Good Friday – April 7, 2023
The Seven Last Words from the Cross | 12 pm
GATHERING SILENT PROCESSION
OPENING DIALOG
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
We will glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, In whom is our salvation, our life, and resurrection
Let us pray. Merciful God, your Son was lifted up on the cross to draw all people to himself. Grant that we who have been born out of his wounded side may at all times find mercy in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
THE SEVEN LAST WORDS FROM THE CROSS
Good Friday worship based on the seven last words (phrases) of Jesus from the cross are developed by combining passages from all four gospels. Also known as the Devotion of the Three Hours, to remember Christ's hours on the cross, this kind of service was first conducted by a Jesuit priest in Peru in the eighteenth century.
FATHER, FORGIVE THEM
The Reading Luke 23:23-33
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’ Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’
Reflection Rev. Mark LarsonThe first candle is extinguished
Sung
The Reading Luke 23:35-43
And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
Reflection
The Second Candle is extinguished
Sung Response
HYMN 616
Ms. Roxann Thompson
WOMAN, HERE IS YOUR SON
The Reading John 19:23-27
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfil what the scripture says, ‘They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.’ And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Reflection Deacon Mary Houck
The Third Candle is extinguished
Sung Response
HYMN 419
For All the Faithful Women
We honor faithful Mary, fair maiden, full of grace. She bore the Christ, our brother, who came to save our race. May we, with her, surrender ourselves to your command and lay upon your altar our gifts of heart and hand.
MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?
The Reading Mark 15:33-39
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’
Reflection Rev. Jonathan Trapp
The fourth candle is extinguished
Sung Response
HYMN 349
Ah, Holy Jesus
(Verses 1 & 2)
I AM THIRSTY
The Reading John 19:28-29
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.
Reflection Rev. Andrew Rickel
The fifth candle is extinguished
Sung Response:
HYMN 343 My Song is Love Unknown (Verses 1 & 4)
My song is love unknown, my Savior's love to me, love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be. Oh, who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
We cry out; we will have our dear Lord made away, a murderer to save, the prince of life to slay. Yet cheerful he to suff'ring goes that he his foes from thence might free.
IT IS FINISHED
The Reading John 19:30
When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Reflection Rev. Jenny McLellan
The sixth candle is extinguished
Sung Response
HYMN 353 Were You There? (Verses 1 & 3)
