalm, and Lessons
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he
suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood:
Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in
remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy
mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
Old Testament Exodus 12:1 14a
Psalm 78:14 20, 23 25
Epistle 1 Corinthians 11:23 26(27 32)
Gospel John 13:1 15, or Luke 22:14 30
When observed, the ceremony of the washing of feet
appropriately follows the Gospel
and homily.
During the ceremony, the following or other suitable anthems may be sung or said
The Lord Jesus, after he had supped with his disciples and
had washed their feet, said to them, “Do you know what I,
your Lord and Master, have done to you? I have given you
an example, that you should do as I have done.”
Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with you; peace
which the world cannot give, I give to you.
I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have
loved you.
Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with you; peace
which the world cannot give, I give to you.
By this shall the world know that you are my disciples: That
you have love for one another.
The service continues with the Prayers of the People.
Where it is desired to administer Holy Communion from the reserved
Sacrament on Good Friday, the Sacrament for that purpose is
consecrated at this service.
Preface of Holy Week
Good Friday
On this day the ministers enter in silence.
All then kneel for silent prayer, after which the Celebrant stands and
begins the liturgy with the Collect of the Day.
Immediately before the Collect, the Celebrant may say
Blessed be our God.
People For ever and ever. Amen.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your
family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be
betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer
death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament Isaiah 52:13—53:12, or
Genesis 22:1 18,
or Wisdom 2:1, 12 24
Psalm
22:1 11(12 21), or 40:1 14, or 69:1 23
Epistle
Hebrews 10:1 25
The Passion Gospel is announced in the following manner
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
The customary responses before and after the Gospel are
omitted.
John 18:1—19:37 or 19:1-37
The Passion Gospel may be read or chanted by lay persons.
Specific roles
may be assigned to different persons, the congregation taking the part of
the crowd.
The congregation may be seated for the first part of the Passion. At the
verse which mentions the arrival at Golgotha (John 19:17) all stand.
The Sermon follows.
A hymn may then be sung.
The Solemn Collects
All standing, the Deacon, or other person appointed, says to
the people
Dear People of God: Our heavenly Father sent his Son into
the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world
through him might be saved; that all who believe in him
might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and
become heirs with him of everlasting life.
We pray, therefore, for people everywhere according to their
needs.
In the biddings which follow, the indented petitions may be
adapted by
addition or omission, as appropriate, at the discretion of the Celebrant.
The people may be directed to stand or kneel.
The biddings may be read by a Deacon or other person appointed. The
Celebrant says the Collects.
Let us pray for the holy Catholic Church of Christ
throughout the world;
For its unity in witness and service
For all bishops and other ministers
and the people whom they serve
For N., our Bishop, and all the people of this diocese
For all Christians in this community
For those about to be baptized (particularly___________)
That God will confirm his Church in faith, increase it in love,
and preserve it in peace.
Silence
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before
you for all members of your holy Church, that in their
vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us pray for all nations and peoples of the earth, and for
those in authority among them;
For N., the President of the United States
For the Congress and the Supreme Court
For the Members and Representatives of the United Nations
For all who serve the common good
That by God’s help they may seek justice and truth, and live
in peace and concord.
Silence
Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of
peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for
the nations of the earth; that in tranquillity your dominion may
increase, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your
love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind;
For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute
and the oppressed
For the sick, the wounded, and the crippled
For those in loneliness, fear, and anguish
For those who face temptation, doubt, and despair
For the sorrowful and bereaved
For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger
That God in his mercy will comfort and relieve them, and
grant them the knowledge of his love, and stir up in us the
will and patience to minister to their needs.
Silence
Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of
all who suffer: Let the cry of those in misery and need come
to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all
their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve
them for the sake of him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for all who have not received the Gospel of Christ;
For those who have never heard the word of salvation
For those who have lost their faith
For those hardened by sin or indifference
For the contemptuous and the scornful
For those who are enemies of the cross of Christ and
persecutors of his disciples
For those who in the name of Christ have persecuted others
That God will open their hearts to the truth, and lead them to
faith and obedience.
Silence
Merciful God, creator of all the peoples of the earth and
lover of souls: Have compassion on all who do not know you
as you are revealed in your Son Jesus Christ; let your Gospel
be preached with grace and power to those who have not
heard it; turn the hearts of those who resist it; and bring
home to your fold those who have gone astray; that there
may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us commit ourselves to our God, and pray for the grace
of a holy life, that, with all who have departed this world and
have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is
known to God alone, we may be accounted worthy to enter
into the fullness of the joy of our Lord, and receive the crown
of life in the day of resurrection.
Silence
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look
favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred
mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry
out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world
see and know that things which were cast down are being
raised up, and things which had grown old are being made
new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection
by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The service may be concluded here with the singing of a hymn
or anthem,
the Lord’s Prayer, and the final prayer on page 282.
If desired, a wooden cross may now be brought into the church and
placed in the sight of the people.
Appropriate devotions may follow, which may include any or all of the
following, or other suitable anthems. If the texts are recited rather than
sung, the congregation reads the parts in italics.
Anthem 1
We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection;
for by virtue of your cross
joy has come to the whole world.
May God be merciful to us and bless us,
show us the light of his countenance, and come to us.
Let your ways be known upon earth,
your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection;
for by virtue of your cross
joy has come to the whole world.
Anthem 2
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
if we endure, we shall also reign with him.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Anthem 3
O Savior of the world,
who by thy cross and precious blood hast redeemed us:
Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
The hymn “Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle,” or some other
hymn
extolling the glory of the cross, is then sung.
The service may be concluded here with the Lord’s Prayer and the final
prayer below.
In the absence of a bishop or priest, all that precedes may be led by a
deacon or lay reader.
In places where Holy Communion is to be administered from
the reserved Sacrament, the following order is observed
A Confession of Sin
The Lord’s Prayer
The Communion
The service concludes with the following prayer. No blessing
or dismissal
is added.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, we pray you to set
your passion, cross, and death between your judgment and
our souls, now and in the hour of our death. Give mercy and
grace to the living; pardon and rest to the dead; to your holy
Church peace and concord; and to us sinners everlasting life
and glory; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live
and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Holy Saturday
There is no celebration of the Eucharist on this day.
When there is a Liturgy of the Word, the Celebrant begins with the Collect
of the Day
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the
crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and
rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the
coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of
life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament Job 14:1 14
Psalm 130, or 31:1 5
Epistle 1 Peter 4:1 8
Gospel Matthew 27:57 66, or John 19:38 42
After the Gospel (and homily), in place of the Prayers of the
People, the Anthem
“In the midst of life” (page 484 or 492) is sung or said.
The service then concludes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Grace.
Concerning the Vigil
The Great Vigil, when observed, is the first service of Easter Day. It is
celebrated at a convenient time between sunset on Holy Saturday and
sunrise on Easter Morning.
The service normally consists of four parts:
1. The Service of Light.
2. The Service of Lessons.
3. Christian Initiation, or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows.
4. The Holy Eucharist with the administration of Easter Communion.
It is customary for all the ordained ministers present, together with lay
readers, singers, and other persons, to take active parts in the service.
The bishop, when present, is the chief celebrant, presides at Baptism
and administers Confirmation, and normally preaches the sermon.
The priests who are present share among them the reading of the Collects
which follow each Lesson, and assist at Baptism and the Eucharist. In the
absence of a bishop, a priest presides at the service.
It is the prerogative of a deacon to carry the Paschal Candle to its place,
and to chant the Exsultet. Deacons likewise assist at Baptism and the
Eucharist according to their order.
Lay persons read the Lessons and the Epistle, and assist in other ways. A
lay person may be assigned to chant the Exsultet. It is desirable that each
Lesson be read by a different reader.
In the absence of a bishop or priest, a deacon or lay reader may lead the
first two parts of the service, the Renewal of Baptismal Vows, and the
Ministry of the Word of the Vigil Eucharist, concluding with the Prayers
of the People, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Dismissal.
A deacon may also, when the services of a priest cannot be obtained, and
with the authorization of the bishop, officiate at public Baptism; and may
administer Easter Communion from the Sacrament previously consecrated.
When the Vigil is not celebrated, the Service of Light may take place at a
convenient time before the Liturgy on Easter Day.
The Great Vigil of Easter
The Lighting of the Paschal Candle
In the darkness, fire is kindled; after which the Celebrant
may address the people in
these or similar words
Dear friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our
Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites
her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in
vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which,
by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share
in his victory over death.
The Celebrant may say the following prayer
Let us pray.
O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your
people the brightness of your light: Sanctify this new fire, and
grant that in this Paschal feast we may so burn with heavenly
desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of
everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Paschal Candle is then lighted from the newly kindled
fire, and the
Deacon (the Celebrant if there is no deacon) bearing the Candle, leads the
procession to the chancel, pausing three times and singing or saying
The light of Christ.
People Thanks be to God.
If candles have been distributed to members of the
congregation, they are
lighted from the Paschal Candle at this time. Other candles and lamps in
the church, except for those at the Altar, may also be lighted.
The Paschal Candle is placed in its stand.
Then the Deacon, or other person appointed, standing near the Candle, sings or
says the Exsultet, as follows (the indicated sections may be omitted)
Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels,
and let your trumpets shout Salvation
for the victory of our mighty King.
Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth,
bright with a glorious splendor,
for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.
Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church,
and let your holy courts, in radiant light,
resound with the praises of your people.
All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame,
pray with me to God the Almighty
for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light;
through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
The Lord be with you.
Answer And also with you.
Deacon Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Answer It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Deacon
It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our
whole heart and mind and voice, to praise you, the invisible,
almighty, and eternal God, and your only-begotten Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who
at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin,
and by his blood delivered your faithful people.
This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children
of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through the
Red Sea on dry land.
This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered
from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness
of life.
This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell,
and rose victorious from the grave.
How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your
mercy and loving kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, you
gave a Son. |
| |
How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and
sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy
to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings
peace and concord. |
| |
How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined
and man is reconciled to God. |
Holy Father, accept our evening sacrifice, the offering of this
candle in your honor. May it shine continually to drive away
all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no
setting, find it ever burning—he who gives his light to all
creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
It is customary that the Paschal Candle burn at all services
from Easter Day through
the Day of Pentecost.
The Liturgy of the Word
The Celebrant may introduce the Scripture readings in these or
similar
words
Let us hear the record of God’s saving deeds in history, how
he saved his people in ages past; and let us pray that our God
will bring each of us to the fullness of redemption.
At least two of the following Lessons are read, of which one
is always the
Lesson from Exodus. After each Lesson, the Psalm or Canticle listed, or
some other suitable psalm, canticle, or hymn may be sung. A period of
silence may be kept; and the Collect provided, or some other suitable
Collect, may be said.
The story of Creation
Genesis 1:1-2:2
Psalm 33:1 11, or Psalm 36:5 10
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully
restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may
share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our
humanity, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Flood
Genesis 7:1 5, 11 18; 8:6 18; 9:8 13
Psalm 46
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty God, you have placed in the skies the sign of your
covenant with all living things: Grant that we, who are saved
through water and the Spirit, may worthily offer to you our
sacrifice of thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac
Genesis 22:1 18
Psalm 33:12-22, or Psalm 16
Let us pray. (Silence)
God and Father of all believers, for the glory of your Name
multiply, by the grace of the Paschal sacrament, the number
of your children; that your Church may rejoice to see fulfilled
your promise to our father Abraham; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea
Exodus 14:10 15:1
Canticle 8, The Song of Moses
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to
our own day, you once delivered by the power of your mighty
arm your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, to be a
sign for us of the salvation of all nations by the water of
Baptism: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may be
numbered among the offspring of Abraham, and rejoice in
the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
God’s Presence in a renewed Israel
Isaiah 4:2 6
Psalm 122
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, you led your ancient people by a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night: Grant that we, who serve you
now on earth, may come to the joy of that heavenly Jerusalem,
where all tears are wiped away and where your saints for ever
sing your praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Salvation offered freely to all
Isaiah 55:1-11
Canticle 9, The First Song of Isaiah, or Psalm 42:1 7
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, you have created all things by the power of your
Word, and you renew the earth by your Spirit: Give now the
water of life to those who thirst for you, that they may bring
forth abundant fruit in your glorious kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
A new heart and a new spirit
Ezekiel 36:24 28
Psalm 42:1 7, or Canticle 9, The First Song of Isaiah
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all
who are reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show
forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The valley of dry bones
Ezekiel 37:1 14
Psalm 30, or Psalm 143
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty God, by the Passover of your Son you have brought
us out of sin into righteousness and out of death into life:
Grant to those who are sealed by your Holy Spirit the will
and the power to proclaim you to all the world; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The gathering of God’s people
Zephaniah 3:12 20
Psalm 98, or Psalm 126
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look
favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred
mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry
out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world
see and know that things which were cast down are being
raised up, and things which had grown old are being made
new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection
by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
A homily may be preached after any of the preceding Readings.
Holy Baptism (beginning with the Presentation of the Candidates,
page 301, and concluding with the reception of the newly baptized)
may be administered here or after the Gospel. Confirmation may also be
administered.
In the absence of candidates for Baptism or Confirmation, the
Celebrant leads the people in the Renewal of Baptismal Vows, either here
or after the Gospel.
The Celebrant may first address the people in these or similar words, all
standing
Through the Paschal mystery, dear friends, we are buried
with Christ by Baptism into his death, and raised with him to
newness of life. I call upon you, therefore, now that our
Lenten observance is ended, to renew the solemn promises
and vows of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced
Satan and all his works, and promised to serve God faithfully
in his holy Catholic Church.
The Renewal of Baptismal Vows
Celebrant Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil
and
renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?
People I do.
Celebrant Do you believe in God the Father?
People I believe in
God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Celebrant Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of
God?
People I believe in
Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Celebrant Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People I believe in
the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Celebrant Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching
and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
prayers?
People I will, with
God’s help.
Celebrant Will you persevere in resisting evil, and,
whenever
you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People I will, with
God’s help.
Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the
Good
News of God in Christ?
People I will, with
God’s help.
Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all
persons, loving
your neighbor as yourself?
People I will, with
God’s help.
Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among
all people,
and respect the dignity of every human being?
People I will, with
God’s help.
The Celebrant concludes the Renewal of Vows as follows
May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and
bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sins, keep us in eternal
life by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
At the Eucharist
The candles at the Altar may now be lighted from the Paschal
Candle.
One of the following Canticles is then sung. Immediately before
the Canticle the Celebrant may say to the people
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
The Canticles
Gloria in excelsis
Te Deum laudamus
Pascha nostrum
The Celebrant then says
The Lord be with you.
People And
also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
The Celebrant says one of the following Collects
Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only
begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious
resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant
us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him
in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
or this
O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the
glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that
Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we,
being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you
in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
Epistle Romans 6:3 11
“Alleluia” may be sung and repeated.
Psalm 114, or some other suitable psalm or a hymn may be sung.
Gospel Matthew 28:1 10
If a sermon or homily was not preached earlier, it follows
here.
The Nicene Creed is not used at this service.
Holy Baptism, Confirmation, or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows may take place
here.
The celebration continues with the Prayers of the People.
Preface of Easter
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