Fifth Sunday of Lent C

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.


  • Responsorial Psalm
  • The gospel for the day
    (a useful commentary on the reading 
    here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

Psalm 50    Have mercy, o Lord, have mercy, o Lord

© Noel Donnelly in Psalms of the Seasons, St Mungo Music

Have mercy, o Lord, have mercy, o Lord,

 Have mercy because we have sinned.

 

Have mercy on me, Lord, in your kindness’

In your compassion blot out my offence.

O wash me more and more from my guilt,

And cleanse me from my sin.

Response

 

Create a clean heart in your servant,

Put a steadfast spirit within me;

Do not let me persist in my sin, Lord,

Nor deprive me of your spirit.

Response

 

Restore to me the joy of your presence,

With a spirit of fervour support me,

That I may teach to transgressors your ways, Lord,

So that sinners may return.

Response

John 8: 1-11 If there is one among you who has not sinned,

let him be the first to throw a stone at her.



Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again;

and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.


The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along

who had been caught committing adultery;

and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus,

‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery,

and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’

They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him.

But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger.

As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said,

‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again.

When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest,

until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there.

He looked up and said,

‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’

‘No one, sir’ she replied.

‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more.


This the gospel of the Lord


Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         
cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

We love to represent God's justice in calling out the failings of others - blind to our own sins.

Salvation starts, only starts, with an awareness of myself as broken and the need to turn back to the God

who created me and can make me whole once again.

  1. If/when you go to the Good Friday afternoon service, you'll get a stone to place at the foot of the cross.
    Start reflecting now on one sin/failing that you would want to place there and walk away from it for good.
  2. When have you been generous enough to forgive someone who hurt you deeply?

Prayers of Intercession


Dear Heavenly father we plead that you will direct faith leaders to choose life and mercy  

especially those in the Orthodox traditions with influence in the war in Ukraine.

We ask that you would work powerfully amongst both leaders and ordinary citizens

to bring peace, healing and justice in the conflicts in Ukraine

and also in Yemen, Nigeria, the Holy Land and Afghanistan.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

 

We ask that people of faith will respond to the Holy Spirit and be leaven in our societies

and so inspire our leaders to act justly and with mercy towards those displaced by war and conflict

and also act mercifully  towards the vulnerable citizens of our own country

who also experience fear and exclusion

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

 

We pray for all believers that they do not lose hope with so much sadness and violence in the world,

but instead look to Christ.

Inspired by the Passion of Jesus’ death and resurrection

may we bring mercy, hope and joy in to the lives of those around us

so all may  be freed from condemnation and alienation. 

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

 

For ongoing renewal of our faith communities,

that everyone will be open to listen to God’s desire for their lives

and so be enabled to share their gifts and talents with others,

and therefore experience a deeper sense of belonging,

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

 

That the Lord would comfort those who are suffering in mind, body and spirit,

and all mentioned by the Prayer Foundation ,

that the Lord will send wise and loving people to accompany them tenderly.

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

 

We lift up in prayer to our Lord and Our Lady, those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year, we remember especially... Betty (Elisabeth) McNally.


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week - Palm Sunday

Luke 22:14–23:56     The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
Key: N. Narrator. ✠ Jesus. O. Other single speaker. C. Crowd, or more than one speaker.
 

 N. When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them,
   ✠ I have longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; because, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
   N. Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said,
   ✠ Take this and share it among you, because from now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the kingdom of God comes.
   N. Then he took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying,
   ✠ This is my body which will be given for you; do this as a memorial of me.
   N. He did the same with the cup after supper, and said,
   ✠ This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you.
   And yet, here with me on the table is the hand of the man who betrays me. The Son of Man does indeed go to his fate even as it has been decreed, but alas for that man by whom he is betrayed!
   N. And they began to ask one another which of them it could be who was to do this thing.
   A dispute arose also between them about which should be reckoned the greatest, but he said to them,
   ✠ Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!
   You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials; and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me: you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
   Simon, Simon! Satan, you must know, has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.
   N. He answered,
   O. Lord, I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.
   N. Jesus replied,
   ✠ I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.
   N. He said to them,
   ✠ When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything?
   N. They answered,
   C. No.
   N. He said to them,
   ✠ But now if you have a purse, take it; if you have a haversack, do the same; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because I tell you these words of scripture have to be fulfilled in me: He let himself be taken for a criminal. Yes, what scripture says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.
   N. They said,
   C. Lord, there are two swords here now.
   N. He said to them,
   ✠ That is enough!
   N. He then left to make his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, with the disciples following. When they reached the place he said to them,
   ✠ Pray not to be put to the test.
   N. Then he withdrew from them, about a stone’s throw away, and knelt down and prayed, saying,
   ✠ Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.
   N. Then an angel appeared to him, coming from heaven to give him strength. In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
   When he rose from prayer he went to the disciples and found them sleeping for sheer grief. He said to them,
   ✠ Why are you asleep? Get up and pray not to be put to the test.
   N. He was still speaking when a number of men appeared, and at the head of them the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, who went up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said,
   ✠ Judas, are you betraying the son of Man with a kiss?
   N. His followers, seeing what was happening, said,
   C. Lord, shall we use our swords?
   N. And one of them struck out at the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. But at this Jesus spoke:
   ✠ Leave off! That will do!
   N. And touching the man’s ear he healed him.
   Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guard and elders who had come for him. He said,
   ✠ Am I a brigand, that you had to set out with swords and clubs? When I was among you in the Temple day after day you never moved to lay hands on me. But this is your hour; this is the reign of darkness.
   N. They seized him then and led him away, and they took him to the high priest’s house. Peter followed at a distance. They had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and Peter sat down among them, and as he was sitting there by the blaze a servant-girl saw him, peered at him, and said,
   O. This person was with him too.
   N. But he denied it.
   O. Woman, I do not know him.
   N. Shortly afterwards someone else saw him and said,
   O. You are another of them.
   N. But Peter replied,
   O. I am not, my friend.
   N. About an hour later another man insisted, saying,
   O. This fellow was certainly with him. Why, he is a Galilean.
   N. Peter said,
   O. My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.
   N. At that instant, while he was still speaking, the cock crew, and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered what the Lord had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will have disowned me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.
   Meanwhile the men who guarded Jesus were mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
   C. Play the prophet. Who hit you then?
   N. And they continued heaping insults on him.
   When day broke there was a meeting of the elders of the people, attended by the chief priests and scribes. He was brought before their council, and they said to him,
   C. If you are the Christ, tell us.
   N. He replied,
   ✠ If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.
   N. Then they all said,
   C. So you are the Son of God then?
   N. He answered:
   ✠ It is you who say I am.
   N. They said,
   C. What need of witnesses have we now? We have heard it for ourselves from his own lips.
   N. The whole assembly then rose, and they brought him before Pilate.
   They began their accusation by saying,
   C. We found this man inciting our people to revolt, opposing payment of the tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king.
   N. Pilate put to him this question:
   O. Are you the king of the Jews?
   N. He replied,
   ✠ It is you who say it.
   N. Pilate then said to the chief priests and the crowd,
   O. I find no case against this man.
   N. But they persisted,
   C. He is inflaming the people with his teaching all over Judaea; it has come all the way from Galilee, where he started, down to here.
   N. When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean; and finding that he came under Herod’s jurisdiction he passed him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
   Herod was delighted to see Jesus; he had heard about him and had been wanting for a long time to set eyes on him; moreover, he was hoping to see some miracle worked by him. So he questioned him at some length; but without getting any reply. Meanwhile the chief priests and the scribes were there, violently pressing their accusations. Then Herod, together with his guards, treated him with contempt and made fun of him; he put a rich cloak on him and sent him back to Pilate. And though Herod and Pilate had been enemies before, they were reconciled that same day.
   Pilate then summoned the chief priests and the leading men and the people. He said,
   O. You brought this man before me as a political agitator. Now I have gone into the matter myself in your presence and found no case against the man in respect of all the charges you bring against him. Nor has Herod either, since he has sent him back to us. As you can see, the man has done nothing that deserves death, So I shall have him flogged and then let him go.
   N. But as one man they howled,
   C. Away with him! Give us Barabbas!
   N. (This man had been thrown into prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.)
   Pilate was anxious to set Jesus free and addressed them again, but they shouted back,
   C. Crucify him! Crucify him!
   N. And for the third time he spoke to them,
   O. Why? What harm has this man done? I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have him punished and then let him go.
   N. But they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that he should be crucified. And their shouts were growing louder.
   Pilate then gave his verdict: their demand was to be granted. He released the man they asked for, who had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they pleased.
   As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of people followed him, and of women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to them and said,
   ✠ Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For the days will surely come when people will say, ‘Happy are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’; to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if men use the green wood like this, what will happen when it is dry?
   N. Now with him they were also leading out two other criminals to be executed.
   When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said,
   ✠ Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.
   N. Then they cast lots to share out his clothing.
   The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered at him, saying,
   C. He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.
   N. The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer vinegar they said,
   C. If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.
   N. Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
   One of the criminals hanging there abused him, saying,
   O. Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.
   N. But the other spoke up and rebuked him:
   O. Have you no fear of God at all? You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
   N. He replied,
   ✠ Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.
   N. It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said,
   ✠ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
   N. With these words he breathed his last.
   All kneel and pause a moment
   When the centurion saw what had taken place, he gave praise to God and said,
   O. This was a great and good man.
   N. And when all the people who had gathered for the spectacle saw what had happened, they went home beating their breasts.
   All his friends stood at a distance; so also did the women who had accompanied him from Galilee, and they saw all this happen.
   Then a member of the council arrived, an upright and virtuous man named Joseph. He had not consented to what the others had planned and carried out. He came from Arimathaea, a Jewish town, and he lived in the hope of seeing the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He then took it down, wrapped it in a shroud and put him in a tomb which was hewn in stone in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day and the sabbath was imminent.
   Meanwhile the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus were following behind. They took note of the tomb and of the position of the body.
   Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath day they rested, as the Law required.

This the gospel of the Lord


Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

Forget the all powerful and utterly-other God of all the universe for a minute...

... a forgiving Father who reaches out to us; a loving Brother who lives and dies for us;

a Spirit that seeks to enter our hearts and fill them with joy and zealous caring...

  1. As you re-read the Passion story, try to enter into the shoes of each character: a betrayer; a holier-than-thou High Priest; a conflicted Pilate; a horrified believer; a sceptical observer; a last-gasp convert.
    At times, we can be all of these and more but lastly find yourself at the foot of the cross where Love died for
    you.
  2. When have you felt that you betrayed the confidence of another, as Peter did when he denied Jesus?