General Chat

Hello all

Cynthia, I have been singing Jesus Christ is risen today from waking up, tra la la la
Can I say, "Great minds think alike"?

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia
Suffer to redeem our loss Alleluia.

My second favourite hymn for this wonderful Easter Sunday morning is:

CHRIST AROSE. This is a very old Methodist hymn, I remember from years ago.

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Saviour
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose;
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly, they watch his bed, Jesus my Saviour
vainly, they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep it's prey, Jesus my Saviour;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord;
Up from the grave he arose;
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Happy Easter Day blessings to all who read these words. xxx

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWbpsmBbZMg

Hello all

Cynthia, I have also taken part in many Easter Vigil services in past years. All are very emotional and special after the sadness of Good Friday, and expectation to come.

HOLY SATURDAY and THE EASTER VIGIL.

No Holy Communion is taken this day, but a reflective, quiet prayerful time reminds us that Jesus Christ's body is laying in the tomb.

But when darkness comes we hold the most beautiful and and important liturgy of the whole year. The congregation meet outside church for the blessing of new fire, from which a new candle, decorated with five grains of incense to commemorate Christ's wounds, is lit.

As we are led into church, following solemnley behind this great candle, the darkness is dispersed by lighting everyone's hand-held candles from it. This is symbolic of the light of Christ filling the whole world, carried by Christians.

Four readings from Holy Scripture then tell the story of God's love for us from the creation onward till all is fulfilled in the Resurrection of Christ.
One of the readings is always of the Israelites being saved by the waters of the
Red Sea which typifies our salvation through faith and baptism.
Baptismal water is then blessed for the year; and if there are new Christians to be baptised or received into communion, they are baptised and received.

Then the bells peal out and the organ is played as the first Mass of Easter ends by thanking God for Christ's victory over death and sin during this Holy Easter Vigil.

Silence is the word for this day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and so
I shall keep it. In stillness on this Holy Saturday, the earth awaits the Resurrection.

Good morning

Jesus' body lay in the tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was cer-emonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation.


Many Christians in the United Kingdom participate in an Easter vigil service on Holy Saturday to mark the end of the Lent period before celebrating Easter. They remember Holy Saturday as the day when Jesus lay in his tomb. Many services are held in the evening of Holy Saturday, where candles are lit to proclaim Jesus Christ’s rising. Some church services are held in total darkness before the candles are lit. Some churches have baptisms, renewal of baptismal vows, and confirmations on Holy Saturday.


I have been to several vigils - they are my favourite service of the year - if they are well done. Cx :-)

The Burial of Jesus. Luke 23: 50-56 Good News Translation.

There was a man, named Joseph of Arimethea, a town in Judea.
He was a good an honourable man, who was waiting for the coming of
The Kingdom of God. Although he was a member of the Council , he had
not agreed with their decision and action. He went into the presence of
Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took the body down ,
wrapped it in a linen sheet and placed it in a tomb which had been dug
out of solid rock and which had never been used. It was Friday and the
Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and
saw the tomb, and how Jesus' body had been placed in it. Then they went
back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body.
On the Sabbath they rested as the Law commanded.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Luke 23:43-48 The Death of Jesus (New International Version)

Around noon the sky turned dark, and stayed that way until the middle of the
afternoon. The sun stopped shining and the curtain in the temple split down
the middle. Jesus shouted "Father, I put myself into your hands!" and he died.

When the Roman Officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said,
"Jesus must really have been a good man".

A crowd had gathered to see such a terrible sight. Then after they had seen it,
they felt brokenhearted and went home. All Jesus' close friends and the woman
who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died. <3

The Seven Sayings of Jesus whilst on the cross :


"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

"Today you will be with me in paradise"

"Behold your son: behold your mother"

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

"I thirst"

"It is finished"

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"

Were you there when they crucified me Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Ohhh, sometimes it causes me to tremble
Tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?.........

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?..........

Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Ohhh, sometimes it causes me to tremble
Tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?

Jesus' Mother stood beside the cross with her sister and Mary the
wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too. When Jesus saw his Mother and his favourite disciple there with her, he said to his Mother, "This man
is now your son". Then he said to the disciple, "She is now your Mother". From
then on, the disciple took her into his own home. (John 19: 25-27)

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ere such love and sorrow meet
Or thrones compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Hello all

Thank you Cynthia for helping us to think about all the events that happened today.

Hello Pat, thanks for popping in and sharing traditions from sunny Cyprus.

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday and is the day Jesus Christ was
crucified on the cross. As Christians we can celebrate Good Friday because Christ's death was a sacrifice so that we could receive the gift of eternal life.

Jesus bore our sins, shame, and burdens on the cross. The result changed
humanity and what man meant for evil through the killing of Jesus Christ, then
God meant only for our good! The miracle is that three days later, he rose from the dead to offer salvation for us all.

May this Good Friday day of prayer,
Enlighten our minds and bring peace into our hearts.
Amen

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment.

After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment

Today the bells of 3 churches could be heard at 7 am. :-( I was walking the dog and the monotone bells with 3 different notes sounded awful.

Today is the annunciation by Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. Battered salted cod fish will be eaten (looks like fish of British fish and chips), it is eaten with garlic potato puree, it is called bakaliaros skordalia.

Today and Palm Sunday (24 April) are the only 2 feast days in their 50 days lent. No meat or fish on normal lent days.

It's now very quiet, it's a bank holiday as they also celebrate Greek Independence Day - don't ask it's political :-|

Good morning on this Good Friday.

Last night we held a special service for Maundy Thursday. We met in church for the first part and then moved into the Meeting Room where we enjoyed hotpot and fellowship. At the end of this, a plate of bread and a chalice of wine were passed quietly round the table and we went quietly back into church.

The simple service continued with readings and prayers and the altar was stripped of all adornment. The choir and servers took off their surplices and solemnly processed down the aisle in their dark cassocks. Very moving - very special.


Today we'll trace Jesus' steps on Good Friday, the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death and I will post each event to the timescale - as they happen.

The whole dreadful story will be revealed at the end of the day.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Hello all

Many thanks Cynthia for sharing the story during Holy Week. Much appreciated.

HOLY THURSDAY...... taken from The Companion to Holy Week I bought years ago
Holy Communion is celebrated only once in any church, in the evening, to recall the
Last Supper. After the sermon, the Clergy washes the feet of the people before the altar, recalling how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on that Thursday night.

This foot washing act is the perfect expression of God's purpose in the Incarnation
and Redemption, because washing the feet of others expresses readiness to
suffer and to die, both in Jesus and in us.

The Blessed Sacrament for the next day's communion is taken to a place where congregation can pray before it until later that night , in response to our Lord
begging the disciples to watch with him in Gethsemane.

Thinking of those in need of prayerful support right now. xxx

Good morning everyone........Our tour through Holy Week takes a sombre turn today. Many important events occur on this day....

From Bethany Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how they were to love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their Maundy Thursday services.

Then Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples saying, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfil the meaning of the Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine:

"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.' " (Luke 22:19-20, ESV)

Later Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father.
Luke's Gospel says "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44, ESV)

Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.


Cx

Hello all.

Joining Vera in the Amen for Cynthia's prayer for those affected by terrorist bombs.

I have found a book on the liturgy and words written for this Holy Week. I would like to share them with all who read the Christian thread.

HOLY MONDAY
John 12: 1-11: Six days before the Sabbath on which his body will lie in the tomb,
a woman anoints Jesus in the house at Bethany. Reckoning in Jewish style, today
is 6 days before Holy Saturday.

HOLY TUESDAY
John 13: 21-33., 36-38. This passage is taken out of time sequence in order to
show that Jesus fully accepts that Judas will betray him and Peter disown him,
but prays to the Father for his coming glorification on the cross.

HOLY WEDNESDAY
Matthew 26:14-25. This day is often called "Spy Wednesday" because today Judas
accepts the 30 pieces of silver from the priests. The Gospel Reading consists of the opening sentences of St Matthew's Passion account. Jesus declares that his
"hour", which he had looked forward to since the wedding at Canna, has now arrived.

THE THREE GREAT HOLY DAYS
These three days, often referred to in Latin as Triduum Sacrum, are reckoned in Jewish fashion , each day beginning at sundown (Genesis describes a day as
"evening and morning"). They run from the Thursday evening liturgy to sundown on
Easter Sunday.

Holy God
You call your people to sustain the weary,
and protect the oppressed.
Uphold us in our concern
and strengthen us,
that we may not only speak our prayers
but act on behalf of their fulfillment. Amen.

Amen to your prayer Cynthia. Our hearts go out to all those affected by yesterday's news.