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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.
The Proper Liturgy
Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 ; John 18:1-19:42
The Meditation
This week I am sharing thoughts from Archbishop William Temple's classic work Readings in St. John's Gospel.
Archbishop Temple begins this section by describing how the Evangelist has used discourse to interpret Jesus' acts and teachings up to this point, and through these first 17 chapters Jesus speaks to his disciples and to our own hearts. The Archbishop continues:
"But now, we have narrative without any interpreting discourse. It is possible to consider how far the sin of Judas or Peter or Caiaphas or Pilate is to be found in our own hearts, and that is profitable in its place. But it seems that St. John would direct our minds away from ourselves altogether to our Lord. We are now not to meditate but to contemplate, for the crisis of this world has come, and the conflict between light and darkness is being fought out, until the Victor cries, 'It is finished.'
(W Temple, Readings in St. John's Gospel, pg. 319)
Worthy of contemplation is the raging conflict of light and darkness on Good Friday. "Sing my tongue the glorious battle; of the mighty conflict sing" begins Hymn 166 which the Prayer Book suggests for the liturgy on this day. "Jesus Christ the world's Redeemer, from the cross now reigns as King."
From the cross, not from the empty tomb, does Jesus reign as King. The creeds say "he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried" (Apostles') and "For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried." (Nicene) Though Christians describe Jesus' atoning death and victory on the cross in at least three different theories, Archbishop Temple's admonition to contemplate the great mystery of Christ's sacrifice as Victor and Sovereign is a gift on this day. Perhaps every day.
Faithful cross! above all other,
one and only noble tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom,
one in fruit they peer may be.
Sweetest wood and sweetest iron!
sweetest weight is hung on thee. (Hymn 166, v 4)
Hymn 166
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Church of the Redeemer, Morristown, NJ - Sing My Tongue the Glorious Battle
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Collect of the Day
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.
The liturgy this day ends 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 judgement 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. |
