Holy Communion for Fifth Sunday of Easter at Home Due to Coronavirus COVID-19
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Holy Communion for Fifth Sunday of Easter at Home due to Coronavirus COVID-19 The Benefice of Stoke by Nayland with Polstead and Leavenheath, and Nayland with Wissington - A short introduction to the Season - The Great Fifty Days of Eastertide from a single festival period in which the tone of joy is sustained through the following seven weeks, and the Church celebrates the gloriously risen Christ. During this ‘most joyful period’ the Alleluia appears frequently. Today we gather in our own homes, apart from each other, and yet we are joined together in faith and sacramentally reunited with our risen Lord. Spiritual Communion The term ‘Spiritual Communion’ has been used historically to describe the means of grace by which a person, prevented for some serious reason from sharing in a celebration of the Eucharist, nonetheless shares in the communion of Jesus Christ. In joining with Revd Mark who will be celebrating the Eucharist from his study, you too are able to join him in communion. The Book of Common Prayer instructs us that if we offer ourselves in penitence and faith, giving thanks for the redemption won by Christ crucified, we may truly ‘eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ’, although we cannot receive the sacrament physically in ourselves. Making a Spiritual Communion is particularly fitting for those who cannot receive the sacrament at the great feasts of the Church, and it fulfils the duty of receiving Holy Communion ‘regularly, and especially at the festivals of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun or Pentecost’ (Canon B 15). The Church of which we are members is not defined by the walls of a building but by the Body of Christ of which we are members. In making our communion spiritually, we are joining with Christians everywhere to be nourished by the one who tells us, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. [2] Hymn – Ye choirs of new Jerusalem Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ, The Paschal victory to hymn In strains of holy joy. How Judah’s Lion burst his chains, And crushed the serpent’s head; And brought with him, from death’s domains. The long-imprisoned dead. From hell’s devouring jaws the prey Alone our Leader bore; His ransomed hosts pursue their way Where he hath gone before. Triumphant in his glory now His sceptre ruleth all, Earth, heaven, and hell before him bow, And at his footstool fall. While joyful thus his praise we sing, His mercy we implore, Into his palace bright to bring And keep us evermore. All glory to the Father be, All glory to the Son, All glory, Holy Ghost, to thee, While endless ages run. Alleluia! Amen. St Fulbert of Chartres (d. 1028) Tr. Robert Campbell (1814-1868) [3] The Gathering Minister: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. The Greeting Minister: The Lord be with you. All: and also with you. Prayer of Preparation All: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from who 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. Prayers of Penitence Minister: Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ [4] There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. All: Amen. Lord, have mercy. Minister: Christ died to sin once for all, and now he lives to God. Let us renew our resolve to have done with all that is evil and confess our sins in penitence and faith. (cf Romans 6:10) All: 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. Confession Minister: Jesus Christ, risen Master and triumphant Lord, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to you our weakness and unbelief. We have lived by our own strength, and not by the power of your resurrection. In your mercy, forgive us. All: Lord, hear us and help us. [5] Minister: We have lived by the light of our own eyes, as faithless and not believing. In your mercy, forgive us. All: Lord, hear us and help us. Minister: We have lived for this world alone, and doubted our home in heaven. In your mercy, forgive us. All: Lord, hear us and help us. Absolution Minister: 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. All: Amen. Gloria in Excelsis All: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. [6] For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. The Collect Minister: Let us pray. Almighty God, who through your only–begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All: Amen. The New Testament Reading (Acts 7:55-end NRSV) Standing before the high priest and the council, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died. [7] Minister: This is the word of the Lord All: Thanks be to God. Gospel Reading (John 14:1-14 NRSV) Minister: Alleluia, alleluia. I am the first and the last, say the Lord, and the living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore. (cf Revelation 1:17,18) All: Alleluia. Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John All: Glory to you, O Lord. Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.