Welcome, and thank you for joining us as we commemorate the Lord’s Passion today. You are welcome to use this guide to support you as we celebrate as a parish community. We recommend you set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode to avoid any distractions to your prayer.
Please participate with us by joining in the singing, listening to the Scriptures and prayers, and observing a reverent silence.
During the celebration, we are nourished both at the table of God’s Word (through the Scripture proclamations) and the table of the Lord (the altar, through Holy Communion). Catholic members of the assembly who have already celebrated their First Communion and feel they are in a position to receive Communion today may come forward and do so. Alternatively, you are most welcome to come forward during Communion (or bring your young children forward with you), and the priest or minister that you approach can pray for God’s blessing upon you. Please help the priest or minister by making it clear through your gestures if you are receiving Communion (one hand in the other at chest height, or mouth wide open for communicants receiving on the tongue), or seeking a blessing (for school-aged children and adults, this is most commonly done by crossing your arms over your chest).
Entrance
Please stand when the priest and ministers enter the church in silence. Please kneel and pray when the priest and ministers kneel at the front of the church. Please stand again when they stand and move to take their places.
Collect Prayer
The priest leads the Collect Prayer, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
Then we sit to listen to the Word of God in the Scripture proclamations.
The Liturgy of the Word
When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel.
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 29
We are invited to listen to God speaking to us.
First Reading
This reading is from the prophet Isaiah. At the end of the reading, the Minister of the Word declares:
The word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
After the reading, we are invited to take a moment in silence to reflect on what we have just heard. What stood out to you?
Responsorial Psalm
We listen to a proclamation from Psalm 31 (30), and we add our voice throughout with the response:
Father, I put my life in your hands.
Second Reading
This reading is from the letter to the Hebrews. At the end of the reading, the Minister of the Word declares:
The word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
After the reading, we are invited again to take a moment in silence to reflect on what we have just heard. What stood out to you?
Acclamation Before the Gospel
We stand and sing an acclamation to praise God and welcome the proclamation of the Gospel.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus,
Praise and honour, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel
The Priest or Deacon:
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
On Good Friday, we do not respond or sign ourselves with the cross.
The proclamation also ends without its usual declaration and response. Then we sit for the homily.
Homily
After the Gospel, the Priest will break open the readings for us, and related them to our lives through the homily.
Solemn Intercessions
We stand and pray for the intentions that are named by the Minister. After a moment of silence to pray for the intention, the Priest leads a prayer, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
At the conclusion of the intercessions, we sit.
Collection
The traditional Good Friday Collection supports the people and the places of the Holy Land. Any contribution you can make is voluntary and gratefully appreciated.
The Adoration of the Holy Cross
Showing of the Cross
We are invited to kneel. Then the priest will process through the church with the cross, stopping three times. Each time the priest stops, an acclamation is sung.
Minister:
Behold the wood of the Cross,
on which is hung the salvation of the world.
All sing:
Come, let us adore.
Adoration of the Cross
Everyone is then invited to come forward and venerate the cross by bowing or genuflecting. Please wait for, and follow the direction of the wardens to process up to the cross for adoration. During the adoration, please join in the singing led by the choir.
Hymns
Behold the Wood
Behold, behold the wood of the cross,
on which is hung our salvation.
O come, let us adore.
Unless a grain of wheat shall fall
upon the ground and die,
it shall remain but a single grain
and not give life.
And when my hour of glory comes
as all was meant to be,
you shall see me lifted up
upon a tree.
For there can be no greater love
shown upon this land
than in the one who came to die
that we might live.
My People
My people, my people, what have I done to you?
Or in what way have I offended you?
Answer me! Answer me!
I led you safely out of Egypt!
I led you safely through the sea!
I led you safely into freedom!
But you have nailed me to a tree!
I opened up the sea before you!
I opened up this promised land!
I opened up my arms to hold you!
But you have nailed them to a tree!
I raised you to the heights of glory!
I raised you head and held you high!
I raised a vine that would be fruitful!
But you have raised me up to die!
Will You Love Me
Will you give me your life for ever?
Will you carry my cross ev’ryday?
Will you walk in the light of my presence?
Will you follow the truth of my ways?
Will you love me as I have loved you?
Will you live with me the darkness as I die?
For the moon and the stars will be gone like the night,
and the sun will be shining on you.
Like the purest of gold in the furnace,
is your love strong enough to endure?
Does your faith carry on through the shadows?
Does it shine in the night for the world?
Can you walk in the footprints of silence,
through the wilderness sands in the sun,
from the desert of doubt and temptation,
to the glorious mountain of fire?
Behold the Wood
Behold, behold the wood of the cross,
on which is hung our salvation.
O come, let us adore.
My Father, if it be your plan,
this cup might pass me by,
yet let it happen as you will
if I must die.
For surely he has borne our tears,
is wounded by our sin,
and yet he opens not his mouth
that we might live.
My body now is torn with pain,
my friends have left and gone.
O loving Father, take my life
into your hands.
Holy Communion
The altar is prepared and the priest and servers go to collect the Blessed Sacrament. Please stand when the priest returns to the church with the servers.
Lord’s Prayer
The priest invites all of us to pray the Lord’s Prayer, and sing:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
The priest:
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
…
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All:
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Communion
The priest shows the host to the people and prays the invitation to Communion:
Behold the Lamb of God.
…
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All:
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Once the priest receives Communion, and gives Communion to the ministers in the sanctuary, Communion is offered to all who feel they are in a position to receive. Communion ministers will be positioned in the church and in the parish centre.
Please join in the singing of the hymn during Communion.
Hymn
My God, my God
My God, my God,
why have you abandoned me?
How can we pass by and not care?
It was our sins that nailed him there
on the cross.
Verses will be sung by the choir.
Prayer After Communion
When the priest invites us to participate in the Prayer After Communion, we stand.
The Priest:
Let us pray.
The priest then leads the Prayer After Communion, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
Blessing
The Priest:
Bow down for the blessing.
Everyone bows their head as the priest leads the prayer, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
The priest and ministers then process out in silence. Please maintain silence throughout the church and parish centre after the celebration to reflect the solemn nature of the day.
After Mass, you are welcome to stay in the church to pray.
Excerpts of the English translation of the Roman Missal, © 2010, International Committee on English in the Liturgy Corporation, Inc. (ICEL). Excerpts of the English translation of the Lectionary for Mass, © ICEL. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Music acknowledgements:
Mass Shalom
Text: Excerpts of the Roman Missal, © 2010, ICEL
Music: Colin D Smith CFC, © 1977, 2002, adaptations to revised texts by Paul Mason, © 2010; published by Liturgical Song and Willow Publishing
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Lord’s Prayer
Text: ICEL
Tune: from the Congregational Mass of St Peter, Percy Jones, © Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Behold the Wood
Text: John 12; Dan Schutte, b. 1947
Music: Dan Schutte, b. 1947
© 1976, Daniel L. Schutte, published by OCP Publications
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
My People
Text: Passion Liturgy; Frank Andersen, MSC
Music: Frank Andersen, MSC
© Frank Andersen, MSC, published by Chevalier Press
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Will You Love Me
Text & Tune: Brian Boniwell, © 1981, Spectrum Publications
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
My God, my God
Text: Psalm 21:2; refrain trans. © 1969, ICEL. All rights reserved
Music: Christopher Willcock SJ, © 1977, 1990, published by OCP Publications
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
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