Patrick Comerford
I have organised workshops on preparing for Lent and Holy Week in previous years for clergy and readers in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe. The staged lifting of the pandemic lockdown restrictions has made it difficult to organise these workshops in time. But I am sure these phases have made it difficult for many of us to plan Lenten services and Lenten study evenings.
These resources are designed to help plan at this stage for services or study groups and other Lenten events that may be organised this year as the lockdown restrictions are eased and lifted.
This posting is also designed to help clergy and readers in the Diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe to find all the resources for Lent and Holy Week 2022 in one package.
‘The Ladder of Divine Ascent’ … an icon from Mount Sinai based on the work of Saint John Klimakos … Saint John Klimakos refers in ‘The Ladder of Divine Ascent’ to the ‘bright sadness’ of Lent Preparing for Lent 2022
I sometimes think that the misrepresentation and misinterpretation of Lent has, in turn, deprived many of its true meaning and significance.
The Orthodox theologian Aaron Taylor wrote in the Guardian some years ago [2010] of how he hoped that the Lenten fast ‘must never become a source of pride on the one hand, or something oppressive on the other. It is a measuring stick for our individual practice … [it] is primarily about obedience, and thus humility. But it also creates a sense of need and sobriety. It teaches us to seek our consolation in things of the spirit rather than of the flesh.’
He pointed out that fasting ‘is merely a physical accompaniment to the real heart and joy of Lent: the prayer and worship that are intensified during this season …’ and he referred to the ‘joy-making mourning’ recommended by an early writer, Saint John Klimakos, in The Ladder of Divine Ascent, to the ‘bright sadness’ of Lent.
At Lent, we should remind ourselves that we have all fallen short, so that we are not the people we should be. We all too easily focus on ourselves. But true Lenten fasting allows us to experience a sense of freedom as we relinquish our self-centredness and can produce joy in our hearts – just what we pray for in the Collect of Ash Wednesday.
And Aaron Taylor added: ‘If we do not to some extent attain to this joy-through-mourning, we have entirely missed the point of Lent.’
He concluded his ‘Face to Faith’ column in the Guardian by saying: ‘As long as there is evil in the world, we can be sure that some of it still lies hidden in our hearts. And as long as we are able to shed tears over our condition, there remains hope that we will one day see the glorious day of resurrection.’
Part 1: Liturgical resources for Lent 2022:
The Lectionary:
Ash Wednesday, 2 March 2022: Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58: 1-12; Psalm 51: 1-17; II Corinthians 5: 20b to 6: 10; Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21. These lectionary readings are common to Years A, B and C.
First Sunday in Lent (Lent I), 6 March 2022: Deuteronomy 26: 1-11; Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16; Romans 10: 8b-13; Luke 4: 1-13.
Second Sunday in Lent (Lent II), 13 March 2022: Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3: 17 to 4: 1; Luke 13: 31-35 or Luke 9: 28-36.
Note: The second, optional Gospel reading is used when Option B has been taken on the Sunday before Lent. As this is an account of the Transfiguration, it is not used when the Sunday before Lent has been observed as Transfiguration Sunday.
[Saint Patrick’s Day, Thursday 17 March 2022: Tobit 13: 1b-7 or Deuteronomy 32: 1-9; Psalm 145: 1-13; II Corinthians 4: 1-12; John 4: 31-38.]
[Saint Joseph’s Day, Saturday 19 March 2022: II Samuel 7: 4-16; Psalm 89: 26-36; Romans 4: 13-18; Matthew 1: 54-58.]
Third Sunday in Lent (Lent III), 20 March 2022: Isaiah 55: 1-9; Psalm 63: 1-9; I Corinthians 10: 1-13; John 2: 13-22.
[Friday 25 March 2022, The Annunciation of our Lord: Isaiah 7: 10-14; Psalm 40: 5-10; Hebrews 10: 4-10; Luke 1: 26-38.]
Fourth Sunday in Lent (Lent IV), 27 March 2022 (Laetare Sunday): Joshua 5: 9-12; Psalm 32; II Corinthians 5: 16-21; Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32.
or:
Mothering Sunday: Exodus 2: 1-10 or I Samuel 1: 20-28; Psalm 34: 11-20 or Psalm 127: 1-4; II Corinthians 1: 3-7 or Colossians 3: 12-17; Luke 2: 33-35 or John 19: 25-27.
Fifth Sunday in Lent (Lent V), 3 April 2022 (Passiontide begins): Isaiah 43: 16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3: 4b-14; John 12: 1-8.
Sixth Sunday in Lent, Palm Sunday, 10 April 2022:
Liturgy of the Palms: Luke 19: 28-40; Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29.
Liturgy of the Passion: Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Psalm 31: 9-16; Philippians 2: 5-11; Luke 22: 14 to 23: 56 or Luke 23: 1-49.
Holy Week:
Monday in Holy Week, 11 April 2022: Isaiah 42: 1-9; Psalm 36: 5-11; Hebrews 9: 11-15; John 12: 1-11.
Tuesday in Holy Week, 12 April 2022: Isaiah 49: 1-7; Psalm 71: 1-14; I Corinthians 1: 18-31; John 12: 20-36.
Wednesday in Holy Week, 13 April 2022: Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12: 1-3; John 13: 21-32.
Maundy Thursday, 14 April 2022: Exodus 12: 1-4 (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116: 1, 10-17; I Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-17, 31b-35.
Good Friday, 15 April 2022: Isaiah 52: 13 to 53: 12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10: 16-25 or Hebrews 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9; John 18: 1 to 19: 42. In the evening: John 19: 38-42 or Colossians 1: 18-23.
Holy Saturday or Easter Eve, 16 April 2022: Job 14: 1-14 or Lamentations 3: 1-9, 19-24; Psalm 31: 1-4, 15-16; I Peter 4: 1-8; Matthew 27: 57-66 or John 19:38-42.
Other Liturgical resources for Lent 2021:
Liturgical Colours:
The Liturgical Colour in Lent is Violet, with the following exceptions:
17 March, Saint Patrick: White.
19 March, Saint Joseph: White.
25 March, The Annunciation: White.
27 March, ‘Laetare Sunday’: Violet, but there is a traditional option of using Rose (Pink).
10 April, Palm Sunday: Red or Violet.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week: Red or Violet.
Maundy Thursday: Red or Violet, but White at the Eucharist.
Good Friday and Saturday: there is no provision for a liturgical colour, and there is no celebration of Holy Communion.
Part 2: Organising a Bible Study:
1, Choose your theme with care: I once decided to lead a series of Bible studies on the Book of Revelation. I had very good reasons to do so, but there were too many chapters, and eventually it petered out. Nor did I consult with other members of the group about what they wanted or needed.
If you chose one book of the Bible, you – and everyone else too – may get bored before half-way through, apart from the fact that the five or six weeks of Lent does not give the opportunity to get through your chosen book.
Think of a theme or a topic: the Prophets, Women in the Bible, Heroes and Saints, and the Parables are themes that have worked for me in the past, and allow a variety of leadership and in-put.
2, Fix a venue, day and time: go ahead even if only one person turns up. On the other hand, know when to quit.
3, Prepare. Read the passage carefully and thoughtfully yourself well in advance of the group meeting; do not leave it until the day you are meeting. Have Bibles ready for those who forget them, check whether you need to provide pens and paper. Do not plan a PowerPoint presentation unless you through the whole process yourself long enough beforehand.
4, Open with prayer: keep it short, keep it snappy, make it simple, but remind people that this is not just another social gathering. On the other hand, resist the temptation to allow this to replace the Sunday intercessions or the weekly prayer list: focus it on one topic you expect to be the focus of discussion.
5, Try to rotate the leadership: you don’t have to provide leadership all the time; every parish has more than enough people with skills of teaching and leading, and it may help and encourage new skills in the parish.
6, Encourage everyone to take part: allow discussion, but be firm and gentle at one and the same time. At times it will go off track; this may be important, but it may also frustrate those who want to learn more.
7, Encourage different opinions and questions: diversity is an integral part of Anglican identity, and needs to be encouraged and affirmed in parish life too. People like to share their experiences and their opinions, and should be encouraged to ask questions.
8, Do not pretend to have all the answers: we don’t need to know it all, and we should not pretend to know it all.
9, Finish on time: make sure people know that their commitment is respected, and that they can get home on time; make sure they know what next week’s topic, passage or theme is.
10, Make sure tea/coffee/refreshments are available at the end of the evening. Parish life should be fun, and in Lent too.
Part 3: Four examples of Lenten Study Resources:
Four examples of Lenten studies and themes may help organising a Lenten study in parishes or provide Lenten resources for Lent 2022: 1, Saint Flannan’s Cathedral, Killaloe; 2, the USPG Lent 2022 study programme, ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’; 3, the Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal Lenten resources; 4, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Study Book for 2022.
1, Saint Flannan’s Cathedral, Killaloe:
In the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe last year (2021), the deans and chapter members offered a Lenten Study Course based on the Anglican Communion’s Five Points of Mission.
If you decide to follow this idea this year (2022), the Five Marks of Mission, which express the Anglican Communion’s common commitment to, and understanding of, God’s holistic and integral mission, are:
1, To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
2, To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
3, To respond to human need by loving service
4, To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
5, To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth
This year, the Dean of Killaloe, the Very Revd Ros Smyth, is organising a series of Tuesday evening study groups throughout Lent (8, 15, 22 and 29 March and 7 April) in Saint Flannan’s Cathedral.
This section of this page is being updated when the speakers and topics are announced for these Lenten study evenings in Killaloe:
1, Tuesday 8 March 2022: Poetry and Prayer
2, Tuesday 15 March 2022: Holiness and Wholeness, Canon Jane Galbraith (Roscrea), the Treasurer
3, Tuesday 22 March 2022: Music and Worship, Mr Peter Barley, Director of Music, Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick
4, Tuesday 29 March 2022: ‘It's OK to Lament’, the Revd John Godfrey (Aughrim and Ballinasloe Group)
5, Tuesday 7 April 2022:
For further information on thsee talks, please email the Dean of Killaloe.
2, USPG: ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ – Lent 2022:
‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ is the title of the new course for Lent 2022produced by the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel). The title of this course comes from I Peter 2, the epistle for the Bible study at the Lambeth Conference later this year.
We, the Church, are the living stones, and we are called to bring living hope though faith in Christ, who is the cornerstone of our faith. ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ explores this from the perspective of five partner churches around the world, inviting us to reflect on our own experience of being ‘living stones’ bringing ‘living hope’ in our own situations, in the light of the experiences of others.
Canon Patrick Comerford is one of the international theologians invited by USPG to contribute one of the five studies in this new Lent course. In his Bible study and video, he draws on his experiences in ministry and mission in the Rathkeale area, including ecumenical engagement with the Traveller community.
The other contributors to ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ are from Brazil, India, Korea and Zambia.
The course can be ordered or downloaded from the USPG website: www.uspg.org.uk/lent
USPG is also hosting this course as a series of five webinars in March 2022, with presentations from the contributing churches, including the Church of Ireland. All are welcome to hear and see first-hand the impactful living out of the Gospel with biblical reflections, from five of USPG’s partners during Lent, on:
1, Thursday 3 March 2022, 2 p.m., Zambia;
2, Thursday 10 March 2022, 10 a.m., Korea;
3, Thursday 17 March 2022, 6 p.m., Brazil;
4, Thursday 24 March 2022, 2 p.m., Ireland;
5, Thursday 31 March, 10 a.m., Church of North India.
3, The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal Lenten resources:
The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal Committee is producing Lenten resources for Sunday Clubs and primary school ages supporting Christian Aid projects in Honduras. This stems from a Down and Dromore diocesan link project, ‘the Bishop's Big Bike Ride.’
The Bishops’ Appeal has completed a pilot training, ‘Equipping the Church to take action and end domestic abuse’, run in collaboration with the Mothers’ Union and Tearfund, and is hoping to make the necessary changes and then run the course again, with a church toolkit, in time for Lent.
A video celebrating 50 years of the Bishops’ Appeal is also nearing completion.
4, The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Study Book for 2022:
What is justice? It’s a question we encounter everywhere in life and that over the last years has increasingly demanded an answer.
In Embracing Justice, Isabelle Hamley invites us on an exhilarating journey through Scripture to discover how we, as churches, communities and individual Christians, can seek and practice justice even when enmeshed in such a fractured world.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book for 2022 is full of practical encouragement, weaves together biblical texts, diverse voices, contemporary stories, and personal and group meditations to reveal liberating and imaginative ways in which me may grow in discipleship – and more fully reflect the justice, mercy and compassion of Christ in our lives.
With six chapters to take us from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day, this Lent devotional for 2022 is essential reading for anyone interested in the issues of justice – from climate and economic justice to gender and racial equality – that are increasingly at the forefront of global consciousness, and the role that Christians and the Church must play in them.
Embracing Justice is suitable for use both as a single study for individuals and for small groups to prepare for Easter will encourage, inform and motivate anyone looking for Christian books about justice. It will help you understand justice from a biblical perspective, and inspire you to seek it in every aspect of your life.
Although the world is broken, unequal and violent, the call to reflect God’s own justice and mercy continues to sound like a steady drumbeat, impossible to ignore. Accompany Isabelle Hamley this Lent, and discover that we can all join God’s mission of transformation and embrace his justice.
The Revd Dr Isabelle Hamley is Secretary for Theology and Ecumenical Relations and Theological Adviser to the House of Bishops of the Church of England. She has previously held posts as chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, taught Biblical Studies and Practical Theology at Saint John’s College, Nottingham, as well as being the vicar of the parish of Edwalton.
She has been a university chaplain at the University of Leicester and spent 10 years teaching in the school of continuing education at the university of Nottingham. She has always had a passion for integrating theology, ministry and engagement with the wider world, and so trained and practiced as a Probation Officer whilst also teaching theology in the evenings at the University of Nottingham.
Part 4: Additional Resources for Lent:
Ash Wednesday
Ideas for Ash Wednesday include a parish quiet day, an away day or a retreat.
The ‘Service for Ash Wednesday, the Beginning of Lent’ in the Book of Common Prayer (pp 338-343), is the only service in the book which is to be used on a specific day in the Christian Year.
It dates back to the Commination Service in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which was altered in the Church of Ireland in 1926 with the Penitential Service.
The present service is derived from one approved by the House of Bishops in 1990, which drew on earlier services and on material in the Church of England book, Lent, Holy Week, Easter (1996).
Bishop Harold Miller points out in The Desire of Our Soul that ‘one of the quirky things about this service, in the context of the wider church throughout the world, is that it is an Ash Wednesday service without ashes! That is faintly ridiculous …’
He goes on to point out that ‘in parts of the church, over recent years, the use of ashes has proven to be a highly effective symbol both of our mortality and of our penitence, with words such as:
You are dust, and to dust you will return.
Turn from your sins and follow Christ.
A rubric allows for local customs to be observed, which Bishop Miller points out ‘could include, for example, the imposition of ashes’.
The traditional Ash Wednesday invitation or exhortation in the Book of Common Prayer begins:
‘Brothers and sisters in Christ: since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord's passion and resurrection. It became the custom of the Church to prepare for this by a season of penitence and fasting.
‘At first this season of Lent was observed by those who were preparing for baptism at Easter and by those who were to be restored to the Church’s fellowship from which they had been separated through sin. In course of time the Church came to recognize that, by a careful keeping of these days, all Christians might take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord.
‘I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Lord to observe a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.’
Silence may be kept.
Then the priest says:
Let us pray for grace to keep Lent faithfully.
Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This collect may be said after the Collect of the Day until Easter Eve.
Post Communion Prayer:
Almighty God,
you have given your only Son to be for us
both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life:
Give us grace
that we may always most thankfully receive
these his inestimable gifts,
and also daily endeavour ourselves
to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Holy Week
A valuable resource book is Week of All Weeks by Bishop Harold Miller, a prayer book for Holy Week and Easter (Dublin: Church of Ireland Publishing, 2015).
Maundy Thursday:
The liturgical colour changes on this day from the Violet of Lent or the Red of Passiontide to White, and the Eucharist or Holy Communion is to be ‘celebrated in every cathedral and in each parish church or in a church within a parochial union or group of parishes.’
It is traditional in the dioceses too to have a celebration of the Chrism Eucharist in a cathedral or church in the diocese, when the bishops, priest, deacons and readers renew their vows.
Other possible resources for Maundy Thursday include foot-washing, which I have used in past years in Castletown Church, Kilcornan (Pallaskenry). There are full resources for this in Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks.
Good Friday:
There is no provision for a liturgical colour, and there is no celebration of Holy Communion on Good Friday or on the Saturday.
You may never even contemplate going as far as some of the Good Friday processions I have seen in Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. But planning a Procession of the Cross, or ecumenical Stations of the Cross, on the streets in a parish can be a powerful public witness.
Other creative options include a service based on the Seven Last Words (see Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks, pp 51-57), an adaptation of the traditional Stations of the Cross, and a service with Tenebrae (see Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks, pp 58-61).
The Seven Last Words, traditionally, are:
1, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing
2, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise
3, Here is you son … here is your mother
4, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
5, I am thirsty
6, It is finished
7, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit
Each passage here has a link to a reflection from a service in All Saints’ Church, Grangegorman, Dublin, on Good Friday 2015.
In the past, I have also led a series of Good Friday meditations in Askeaon themed on the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross, without introducing actual images of the stations into the church.
These reflections from Good Friday 2018, with appropriate prayers, suggested readings and illustrations, are available in three parts for downloading and adaption at these links:
Part 1, Stations 1 to 5;
Part 2, Stations 6 to 10;
Part 3, Stations 11 to 14
Beginning the Easter celebrations:
The celebration of Easter may begin after sundown with the Easter Vigil or the Midnight Eucharist on what is liturgically Easter Sunday, although it is still Saturday evening in calendar.
Traditionally, the Easter Vigil consists of four parts:
● The Service of Light
● The Liturgy of the Word
● The Liturgy of Baptism, which may include the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation for new members of the Church and the renewal of Baptismal Promises by the rest of the congregation
● The Eucharist
The Liturgy begins after sundown as the crowd gathers inside the unlit church, in the darkness, often in a side chapel of the church building, but preferably outside the church. A new fire, kindled and blessed by the priest, symbolises the light of salvation and hope that God brought into the world through the Resurrection of Christ, dispelling the darkness of sin and death.
The Paschal Candle, symbolising the Light of Christ, is lit from this fire. This tall candle is placed on the altar, and on its side five grains of incense are embedded, representing the five wounds of Christ and the burial spices with which his body was anointed. When these are fixed in it and the candle is lit, it is placed on the Gospel side of the altar and remains there until Ascension Day.
This Paschal candle will be used throughout the season of Easter, remaining in the sanctuary of the Church or near the lectern. Throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, it reminds all that that Christ is ‘light and life.’
All baptised people present – those who have received the Light of Christ – are given candles that are lit from the Paschal candle. As this symbolic Light of Christ spreads throughout those gathered, the darkness diminishes and dies out.
A deacon or a priest carries the Paschal Candle at the head of the entrance procession and, at three points, stops and chants the proclamation ‘Light of Christ’ or ‘Christ our Light,’ to which the people respond: ‘Thanks be to God.’
When the procession ends, the deacon or a cantor chants the Exultet, or Easter Proclamation, said to have been written by Saint Ambrose of Milan. The church is now lit only by the people’s candles and the Paschal candle, and the people take their seats for the Liturgy of the Word.
The Liturgy of the Word consists of between two and seven readings from the Old Testament. The account of the Exodus is given particular attention as it is the Old Testament antetype of Christian salvation.
Each reading is followed by a psalm and a prayer relating what has been read in the Old Testament to the Mystery of Christ.
After these readings, the Gloria is sung, and during an outburst of musical jubilation the people’s candles are extinguished, the church lights are turned on, and the bells rung. The altar frontals, the reredos, the lectern hangings, the processional banners, the statues and the paintings, which were stripped or covered during Holy Week or at the end of the Maundy Thursday Eucharist, are now ceremonially replaced and unveiled, and flowers are placed on the altar.
A reading from the Epistle to the Romans is proclaimed, and the Alleluia is sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent. The Gospel of the Resurrection then follows, along with a homily.
After the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the baptismal font is blessed, and any catechumens or candidates for full communion are initiated. After these celebrations, all present renew their baptismal vows and are sprinkled with baptismal water. The general intercessions follow.
The Easter Vigil then concludes with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This is the first Eucharist of Easter Day. During the Eucharist, the newly baptised receive Holy Communion for the first time, and, according to the rubrics, the Eucharist should finish before dawn.
Collects, Canticles and other Liturgical resources:
The Lenten Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This collect may be said after the Collect of the day until Easter Eve.
Collects and Post-Communion Prayers are provided for each day in Holy Week (see pp 264-271), except Good Friday, when there is a Collect but no Post-Communion Prayer (see p 270).
The Book of Common Prayer recommends the Commandments should be read at the Penitence during Lent.
This canticle Gloria may be omitted in Lent.
Traditionally in Anglicanism, the doxology or Gloria at the end of Canticles and Psalms is also omitted during Lent.
Penitential Kyries:
In the wilderness we find your grace:
you love us with an everlasting love.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
There is none but you to uphold our cause;
our sin cries out and our guilt is great.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed;
Restore us and we shall know your joy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Introduction to the Peace:
Being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5: 1, 2)
Preface:
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who was in every way tempted as we are yet did not sin;
by whose grace we are able to overcome all our temptations:
Blessing:
Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves,
and to take up your cross and follow him:
Passiontide and Holy Week:
Penitential Kyries:
Lord God,
you sent your Son to reconcile us to yourself and to one another.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
you heal the wounds of sin and division.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit,
through you we put to death the sins of the body – and live.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Introduction to the Peace:
Now in union with Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of Christ's blood; for he is our peace. (Ephesians 2: 17)
Preface:
Through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
who, for the redemption of the world,
humbled himself to death on the cross;
that, being lifted up from the earth,
he might draw all people to himself:
Blessing:
Christ draw you to himself
and grant that you find in his cross a sure ground for faith,
a firm support for hope,
and the assurance of sins forgiven:
Hymns for Lent
Three sections in the Hymnal are designed for use during Lent and at Easter:
1, 205-214: Christ’s Life and Ministry, including Lent.
2, 215-249: Christ’s Suffering and Cross, including Passion Sunday, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Good Friday.
3, Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension.
Lenten Disciplines:
In the Church of Ireland, each day in Lent is marked as a ‘Day of Discipline and Self-Denial.’ Note that this does not include any of the Sundays in Lent.
Ash Wednesday, the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, and Easter Eve are ‘Days of Special Observance.’
The Fifth Sunday in Lent marks the beginning of Passiontide.
The Book of Common Prayer says: ‘No celebration of a festival takes place during Holy Week.’
This is difficult in those few years when Saint Patrick’s Day falls in Holy Week. When the Feast of the Annunciation is transferred from 25 March it creates problems for some plans for the Mothers’ Union in some parishes, and for some parishes named Saint Mary’s that mark this day.
Some additional resources:
Sacred Space for Lent 2022 is a daily prayer experience from the Irish Jesuits and Sacred Space, the internationally known online prayer guide.
This resource, published three months ago [17 December 2021], is designed for use throughout Lent. Each day includes a Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and meditation.
Readers are invited to develop a closer relationship with God during this season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Throughout the Lenten season, each day includes a Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and meditation. With its small size and meaningful message, Sacred Space for Lent is a simple way to build a richer relationship with God and embrace the Lenten season as a sacred space.
Lent, Holy Week, Easter: Services and Prayers (London: Church House Publishing; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; London: SPCK, 1986 edition)
Harold Miller, Week of All Weeks, A prayer book for Holy Week and Easter Day (Dublin: Church of Ireland Publishing, 2015).
Time to Pray (London: Church House Publishing, 2006) – includes Daily Prayer for Lent, Passiontide and Easter.
Holy Week:
Monday in Holy Week, 11 April 2022:
Readings:
Isaiah 42: 1-9; Psalm 36: 5-11; Hebrews 9: 11-15; John 12: 1-11.
There is a link to readings HERE.
Collect:
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 his cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Post Communion Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation.
Give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Suggested Hymns:
Isaiah 42: 1-9:
643, Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
691, Faithful vigil ended
353, Give to our God immortal praise
330, God is here! As we his people
124, Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes
357, I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath
97, Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
99, Jesus, the name high over all
134, Make way, make way for Christ the King
305, O Breath of life, come sweeping through us
104, O for a thousand tongues to sing
605, Will you come and follow me
Psalm 36: 5-11:
6, Immortal, invisible, God only wise
553, Jesu, lover of my soul
Hebrews 9: 11-15:
411, Draw near and take the body of the Lord
220, Glory be to Jesus
417, He gave his life in endless love
418, Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face
94, In the name of Jesus
671, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
439, Once, only once, and once for all
528, The Church’s one foundation
9, There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
291, Where high the heavenly temple stands
John 12: 1-11:
517, Brother, sister, let me serve you
548, Drop, drop, slow tears
523, Help us to help each other, Lord
495, Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love
101, Jesus, the very thought of thee
587, Just as I am without one plea
7, My God, how wonderful thou art
597, Take my life, and let it be
499, When I needed a neighbour, were you there
Tuesday in Holy Week, 12 April 2022:
Readings:
Isaiah 49: 1-7; Psalm 71: 1-14; I Corinthians 1: 18-31; John 12: 20-36.
There is a link to readings HERE.
The Collect:
O God,
who by the passion of your blessed Son made
an instrument of shameful death
to be for us the means of life:
Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ,
that we may gladly suffer pain and loss
for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Post-Communion Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation.
Give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Isaiah 49: 1-7:
685, Blessed be the God of Israel
691, Faithful vigil ended
481, God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year
125, Hail to the Lord’s anointed
192, How brightly beams the morning star
706, O bless the God of Israel
595, Safe in the shadow of the Lord
Psalm 71: 1-14:
643, Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
459, For all the saints who from their labours rest (verses 1-3)
668, God is our fortress and our rock
620, O Lord, hear my prayer
557, Rock of ages, cleft for me
595, Safe in the shadow of the Lord
I Corinthians 1: 18-31:
643, Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
646, Glorious things of thee are spoken
225, In the cross of Christ I glory
698, Jesus, Saviour of the world
671, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
484, Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
232, Nature with open volume stands
241, Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
600, The wise may bring their learning
248, We sing the praise of him who died
247, When I survey the wondrous cross
John 12: 20-36:
348, Father, we love you, we worship and adore you
668, God is our fortress and our rock
43, Holy is the seed–time, when the buried grain
484, Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
227, Man of sorrows! What a name
278, Now the green blade rises from the buried grain (omit verse 3)
237, O my Saviour, lifted
241, Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
473 Síormoladh is glóir duit, a Athair shíorai (All glory and praise to you, Father, above)
490, The Spirit lives to set us free
Wednesday in Holy Week, 13 April 2022:
Readings:
Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12: 1-3; John 13: 21-32.
There is a link to readings HERE.
The Collect:
Lord God,
whose blessed Son our Saviour
gave his back to the smiters,
and did not hide his face from shame:
Give us grace to endure the sufferings
of this present time,
with sure confidence in the glory that shall be revealed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Post Communion Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation.
Give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Suggested Hymns:
Isaiah 50: 4-9a:
259, Christ triumphant, ever reigning
230, My Lord, what love is this
235, O sacred head, sore wounded
108, Praise to the Holiest in the height
239, See Christ was wounded for our sake
Psalm 70:
620, O Lord, hear my prayer
596, Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Hebrews 12: 1-3:
258, Christ the Lord is risen again
566, Fight the good fight with all thy might
463, Give us the wings of faith to rise
417, He gave his life in selfless love
636, May the mind of Christ my Saviour
240, Sweet the moments, rich in blessing
285, The head that once was crowned with thorns
247, When I survey the wondrous cross
376, Ye holy angels bright
John 13: 21-32:
215, Ah, holy Jesu, how hast thou offended
257, Christ is the world’s Redeemer
224, How deep the Father’s love for us
226, It is a thing most wonderful
227, Man of sorrows! What a name
230, My Lord, what love is this
234, O Love divine, what hast thou done?
235, O sacred head, sore wounded
242, The heavenly Word proceeding forth
Maundy Thursday, 14 April 2022:
The liturgical colour changes on this day from the Violet of Lent or the Red of Passiontide to White, and the Eucharist or Holy Communion is to be ‘celebrated in every cathedral and in each parish church or in a church within a parochial union or group of parishes.’
It is traditional in dioceses too to have a celebration of the Chrism Eucharist in a cathedral or church in the diocese, when the bishops, priests, deacons and readers renew their vows.
Other possible resources for Maundy Thursday include foot-washing, which was introduced to Castletown Church, Kilcornan (Pallaskenry) five years ago. There are full resources for this in Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks.
Readings: Exodus 12: 1-4 (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116: 1, 10-17; I Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-17, 31b-35.
There is a link to readings HERE.
The Collect:
God our Father,
you have invited us to share in the supper
which your Son gave to his Church
to proclaim his death until he comes:
May he nourish us by his presence,
and unite us in his love;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
or
Almighty God,
at the Last Supper your Son Jesus Christ
washed the disciples’ feet
and commanded them to love one another.
Give us humility and obedience to be servants of others
as he was the servant of all;
who gave up his life and died for us,
yet is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Post Communion Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us a memorial of your passion.
Grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
the fruits of your redemption,
for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
or
O God,
your Son Jesus Christ has left us this meal of bread and wine
in which we share his body and his blood.
May we who celebrate this sign of his great love
show in our lives the fruits of his redemption;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Suggested Hymns:
Exodus 12: 1-4 (5-10) 11-14:
258, Christ the Lord is risen again
328, Come on and celebrate
268, Hail, thou once-despisèd Jesus
431, Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
703, Now lives the Lamb of God
Psalm 116: 1, 10-17:
10, All my hope on God is founded
51, Awake, my soul, and with the sun
411, Draw near and take the body of the Lord
362, O God, beyond all praising
363, O Lord of heaven and earth and sea
I Corinthians 11: 23-26:
396, According to thy gracious word
403, Bread of the world in mercy broken
404, Broken for me, broken for you
405, By Christ redeemed, in Christ restored
406, Christians, lift your hearts and voices
411, Draw near and take the body of the Lord
415, For the bread which you have broken
414, God, whose love is all around us
417, He gave his life in selfless love
420, ‘I am the bread of life’ (omitting verses 4 and 5)
421, I come with joy, a child of God
423, Jesus, our Master, on the night that they came
425, Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts
421, Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us
432, Love is his word, love is his way
433, My God, your table here is spread
437, Now my tongue the mystery telling (Part 1)
438, O thou, who at thy eucharist didst pray
439, Once, only once, and once for all
442, Praise the Lord, rise up rejoicing
451, We come as guests invited
532, Who are we who stand and sing
John 13: 1-17, 31b-35:
515, ‘A new commandment I give unto you’
399, An upper room did our Lord prepare
325, Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here
516, Belovèd, let us love: love is of God
630, Blessed are the pure in heart
517, Brother, sister, let me serve you
570, Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
520, God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there
312, Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost
416, Great God, your love has called us here
523, Help us to help each other, Lord
495, Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love
525, Let there be love shared among us
432, Love is his word, love is his way
228, Meekness and majesty
231, My song is love unknown
105, O the deep, deep love of Jesus
438, O thou who at thy eucharist didst pray
244, There is a green hill far away
314, There’s a spirit in the air
530, Ubi caritas et amor
531, Where love and loving kindness dwell
Good Friday, 15 April 2022:
There is no provision for a liturgical colour, and there is no celebration of Holy Communion on Good Friday or on the Saturday.
You may never even contemplate going as far as some of the Good Friday processions I have seen in Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. But planning a Procession of the Cross, or ecumenical Stations of the Cross, on the streets in a parish can be a powerful public witness.
Other creative options include a service based on the Seven Last Words (see Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks, pp 51-57), and a service with Tenebrae (see Bishop Miller’s Week of All Weeks, pp 58-61).
The Seven Last Words traditionally are:
1, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing
2, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise
3, Here is you son … here is your mother
4, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
5, I am thirsty
6, It is finished
7, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit
Each passage here has a link to a reflection from a service in All Saints’ Church, Grangegorman, Dublin, on Good Friday 2015.
The Readings:
Isaiah 52: 13 to 53: 12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10: 16-25 or Hebrews 4: 14-16, 5: 7-9; John 18: 1 to 19: 42. In the evening: John 19: 38-42 or Colossians 1: 18-23.
The Collect:
Almighty Father,
Look with mercy on this your family
for which our Lord Jesus Christ
was content to be betrayed
and given up into the hands of sinners
and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
No Post Communion Prayer is provided for Good Friday.
Suggested hymns:
Isaiah 52: 13 to 53: 12:
215, Ah, holy Jesu, how hast thou offended
404, Broken for me, broken for you
219, From heav’n you came, helpless babe
268, Hail, thou once-despisèd Jesus
417, He gave his life in selfless love
273, Led like a lamb to the slaughter (omit verse 2)
275, Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious
227, Man of sorrows! What a name
230, My Lord, what love is this?
231, My song is love unknown (omit verses 4-6)
235, O sacred head, sore wounded
107, One day when heaven was filled with his praises
239, See, Christ was wounded for our sake
Psalm 22:
671, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
361, Now thank we all our God
233, O dearest Lord, thy sacred head
537, O God, our help in ages past
240, Sweet the moments, rich in blessing
247, When I survey the wondrous cross
Hebrews 10: 16-25:
218, And can it be that I should gain
220, Glory be to Jesus
382, Help us, O Lord, to learn
222, Here is love, vast as the ocean
431, Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
619, Lord, teach us how to pray aright
638, O for a heart to praise my God
227, O my Saviour, lifted
166, O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
341, Spirit divine, attend our prayers
Alternative Second Reading, Hebrews 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9:
218, And can it be that I should gain
65, At evening when the sun had set
319, Father, of heaven, whose love profound
226, It is a thing most wonderful
652, Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
431, Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
228, Meekness and majesty
291, Where high the heavenly temple stands
John 18: 1 to 19: 42:
215, Ah, holy Jesu, how hast thou offended
216, Alleluia, my Father
561, Beneath the cross of Jesus
220, Glory be to Jesus
221, Hark! the voice of love and mercy
417, He gave his life in selfless love
222, Here is love vast as the ocean
226, It is a thing most wonderful
132, Lo! he comes with clouds descending
275, Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious
227, Man of sorrows! What a name
229, My God, I love thee; not because
231, My song is love unknown
102, Name of all majesty
232, Nature with open volume stands
233, O dearest Lord, thy sacred head
234, O Love divine! What hast thou done?
237, O my Saviour, lifted
235, O sacred head, sore wounded
236, On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
557, Rock of ages, cleft for me
239, See, Christ was wounded for our sake
241, Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
240, Sweet the moments, rich in blessing
285, The head that once was crowned with thorns
243 The royal banners forward go
244, There is a green hill far away
245, To mock your reign, O dearest Lord
248, We sing the praise of him who died
246, Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (omit verse 6)
247, When I survey the wondrous cross
Holy Saturday, 20 April 2019:
Readings:
Job 14: 1-14 or Lamentations 3: 1-9, 19-24; Psalm 31: 1-4, 15-16; I Peter 4: 1-8; Matthew 27: 57-66 or John 19:38-42.
There is a link to readings HERE.
The Collect:
Grant, Lord,
that we who are baptised into the death
of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
may continually put to death our evil desires
and be buried with him;
and that through the grave and gate of death
we may pass to our joyful resurrection;
through his merits, who died and was buried
and rose again for us,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
No Post Communion is provided for this Saturday.
Suggested Hymns:
Job 14: 1-14:
6, Immortal, invisible, God only wise
537, O God, our help in ages past
308, Revive your Church, O Lord
Lamentations 3: 1-9, 19-24:
59, New every morning is the love
374, When all thy mercies, O my God
Psalm 31: 1-4, 15-16:
459, For all the saints who from their labours rest (verses 1-3)
668, God is our fortress and our rock
620, O Lord, hear my prayer
557, Rock of ages, cleft for me
595, Safe in the shadow of the Lord
I Peter 4: 1-8:
515, ‘A new commandment I give unto you’
525, Let there be love shared among us
Matthew 27: 57-66:
102, Name of all majesty
239, See, Christ was wounded for our sake
John 19: 38-42:
231, My song is love unknown
239, See, Christ was wounded for our sake
The Easter Vigil, 16 April 2022:
The celebration of Easter may begin after sundown with the Easter Vigil or the Midnight Eucharist on what is liturgically Easter Sunday, although it is still Saturday evening in the calendar.
Traditionally, the Easter Vigil consists of four parts:
● The Service of Light
● The Liturgy of the Word
● The Liturgy of Baptism, which may include the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation for new members of the Church and the renewal of Baptismal Promises by the rest of the congregation
● The Eucharist
The Liturgy begins after sundown as the crowd gathers inside the unlit church, in the darkness, often in a side chapel of the church building, but preferably outside the church. A new fire, kindled and blessed by the priest, symbolises the light of salvation and hope that God brought into the world through the Resurrection of Christ, dispelling the darkness of sin and death.
The Paschal Candle, symbolising the Light of Christ, is lit from this fire. This tall candle is placed on the altar, and on its side five grains of incense are embedded, representing the five wounds of Christ and the burial spices with which his body was anointed. When these are fixed in it and the candle is lit, it is placed on the Gospel side of the altar and remains there until Ascension Day.
This Paschal candle will be used throughout the season of Easter, remaining in the sanctuary of the Church or near the lectern. Throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, it reminds all that that Christ is ‘light and life.’
All baptised people present – those who have received the Light of Christ – are given candles that are lit from the Paschal candle. As this symbolic Light of Christ spreads throughout those gathered, the darkness diminishes and dies out.
A deacon or a priest carries the Paschal Candle at the head of the entrance procession and, at three points, stops and chants the proclamation ‘Light of Christ’ or ‘Christ our Light,’ to which the people respond: ‘Thanks be to God.’
When the procession ends, the deacon or a cantor chants the Exultet, or Easter Proclamation, said to have been written by Saint Ambrose of Milan. The church is now lit only by the people’s candles and the Paschal candle, and the people take their seats for the Liturgy of the Word.
The Liturgy of the Word consists of between two and seven readings from the Old Testament. The account of the Exodus is given particular attention as it is the Old Testament antetype of Christian salvation.
Each reading is followed by a psalm and a prayer relating what has been read in the Old Testament to the Mystery of Christ.
After these readings, the Gloria is sung, and during an outburst of musical jubilation the people’s candles are extinguished, the church lights are turned on, and the bells rung. The altar frontals, the reredos, the lectern hangings, the processional banners, the statues and the paintings, which were stripped or covered during Holy Week or at the end of the Maundy Thursday Eucharist, are now ceremonially replaced and unveiled, and flowers are placed on the altar.
A reading from the Epistle to the Romans is proclaimed, and the Alleluia is sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent. The Gospel of the Resurrection then follows, along with a homily.
After the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the baptismal font is blessed, and any catechumens or candidates for full communion are initiated. After these celebrations, all present renew their baptismal vows and are sprinkled with baptismal water. The general intercessions follow.
The Easter Vigil then concludes with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This is the first Eucharist of Easter Day. During the Eucharist, the newly baptised receive Holy Communion for the first time, and, according to the rubrics, the Eucharist should finish before dawn.
Readings:
Old Testament Readings and Psalms:
Genesis 1: 1 to 2:4a; Response: Psalm 136: 1-9, 23-26;
Genesis 7: 1-5, 11-18; 8: 6-18; 9: 8-13; Response: Psalm 46;
Genesis 22: 1-18; Response: Psalm 16;
Exodus 14: 10-31; 15: 20-21 and Exodus 15: 1b-13, 17-18;
Isaiah 55: 1-11; Canticle 23: Song of Isaiah (Isaiah 12: 2-6);
Baruch 3: 9-15, 32 to 4: 4 or Proverbs 8: 1-8, 19-21, 9: 4b-6; Response: Psalm 19;
Ezekiel 36: 24-28; Response: Psalm 42 and 43;
Ezekiel 37: 1-14; Response: Psalm 143;
Zephaniah 3: 14-20; Response: Psalm 98.
New Testament Reading and Psalm:
Romans 6: 3-11; Response: Psalm 114.
The Gospel:
Luke 24: 1-12.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
The hymns suggestions for Holy Week 2022 are provided in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling. The hymn numbers refer to the Church of Ireland’s Church Hymnal (5th edition, Oxford: OUP, 2000)
Material from the Book of Common Prayer is copyright © 2004, Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.
