Spiritual Communion for Petertide
28th June, 2020
¶ Preparation: You may wish to find a space for prayer in front of a cross, a candle, or a special place.
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
The Lord be with you
All: and also with you.
Hymn
And now, O Father, mindful of the love
And now, O Father, mindful of the love,
that bought us, once for all, on Calv’ry’s tree,
and having with us him that pleads above,
we here present, we here spread forth to thee
that only off’ring perfect in thine eyes,
the one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.
Look, Father, look on his anointed face,
and only look on us as found in him;
look not on our misusings of thy grace,
our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim:
for lo, between our sins and their reward
we set the Passion of thy Son our Lord.
And then for those, our dearest and our best,
by this prevailing presence we appeal:
O fold them closer to thy mercy’s breast,
O do thine utmost for their souls’ true weal;
from tainting mischief keep them pure and clear,
and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere.
And so we come: O draw us to thy feet,
most patient Saviour, who canst love us still;
and by this food, so aweful and so sweet,
deliver us from ev’ry touch of ill:
in thine own service make us glad and free,
and grant us never more to part with thee.
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 Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Penitence
Kyrie Eleison
Jesus says, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
Silence is kept.
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Blessed is the Lord,
All: for he has heard the voice of our prayer;
Therefore shall our hearts dance for joy
All: and in our song will we praise our God.
Gloria in Excelsis
(Sung to the Tune of ‘At the name of Jesus’: Camberwell)
All: Glory in the highest
to the God of heaven!
Peace to all your people
through the earth be given:
Mighty God and Father,
thanks and praise we bring,
Singing alleluias
to our heavenly King.
Jesus Christ is risen,
God the Father’s Son:
with the Holy Spirit,
you are Lord alone!
Lamb once killed for sinners,
all our guilt to bear,
Show us now your mercy,
now receive our prayer.
Christ the world’s true Saviour,
high and holy one,
Seated now and reigning
from your Father’s throne:
Lord and God, we praise you;
highest heaven adores:
In the Father’s glory,
all the praise be yours!
The Collect
Let us pray:
A period of silent prayer is kept.
Almighty God,
who inspired your apostle Saint Peter
to confess Jesus as Christ and Son of the living God:
build up your Church upon this rock,
that in unity and peace it may proclaim one truth
and follow one Lord, your Son our Saviour Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All: Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
New Testament Reading
Acts 12:1-11
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.
The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’
At the end:
This is the Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Gradual Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it thine:
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure-store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Gospel Reading
Matthew 16:13-19
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
All: Glory to you, O Lord.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
At the end:
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Reflection
Fr Christopher
To be confirmed.
Affirmation of Faith
All: We believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist.
We believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature, died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prayers of Intercession
Pray for the needs of the world, for our local communities, our loved-ones and our friends.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
All: 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.
Hymn
Ye servants of God, your master proclaim
Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all victorious of Jesus extol:
his kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.
God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
and still he is nigh: his presence we have:
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
Salvation to God who sits on the throne!
let all cry aloud, and honour the Son.
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
Then let us adore, and give him his right:
all glory and pow’r, all wisdom and might,
and honour and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.
Closing Prayer
Lord God, the source of truth and love,
keep us faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
united in prayer and the breaking of bread,
and one in joy and simplicity of heart,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Virtual Blessing & Dismissal
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and all those whom you love, today and always.
All: Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All: In the name of Christ.
Amen.