Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle,
Sing the ending of the fray,
O’er the cross, the victor’s trophy,
Sound the loud triumphant lay:
Tell how Christ, the world’s Redeemer,
As a victim won the day.

Therefore when the appointed fullness
Of the holy time was come,
He was sent who maketh all things
Forth from God’s eternal home:
Thus he came to earth, incarnate,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

To the Trinity be glory,
To the Father and the Son,
With the co-eternal Spirit,
Ever Three and ever One,
One in love and one in splendour,
While unending ages run. Amen.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ✝

And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen

 

From Easter to Pentecost:

Alleluia. Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia

 

In Lent and other penitential occasions:

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;

His mercy endures for ever.

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, to whom all hearts be 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.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

This prayer is omitted during Lent and Advent:

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s 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. 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.

 Holy God, holy and mighty ✝, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Isaiah 43:16-21

Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,

who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;

they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.

The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;

for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself

so that they might declare my praise.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 126

In convertendo

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy.

3 Then they said among the nations, *
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

4 The Lord has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed.

5 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *
like the watercourses of the Negev.

6 Those who sowed with tears *
will reap with songs of joy.

7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Philippians 3:4b-14

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God

All stand for the Acclamation and Gospel reading.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,

And that the lord God of hosts may really be with you.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to:

John 12:1-8

✝️ ✝️ ✝️

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

On this fifth Sunday of Lent, our thoughts turn to suffering, as they should, since we are fast approaching Holy Week and the Walk of Sorrows. This is why the highly poetic words of the psalmist, so filled with joyful images, are jarring on this particular day.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

     and our tongue with shouts of joy.

And later, the psalmist sings,

Those who sowed with tears

     will reap with songs of joy.

Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed,

     will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Such a bucolic, comforting picture on a day when we know suffering is inevitable.

In the Gospel story, Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem.  We know what that means.  He knows what is coming, even though those who are closest to him refuse to see or even acknowledge it. “Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.” He had just brought Lazarus back from the dead, revealing a power and authority that threatened their own religious and political control, “So from that day on they planned to put him to death.” It was that stark!

Jesus, knowing this, starts on his way to Jerusalem, but first, he stops in Bethany to visit his dearest friends. We don’t know why Lazarus, Martha, and Mary had become his close friends, but we do know that their love for one another was great. And we also know that when we are in danger and in pain, we too long for someone to sit with us, to accept us as we are, to comfort us by just being there; someone who will not argue by telling us all will be well, but someone who will share in our apprehension, without words. Such was the friendship between Jesus and these three siblings.

We already know that they loved having him visit, with Martha anxious to feed him and Mary anxious to listen to him. In that previous meeting, when the two sisters argued, his visit to them was for their sake. And when their brother died from illness, his coming to them was for all their sakes.

But now, a few days before his arrest and immense suffering, he comes to them for himself. He needs human companionship and human comfort, and they give it to him. They call other friends to come join them at a festive dinner. The siblings don’t know what is about to happen to him; they simply know that he needs to be near them.  Martha, as is her habit, does what she is used to doing: she feeds the people she loves.   Mary, who probably had known more of the world than Martha did, goes the extra mile. Food is not enough for her; only the most precious gift will do. In her symbolic act of pouring the costliest perfume on Jesus’ feet, she honours him and reveals her deep love and gratitude, because he has indeed made her life worth living with his words and actions.

It’s a lovely moment at that banquet of love. The whole house fills with an exquisite aroma of thanksgiving. A lovely moment spoiled with pettiness by the one who has stopped loving his teacher.  Judas claims that beauty and gratitude are a useless extravagance when there are poor people around. Whether he truly cared about the poor or not does not matter here. What matters is Jesus’ response: “Leave her,” he says.

When a heart is filled to overflowing, don’t quench it. When a throat sings of love and praise, don’t silence it, just because others are weeping. An expression of love that rises beyond the absolute necessities of life is acceptable, Jesus is telling them. This is a special occasion. He knows that he will notbe seeing his friends again. He will carry with him the aroma of their love and devotion. As he stumbles with the cross on his back, the stink of the crowd, of blood and sweat and ugliness all around him, he will remember this moment of overwhelming gratitude. His earthly life has not been easy and comfortable. This dinner with friends, their laughter, Martha’s good food, and Mary’s gift of love are the last reminders of what is good in this earthly life. We are glad that he is being given this last gift among dear friends.

The suffering that is about to begin is the aberration. What is normal is life with all its good gifts: Love of family and friends, food for the body, and beauty with all its appeal to the senses. This story is indeed permission for us also to cherish these good gifts. And now, he will set his face toward Jerusalem, suffering, and death.

Paul, his most ardent follower after that encounter with the risen, glorified Christ on the road to Damascus, also knows about suffering.  Imagine him sitting in a prison cell somewhere in Rome. He has already talked so much about his Christ that even the Praetorian Guards know the name. Paul’s love for Christ is like that perfume of Mary’s poured on the feet of Jesus. It is extravagant beyond knowing. He spends his time in prison remembering those he loves and writing them letters. He has so many beloved children—all those, both Jews and Gentiles, who have heard the good news from him, and have created the loving and hospitable communities of faith in Asia Minor and around the Mediterranean basin. He does not feel sorry for himself. He is thinking about a particular group of people, the first Europeans he met in Philippi, women and men he has loved through the years, and he wants to give them encouragement. Even though the great persecution of the church has not yet arrived, the communities of faith already are facing many troubles, dangers, and suffering. He is sharing in that suffering. Lest they start weakening and wondering, why is this happening to us—we have done nothing wrong, he reminds them of his own situation.  Look, I was such a fortunate son of Hebrew parents, he reminds them. He was fluent in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, and who knows how many other dialects. He could have lived a comfortable life, highly educated as he was. And above all, he was meticulous in his observance of the Law, blameless, when it came to that observance. But look, he continues, I consider all this as nothing, as dross. “Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish.”

Everything falls into perspective. We live surrounded by suffering. It causes questions and doubts, anger and despair. Jesus knew about human suffering, both in himself and others, but he remained obedient to a loving God, even unto death. Paul lived in perpetual struggle and agony for the sake of the Christ who called him to himself. Paul has encountered the living Christ, so “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal” of being with Christ, he tells the Philippians. On this fifth Sunday of Lent, we too set our eyes toward resurrection. Maybe this was the vision of Isaiah when he imagines God crying:

Do not remember the former things,

     or consider the things of old.

I am about to do a new thing;

      now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Despite the suffering and the cross, may we too perceive the life that springs forth in Christ and be comforted.  

Amen

Please stand for the Nicene Creed.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church.

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 of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

and became truly human.

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.

Let us pray for the world and for the Church:

Prayers of intercession are now said and at the end of each prayer the priest says:

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

or

Lord hear us,

Lord graciously hear us

At the conclusion of the prayers the priest says:

Almighty God, who has promised to hear our prayers.

Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 Jesus said: Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

or

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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 up her preoccupation with herself

and to give more time to your mission in the world.

We pray for your Church throughout the world, for our fellow Christians here in Thailand, and also in the countries from which we come.  We ask your blessing on +Vsevolod our bishop, on this, our parish of St. George, for its work, its worship and its witness. We pray particularly for Fr. David in his ministry to us at this time of personal anguish and loss, and for all members of our congregation, be they near or far …

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, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Give your world the courage

to give up war, bitterness and hatred,

and to seek peace.

We implore you for a speedy resolution to the conflict and atrocities in Ukraine, giving thanks for the bravery and determination of its people as they strive to preserve their freedom and independence…

May the shoulders of the risen Jesus,

once scourged by soldiers,

bear the burden of political and military conflict in our world.

Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Give us the courage to give up quarrels, strife and jealousy

in our families, neighbourhoods and communities.

We pray for our own community and for all whose relationships are broken or under strain at this time …

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, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Give us the courage

to give up our selfishness as we live for others,

and to give time, care and comfort to the sick.

We pray for Fr. Tom,  Zach, Terry, Brian, Colin, Mavis, Patricia, Eric, Kent, Elizabeth, Conrad, Griselda, Jun, Martyn, Dave, Carole, Emilia, and all others known personally to each of us………

May the wounded hands of Jesus bring his healing touch,

and the light of his presence fill their rooms.

Lord, in your mercy 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 in our hearts Mick, John, Val ...and all others known individually to each of us….for Andrew, and for those whose year’s mind falls at this time.

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, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Almighty God, who has promised to hear our prayers,

Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Amen

THE CONFESSION:

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy, welcoming sinners and inviting them to the Lord’s table.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, confident in God’s forgiveness.

Merciful God, our maker and our judge, we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, and in what we have failed to do: we have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves; we repent and are sorry ✊ for all ✊ our sins ✊, Father forgive us, strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

**(Note: all are encouraged to strike their breast 3 times following the lead of Fr. David as he utters the words: ‘sorry for all our sins’)**

Almighty God, who has promised forgiveness to all who turn to him in faith, pardon you ✝ and set you free from all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE PEACE:

The congregation stands.

We are the Body of Christ.

His Spirit is with us.

 

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please greet each other with a sign of peace.

Glory be to Jesus,
Who, in bitter pains,
Poured for me the life-blood
From his sacred veins.

Grace and life eternal
In that Blood I find;
Blest be his compassion,
Infinitely kind.

Blest though endless ages
Be the precious stream,
Which from endless torment
Doth the world redeem.

Oft as earth exulting
Wafts its praise on high,
Hell with terror trembles,
Heaven is filled with joy.

Lift ye then your voices,
Swell the mighty flood;
Louder still and louder
Praise the precious Blood.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫

THE OFFERTORY

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have these gifts to share. Accept and use our offerings for your glory and the service of your kingdom.

Blessed be God forever.

 Let us pray

We do not presume to come to your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies.  We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table, but you are the same Lord whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.  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.

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people.

Proper Preface

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:

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.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body ✝ which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood ✝ of the new covenant,

which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it,

in remembrance of me.

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died:

Christ is risen:

Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice, made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.

As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father, 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.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.  ✋

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.✋

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.✋

**(Note:  All are encouraged to tap their breast three times following the example of Fr. David as he utters the words ‘…have mercy, …have mercy and …grant us peace’)**

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.

This 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 I shall be healed.

**(Note:  All are encouraged to strike breast following the example of Fr. David as all utter the words ‘not worthy’)** 

After Communion the celebrant and the congregation say

 

Let us pray.

Father of all we give you thanks and praise that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. 

Keep us in this hope that we have grasped; so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name.

Father, we offer ourselves to you as a living sacrifice through Jesus Christ our Lord. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory.

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 amongst you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:

In the name of Christ.  Amen.

My song is love unknown,
My saviour’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O, who am I, That for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

He came from his blest throne,
Salvation to bestow:
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know.
But O, my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need his life did spend!

Sometimes they strew his way,
And his sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King.
Then ‘Crucify!’ is all their breath,
And for his death they thirst and cry.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like thine!
This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

♫♫ Scroll to the bottom of the page for the media player where you can hear the music and practice your singing. ♫♫