Behold, thy mother
The options for the Old Testament readings, and the options for the Gospel reading every year are not very joyous. They involve, respectively, separation and tough news. This at odds with the saccharine, commercial Mother’s Day offerings in our shops. It’s a day which many find difficult, maybe even more difficult than Christmas Day, and for more primal reasons.
Despite this, liturgically there must be celebration and joy, to augment our Eucharist of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That needs to be found for all, where it can. Of the art presented in the third Lent podcast, I was most struck by the most modern image, from 1912: a photograph of a tableau, of Hannah presenting Samuel to Eli, fulfilling a promise she made to God. Those who knew nothing of the photographer would not have picked up the message, even in a time when women were fighting for their suffrage in the first couple of decades of the last century.
The image represents agency rather than passivity. In Jochebed (the mother of the boy who was to be named Moses by Pharoah’s daughter), and Hannah, we have the placing of their first-born, in these instances, into the hands of God, using human agents. God continues to prove His being in the examples of remarkable human beings, which we all are even if we are not well-known. Today we celebrate how God is known through women who happen to be mothers. Fr A.
Music before the service
Ave Maria Opus 65 no 4 A Guilmant (1837-1911)
THE GATHERING
Hymn
1 Angel voices ever singing
round Thy throne of light,
angel harps, forever ringing,
rest not day nor night;
thousands only live to bless Thee
and confess thee Lord of might.
2 Thou who art beyond the farthest
mortal eye can scan,
can it be that Thou regardest
songs of sinful man?
Can we feel that Thou art near us
and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.
3 Yea, we know Thy love rejoices
o'er each work of Thine;
Thou didst ears and hands and voices
for Thy praise combine;
craftsman's art and music's measure
for Thy pleasure didst design.
4 Here, great God, today we offer
of Thine own to Thee;
and for Thine acceptance proffer,
all unworthily,
hearts and minds and hands and voices
in our choicest melody.
5 Honor, glory, might, and merit
Thine shall ever be,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
blessed Trinity:
of the best that Thou hast given
earth and heaven render Thee.
Francis Pott (1861)
Tune: Edwin George Monk
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Greeting
The president greets the people
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you.
and also with you.
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
Let us remember the love we have experienced in our lives and call to mind the times we failed to show love.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with
our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours
as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
The president says
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all
goodness, and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect
God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:
strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and in sorrow
we may know the power of your presence
to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings
Exodus 2.1-10
2Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.2The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months.3When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river.4His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
5The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it.6When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said.7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother.9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it.10When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
2 Corinthians 1.3-7
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation,4who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.5For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.6If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering.7Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
Gospel Reading
As you are able, please stand
Praise to you, O Christ,
King of eternal glory.
The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice.
Harden not your hearts.
cf Psalm 95.3,8
Praise to you, O Christ,
King of eternal glory.
The Lord be with you
And also with you
The Gospel is announced
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to John
Glory to you, O Lord.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’27Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
John 19. 25b-27
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
The Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus
Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he
came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the
Virgin Mary and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius
Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
He will come again in glory to
judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is
worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for
the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the
dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Cycle of Prayer
Our bishops:
David, Mark and Matthew
The Anglican Communion
The Anglican Church of Kenya
Porvoo Communion
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Church of England: Diocese of Lichfield
Church in Wales: Diocese of St David’s
Schools and Colleges
All Saints; St Wilfrid’s; Briscoe Lane Academy; Christ the King; Co-op Academy Broadhurst;
Oldham Blue Coat; Trinity High School; Bowdoin College, Maine; Churchill College, Cambridge; University of Coventry; Edge Hill University; University of Leeds; Loretto Sixth Form College; Oldham Sixth Form College.
Parish
Donleigh Street, Dorking Avenue, Dorstone Close, Douro Street, Droylsden Road, Dulvert Street.
Book of Remembrance
Harry Brierley; .Minnie Heywood; Walter Briggs; Kenneth Coyne; Evelyn Lyons; Eunice Fitton; George Foxley.
THE LITURGY OF THE SACRAMENT
The Peace
Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us access to his grace.
Romans 5.1,2
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The president says
God of our journey,
as we walk with you on your
path of obedience,
sustain us on our way and
lead us to your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
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.
The president praises God for his mighty acts and all respond
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.
The president recalls the Last Supper,
and one of these four acclamations may be used
[Great is the mystery of faith:]
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
The Prayer continues and leads into the
doxology, to which all respond boldly
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our
Saviour has taught us
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.
Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.
The Agnus Dei
Jesus, Lamb of God,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
grant us peace.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.
Lord I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word and shall be healed
Giving of Communion
Hymn after the Distribution of Communion
sung by St Martin’s Voices
For Mary, Mother of our Lord
God’s holy name be praised,
who first the Son of God adored,
as on her child she gazed.
Brave, holy Virgin, she believe,
though hard the task assigned,
and by the Holy Ghost conceived
the Saviour of mankind.
She gave her body as God’s shrine,
her heart to piercing pain;
she knew the cost of love divine,
when Jesus Christ was slain.
Dear Mary, from your lowliness
and home in Galilee
there comes a joy and holiness
to every family.
Hail, Mary, you are full of grace,
above all women blest;
and blest your Son, whom your embrace
in birth and death confessed.
John Raphael Peacey (1896-1971)
© Revd Mary J Hancock
Post Communion Prayers
Loving God,
as a mother feeds her children at the breast
you feed us in this sacrament with the food and drink of eternal life:
help us who have tasted your goodness
to grow in grace within the household of faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us
With the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our
Souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out n the power of your Spirit
To live and work to your praise and glory.
Amen.
Notices may be shared
Hymn
Now thank we all our God,
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessèd peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore,
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Nun danket alle Gott Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)
Blessing and 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 among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Voluntary
Voluntary
Sortie Graham Twist (b.1958)