The value of having the worship service in a booklet that I can take home and ponder has been affirmed once again.

Following the Good Friday Service of Meditations at the Cathedral, the service booklet including the prayers for reconciliation has been sitting on the dining room table.  They were there to discuss at lunch, then over a cuppa and hot cross bun as we headed for the 6pm prayer meeting and visiting the Heartz Ministry Easter art display at the Longley International Hotel and at home this morning over mate’.  

Liturgy of Reconciliation

After a time of silence the minister leads the Congregation in the litany.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (From the Apostle Paul’s letter to Rome, 3:23)

The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,

Father forgive.

The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,

Father forgive.

The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,

Father forgive.

Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,

Father forgive.

Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,

Father forgive.

The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,

Father forgive.

The pride that leads that leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,

Father forgive.

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

(From the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 4:32)

The prayer has too many connections to both my personal life and the life of the wider community.

My prayer:

May the Holy Spirit nurture my life through participation in and reflection upon the prayer life of the people of God and in particular today, upon this Good Friday litany. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Note: If I recall correctly the Dean said the liturgy comes originally from Coventry Cathedral with which our Cathedral has a ministry fellowship.