The Gathering of the Community
Hymn: Blue #374 The God of Abraham Praise
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
All: And also with you.
Collect for Purity
All: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you 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
Collect of the Day
Leader: Almighty God,
whose Son was revealed in majesty
before he suffered death upon the cross,
give us faith to perceive his glory,
that being strengthened by his grace
we may be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Kyrie
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Genesis 1-12, 17-18
Second Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1
The Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
Sermon
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
We pray to the Lord saying, Lord, meet us in the silence. Give us strength and hear our prayer.
We pray to the Lord for courage to give up other things and to give ourselves to him this Lent. Give your Church the courage to give more time to your mission in the world. [We pray for …] May the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus bring forgiveness to your people and help us to face the cost of proclaiming salvation. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give your world the courage to give up war, bitterness and hatred, and to seek peace. We pray especially for peace in Ukraine. May the presence of the risen Jesus, his body once broken and now made whole, bring peace and direction as we live with one another. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give us the courage to live increasingly for others, and to give time, care and comfort to the sick. We give thanks for those who are caring for refugees and those displaced by war. We pray for those who are sick [especially …] May the wounded hands of Jesus bring his healing touch, and the light of his presence fill their rooms. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer.
Give us the courage to give up our fear of death and to rejoice with those who have died in faith. Especially we hold John [and… in our prayers.] We pray, too, for the victims of war. May the feet of the risen Lord Jesus, once nailed to the cross, walk alongside the dying and bereaved in their agony, and walk with us and all your Church through death to the gate of glory. Lord, meet us in the silence, give us strength and hear our prayer, here and in eternity. Amen.
We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone, and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: God our Father, in your love and goodness you have taught us to come close to you in penitence with prayer, fasting and generosity; accept our Lenten discipline, and when we fall by our weakness, raise us up by your unfailing mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
Hymn: Blue #177 A Spendthrift Lover Is the Lord
The Holy Eucharist
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty… 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.“ (John 6)
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.
All: Dear Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to possess you within my soul. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to you, together with all your faithful people gathered around every altar of your Church, and I embrace you with all the affections of my soul. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Leader: Creator of heaven and earth,
we thank you for these holy mysteries,
which bring us now a share in the life to come,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hymn: Blue #577 God of Grace and God of Glory
Leader: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
We pray for: Kira Moolman, Melissa Ritz, Clement Rodrigo
Announcements
Sunday, March 20
Mtr. Catherine will be away next Sunday, visiting her daughter and family in Washington, DC. We are pleased to welcome Fr. Ephraim as our celebrant and preacher.
Bible Study: Matthew at St Matthew’s
Tuesday Evenings during Lent at 7:30 beginning March 1. Our meeting this week will be MONDAY March 14, 7:30 p.m. Zoom Link for Monday March 14:
https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/82746565378 Passcode: 690297
All are welcome!
No Alleluias!
Lent is a time of reflection, penitence and self-examination as we walk with Jesus towards the cross. We are called to fasting, prayer and works of charity. Our worship together reflects this. Thus, in the weeks of Lent we sing the Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy”) instead of the Gloria. We do not say the ‘Alleluias’ at the Dismissal—even if we at St. Matt’s love to echo and re-echo that great acclamation! These are signs of our penitence, inviting us to keep a holy Lent together.
St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Riverdale,
135 First Avenue, Toronto ON, M4M 1W9
416-463-9720
The Rev Dr Catherine Sider-Hamilton – Priest-in-charge: 416-463-9720
The Rev Dr Ephraim Radner – Honorary Assistant
Please direct all enquiries to Bill Middleton, Peoples’ Warden or Audrey Chan, Rector’s Warden
