Good Friday

Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him–his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men– so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand. 

–Isaiah 52: 13-15 

Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet– I can count all my bones–they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots. 

–Psalm 22: 16-18 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Hebrews 4:16

 So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol’gotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 

–John 19: 17-18 

Father in Heaven, Draw us near this day to the throne of grace, which is the cross of Christ.   

We bring to the cross our pride, our arrogance, our “need” to win, our attachment to things of this world, our sloth, our gluttony, our spitefulness, our cowardice before the Enemy, our hatred of the victims of the Enemy, the unforgiveness against others that we hold in our hearts, our faithlessness to our promises to you, our very lack of faith in your wisdom and almighty power, and all our sins we are unable or unwilling to even confess and those of which we remain blithely ignorant. 

Have mercy Lord.  Crucify now our sinful natures.  May we be brought to our knees, ashamed and humiliated that you had to mount the cross for these our sins.  May your crucifixion be made real to us.  May we gaze into your eyes and understand in some small way the gravity and intensity of the pain that we have brought upon you.  May we be mightily transformed by the experience.  May we spend the rest of our lives in awe and wonder and gratitude.  May we receive your mercy Lord, and your grace, in this our time of need.  Amen.                     

Lamentations 3:19-33

Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. (Lamentations 3:19)
      Jesus, remember me now that you are come into your kingdom.

My soul still remembers and sinks within me. (Lamentations 3:20)
      Lord, I get discouraged by the persistence of sin in my life.

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. (Lamentations 3:21)
      Holy Spirit, please help me think on those things which will give me hope in Jesus and his resurrection.

Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22)
      Thank you, Father, for your unfailing compassion and mercy toward us.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23)
      Holy Spirit, morning by morning you wake me up and in your faithfulness open the Scriptures to me. Thank you.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in him!” (Lamentations 3:24)
      Jesus, you are my portion in the land of the living and you are my hope when I die. Thank you.

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. (Lamentations 3:25)
      LORD, I seek after you, I hope and thirst for more of you; help me never slack off from desiring you.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:26)
      Jesus, I wait in hope for the new life you will bring to the Episcopal Church, I wait for the fresh wind of your Holy Spirit to blow through it.

It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. (Lamentations 3:27)
      Holy Spirit, help me continue to bear the yoke with Jesus.

For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though he causes grief, yet he will show compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:31-33)
      Jesus, you bore our afflictions on the cross so that we may know your father’s love and mercy. Please help us follow you today as we walk the way of the cross so that we may know your compassion for us. Thank you for not casting us off.

A word received: Pray for my people to come to me, to return to me. Too many of my people are content to complain about the church — I want them to come to me in prayer.

Good Friday: 40:1-14(15-19), 54: Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-33; 1 Peter 1:10-20 ; John 13:36-38; John 19:38-42
Holy Saturday: 27; Lamentations 3:37-58; Hebrews 4:1-16; Romans 8:1-11

      Notes from the Front Line

***** You are invited to participate in the public Stations of the Cross which will take place in Schenectady starting at 12:00 noon at Christ Church, 970 State Street. Bishop Bill will lead off the Stations. It takes about two hours as you walk from station to station in the Hill and Vail areas of Schenectady.

***** Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:14:33
From: Nigel Mumford
Subject: Good Friday healing message from Fr Nigel+
Do not meditate on your wounds,
Meditate on My wounds.
Your wounds hook you to the past
Jesus wounds liberate you for the future;
RESURRECTION
Wounds bleed
A healed wound stops bleeding
Be set free from your wounding.

Father forgive them…

Have a blessed and Holy Good Friday….
God bless you Fr. Nigel+

Albany Intercessor

Pro-life prayer collection

A Lenten discipline–some old and some new.  About ten pages long.

Worship

Lord, You are God.  You have made us and not we ourselves.  We are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture.  Every living soul belongs to You, and we are all the work of Your hand.  We praise You for the gift of life.  Amen.

Psalm 100:3, Ezekiel 18:4, Isaiah 64:8