HOLY MONDAY (from www.ministrymatters.com)
Prayer
Almighty God, you are strong and merciful.
By the suffering and death of your Son,
free us from slavery to sin and death.
Protect us in all our weakness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
(Common English Bible)
But here is my servant, the one I uphold;
my chosen, who brings me delight.
I’ve put my spirit upon him;
he will bring justice to the nations.
He won’t cry out or shout aloud
or make his voice heard in public.
He won’t break a bruised reed;
he won’t extinguish a faint wick,
but he will surely bring justice.
He won’t be extinguished or broken
until he has established justice in the land.
The coastlands await his teaching.
God the Lord says--
the one who created the heavens,
the one who stretched them out,
the one who spread out the earth and its offspring,
the one who gave breath to its people
and life to those who walk on it--
I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason.
I will grasp your hand and guard you,
and give you as a covenant to the people,
as a light to the nations,
to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison,
and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.
I am the Lord;
that is my name;
I don’t hand out my glory to others
or my praise to idols.
The things announced in the past—look—they’ve already happened,
but I’m declaring new things.
Before they even appear,
I tell you about them.
Responsory
Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Let us prove ourselves in patience in the power of the Lord. Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Let us live as God’s servants, watching in the word of truth, in the power of redeeming love. Now is the season of hope. Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Gospel: John 12:1-11(Common English Bible)
Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume.
Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” ( He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)
Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”
Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus.
Reflect (silently or share in a group):
In hearing or reading the Scripture lessons from Isaiah and John, did you find yourself focusing on a particular word or image? What is that word or image? What meaning does it have for you?
Prayers for Others based on the Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical Text)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Hear our prayers of thanksgiving and praise....
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Hear our prayers for peace in the world....
Give us today our daily bread.
Hear our prayers for the poor and the needy....
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Hear our prayers for reconciliation with our neighbors....
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
Hear our prayers for those who suffer because of the spread of the Covid-19 virus....
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Sing“Amazing Grace”
(The United Methodist Hymnal #378)
To hear the song, use the link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG0vH4WYChQ
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’tis grace hath brought me save thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we’d first begun.
To learn more about this hymn, see:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-amazing-grace-part-i
The Responsory is adapted from Hoyt L. Hickman, et. al.,
The Handbook of the Christian Year (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1986), p. 153.
Prayer
Almighty God, you are strong and merciful.
By the suffering and death of your Son,
free us from slavery to sin and death.
Protect us in all our weakness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
(Common English Bible)
But here is my servant, the one I uphold;
my chosen, who brings me delight.
I’ve put my spirit upon him;
he will bring justice to the nations.
He won’t cry out or shout aloud
or make his voice heard in public.
He won’t break a bruised reed;
he won’t extinguish a faint wick,
but he will surely bring justice.
He won’t be extinguished or broken
until he has established justice in the land.
The coastlands await his teaching.
God the Lord says--
the one who created the heavens,
the one who stretched them out,
the one who spread out the earth and its offspring,
the one who gave breath to its people
and life to those who walk on it--
I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason.
I will grasp your hand and guard you,
and give you as a covenant to the people,
as a light to the nations,
to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison,
and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.
I am the Lord;
that is my name;
I don’t hand out my glory to others
or my praise to idols.
The things announced in the past—look—they’ve already happened,
but I’m declaring new things.
Before they even appear,
I tell you about them.
Responsory
Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Let us prove ourselves in patience in the power of the Lord. Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Let us live as God’s servants, watching in the word of truth, in the power of redeeming love. Now is the season of hope. Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the time of salvation.
Gospel: John 12:1-11(Common English Bible)
Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume.
Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” ( He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)
Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”
Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus.
Reflect (silently or share in a group):
In hearing or reading the Scripture lessons from Isaiah and John, did you find yourself focusing on a particular word or image? What is that word or image? What meaning does it have for you?
Prayers for Others based on the Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical Text)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Hear our prayers of thanksgiving and praise....
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Hear our prayers for peace in the world....
Give us today our daily bread.
Hear our prayers for the poor and the needy....
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Hear our prayers for reconciliation with our neighbors....
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
Hear our prayers for those who suffer because of the spread of the Covid-19 virus....
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Sing“Amazing Grace”
(The United Methodist Hymnal #378)
To hear the song, use the link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG0vH4WYChQ
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’tis grace hath brought me save thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we’d first begun.
To learn more about this hymn, see:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-amazing-grace-part-i
The Responsory is adapted from Hoyt L. Hickman, et. al.,
The Handbook of the Christian Year (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1986), p. 153.