"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. " Tonight we will explore what it means to love through Scripture reading, prayer and poetry.
Links for Part 1
Steve Bell Music The Wellspring - Scroll down to the Epilogue https://pilgrimyear.com/ordinary-time/ Psalm 8 - O Love
Celebration of Love Part 2
Links for Part 2 poetry and music
Maundy Thursday Poem
Malcolm Guite (1957)
from Sounding the Seasons published by Canterbury Press
Used with the poet’s permission.
For Malcolm reading his poem
Fashion for Me - Steve Bell
This Is Love - Scroll down to Chapter 4
I apologize. We did not realize the connection at the church was so bad. We have picked up where the video left off at home.
A Celebration of Love
The
Wellspring – Steve Bell
Opening
Remarks
Good evening and welcome to this special service. It is adapted from a service in which I
participated several years ago in Saskatoon.
A group of us at Integrity Saskatoon thought it would be appropriate to
celebrate love on Valentine’s Day. Two
of our members, James Komar and Peter Coolen worked on putting a Celebration of
Love together. This year options for
marking Maundy Thursday are limited.
Normally we have celebrated the Eucharist (or have had an Agape Meal)
with foot washing. That is just about
impossible to do over the internet. I
thought back to the meaning of Maundy Thursday.
It is based on the commandment to love one another given by Jesus at the
Last Supper. I decided to make the focus
of this year’s Maundy Thursday, Love.
The task was then to find a liturgy celebrating
love. There are not many that would be
considered appropriate for this night. I
then remembered this service. I looked
it up and thought it would work.
So, tonight we explore and celebrate love.
Perhaps one of the most familiar passages on love comes
from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
1
Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but
do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have
prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have
all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I
give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or
boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the
truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to
an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an
end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the
complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke
like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an
adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but
then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully,
even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these
three; and the greatest of these is love.
Introduction
to the First Story
Our first reading is about the beginning of the
Incarnation. Most of know it as the
scripture reading each Christmas Day. We
hear it amid a time when families gather to exchange gifts and share in meals
and time together. But it is more than
just a warm and fuzzy time of peace and good will amongst humankind. It is an important part of the story of God’s
love for humanity.
For God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son,
that whoever believes in him should
not perish
but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Tonight
we recall that wonderful story of the birth of Jesus as told so beautifully in
Luke’s gospel.
Luke 2:1-20
In
those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was
governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also
went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called
Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went
to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a
child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And
she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid
him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
In
that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to
them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for
all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is
the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child
wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory
to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he
favours!’
When
the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary
and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made
known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were
amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Introduction to the Prayer
St.
Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential early Church fathers. He sums up the meaning of the Incarnation and
Christmas in the following lovely prayer.
Let
the just rejoice, for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm
rejoice, for their Saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice, for their Redeemer is
born.
Let the slaves rejoice, for
their Master is born.
Let free people rejoice, for their Liberator is
born.
Let
all Christians rejoice, for Jesus Christ is born.
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
Introduction to the Second Story
Our
reading is the love story of Isaac and Rebekah.
Abraham sends his most trusted servant to his homeland to find a fitting
bride for his son, Isaac. On the surface
this is a warm and appealing story. But
there is more to it than just romance.
If reflects very much the way of the world with undercurrents of wealth
and social class. But through all this
love plays its role.
Genesis 24 (adapted)
Abraham
charged the oldest servant in his house to go to his kindred in Nabor and get a
wife for his son, Isaac. The servant
loaded ten camels with costly gifts from Abraham and set out. On reaching the outskirts of the city of
Nabor, he made his camels kneel down by a well at evening time, when women went
out to draw water.
The
servant prayed to the Lord, asking that the young woman who would give him a
drink and water his camels should be the one appointed to be Isaac/’s
wife. Before he had finished praying,
Rebekah, the daughter of Abraham’s brother, came by with a pitcher of water. She was a young woman and very
beautiful.
Abraham’s
servant ran to meet her, and asked for a drink for himself. She obliged readily and then went and drew as
much water as the camels wanted. The
servant remained silent, watching her and wondering if the Lord had indeed
answered his prayer. When the camels had
finished drinking, he took a golden nose ring and two bracelets for her wrists,
gave them to her, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Is there room in your father’s house for us?” On hearing that Rebekah was kin to Abraham
and that there was plenty of room for them, the servant knew his prayer was
answered.
Rebekah’s
brother, Laban, heard all this and came out to greet them. Seeing the nose ring and the bracelets, he
welcomed Abraham’s servant and the drivers into the house, showed them their
quarters, and got the camels fed. The
young lady’s father and brother agreed to the marriage, since it came from the
Lord, saying, “Here is Rebekah before you.
Take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the
Lord has spoken.
Then
the servant gave lavish gifts to Rebekah, her brother, and her mother; and all
of them ate and drank and then spent the night.
In the morning, Rebekah left at once with her nurse and her maids; and
her family blessed her.
Isaac
saw them approaching as he was out in the field. Rebekah caught sight of him, dismounted from
her camel, and asked Abraham’s servant, “Who is this man walking in the field
to meet us?” The servant replied, “It is
my master’s son.” So she took a veil and
covered herself.
The
servant told Isaac everything that had happened and then Isaac brought Rebekah
into the tent of his mother, Sarah, who had died not long ago. Isaac took Rebekah; she became his wife, and
he loved her. So Isaac was comforted
after this mother’s death.
Introduction to the Poem
Kahlil Gibran was an artist, poet and writer.
He was born in Lebanon and spent much of his productive life in the United
States. He is maybe best known for his
book, The Prophet.
On Love
Love gives naught but itself
and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses
not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say,
“God is in my heart,”
but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love,
for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires,
let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook
that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart
and a song of praise upon your lips.
Kahlil
Gibran (1883–1931)
O Love – Steve Bell
Introduction
to the Third Story
Our second love story followed the course of love
familiar to most of us: marriage and
family, all sunshine and roses with everyone living happily ever after – or not. This is the story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law,
Ruth, two widows living in a culture where women were second-class citizens. When their husbands died, these two women
were left with no close male relatives to protect them. In ancient thinking, widows were bad
luck. Following Naomi’s wisdom and
guidance, Ruth remarried and became the great-grandmother of King David.
Ruth (adapted)
There was a famine in the
land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of
Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the
name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion;
they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of
Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was
left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and
the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, both
Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons
or her husband.
Then she started to return
with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the
country of Moab that the Lord had had consideration for his people and given
them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her
two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of
Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back each of you to your
mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the
dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the
house of your husband.’ Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to
her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’ But Naomi said, ‘Turn back,
my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that
they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am
too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I
should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they
were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been
far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned
against me.’ Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth
clung to her.
So she said, ‘See, your
sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your
sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,
‘Do not press me to leave
you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my
people,
and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so
to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from
you!’
When Naomi saw that she was
determined to go with her, she said no more to her. So the two of them went on until they came to
Bethlehem.
Introduction
to the Prayer
William Temple was the son of an Archbishop of
Canterbury. He, too, became the
Archbishop of Canterbury. He served
during World War II, from 1942 until his death in 1944.
Grant to us, O Lord, that
most excellent of all virtues,
the gift of your divine
love.
Let love be in our thinking and our speaking,
in our daily
work and in the hidden places of our souls.
Let love be in our
friendships
and in our life with those
it is hard to bear.
Let love be in our joys and in our sorrows,
in our life and in our death. Amen.
Archbishop William Temple
(1881-1944)
Introduction
to the Fourth Story
In the ancient world, women had little value and were
seen as the possessions of the male heads of the household. It was different for male warriors. Literature of that time is full of stories of
brave warriors who bonded in battle and loved each other. Assyrian poetry glorified Gilgamesh and
Enkidu; Greek poetry praised Achilles and Patroclus, as well as Alexander the
Great and Hephaestion. The Israelites
had the warrior-lovers too: David and
Jonathan, the son of King Saul. The
Bible tells their story with great dignity.
Jonathan
and David 1 and 2 Samuel (adapted)
As David returned from the slaughter of Goliath, Abner took
him and brought him before Saul with the head of Goliath in his hand. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you,
young man?” And David answered, “I am
the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
And when David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of
Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan love him as his own
soul. Then Jonathan made a covenant with
David, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it
to David, and his garments too, even his sword and his bow and his girdle. And Jonathan said to David, “Whatsoever your
soul desires, I will do it for you.”
In time, Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan, and he said to
him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son
of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? As long as the son of Jesse lives on this
earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must
die.”
“Why should he be put to death,” Jonathan asked his father,
“what has he done.” But Saul hurled his
spear at Jonathan to strike him. Then
Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.
In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to meet
David. David got up and bowed down
before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept over one
another, friend over friend, David weeping the more, as they said
good-bye. Jonathan said to David, “Go in
peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord. God is the witness of the bond between us
forever.”
The Philistines made war on Israel. Saul, his three sons, and his weapon-bearer
died together. David sang a lament over
Saul and Jonathan: “Your glory, O Israel
is slain on the high places. You mountains
of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you; for on you the shield of the
mighty was defiled. Saul and Jonathan,
beloved and beautiful; together in life, together in death.”
“How I weep for you, my dear brother Jonathan. Oh how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than
the love of a woman.”
Introduction
to the Prayer
F.S. Pierpoint was a great evangelical Hymn writer from
the 19th century. His writing
has enriched the literature of Christian love.
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise. Amen.
F.S.
Pierpoint (1885-1917)
Fashion
for Me – Steve Bell
Introduction
to the Fifth Story
We live in a world with numerous narrow boundaries that
exclude many from participating fully.
There are many reasons we discriminate: gender, race, age, orientation,
gender identity, religious faith.
Unfortunately the list doesn’t seem to be getting shorter. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan speaks
to us about our prejudices. Jesus’
audience – those of Jewish nationality – avoided Samaritans, believing them to
have abandoned the faith and defiled the purity of the race. This parable has as its hero a
Samaritan. This man of a a despised race
helps to answer the question of who is the neighbour I should love. He reaches out in compassion to a man, beaten
and robbed and lying in a ditch: a man that good religious people passed by in
all their busy concerns about keeping pure.
Luke
10
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he
said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is
written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ And he said
to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who
is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and
went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that
road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a
Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But
a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved
with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine
on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took
care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper,
and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever
more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man
who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him
mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
Introduction to the Prayer
Mother Teresa needs no
introduction.
Make us worthy, Lord,
to serve our fellow-beings
throughout the world
who live and die in poverty and hunger.
Give them, through our hands,
this day their daily bread;
and by our understanding love,
give peace and joy.
Amen.
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
Introduction to the Sixth Story
Our
next story gets to the heart of our Christian faith. It is one that we have known since we were in
Sunday School. The Prodigal Son speaks
to the unconditional love of God. It is
the powerful story of a second son who squanders his inheritance in wasteful
ways. He ends up being denied even sharing
the food of the very pigs (a very unclean animal in the Jewish religion) that
are in his care. He returns to his
father for self-serving reasons. Yet as
soon as his father sees him returning, the father rushes out to embrace him with
all the love that is within him. Not a
word of reprimand for the wasteful living crosses this loving parent’s
lips. Instead, the young man is dressed
in the finest of clothing and a banquet is held celebrating his return.
How
precious this story of God’s compassion for all God’s people is. It is to be heard and held in our hearts,
knowing that we have often been that wasteful child. As we hear these words let us rejoice in this
gift of love from our Creator.
Luke 15
Then
Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his
father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So
he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered
all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his
property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine
took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and
hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his
fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that
the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself
he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare,
but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will
say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ”
So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his
father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around
him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father
said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and
kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now
his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he
heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going
on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted
calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and
refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he
answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a
slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never
given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when
this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are
always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and
rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was
lost and has been found.” ’
Introduction to the Prayer
Christina
Rossetti lived in the 19th century.
She was a poet and devout Anglican.
She provides us with words about love and forgiveness.
Oh
Lord Jesus,
surrounded
with infirmities we often sin
and
have to ask pardon.
Help
us to forgive as we would be forgiven,
neither
mentioning old offences committed against us,
nor
dwelling upon them in thought,
nor
being influenced by them in heart;
But
loving our brother freely,
as
you freely love us,
for
your name’s sake. Amen.
Introduction to the Seventh Story
Our
final story is Jesus’ call to us to love.
As we read the gospels we become aware that all was not perfect between
the disciples of Jesus. There were
squabbles between such as one they jockeyed for the positions on his right and
on his left. Yet they were united in
their service to Jesus. Jesus leaves
them with this commandment on the night of his last supper with them. He stoops down and washes their feet as an example
of loving service to each other.
John 13
Now
before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to
depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in
the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the
heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus,
knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had
come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer
robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied
around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to
wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later
you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus
answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to
him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him,
‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely
clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray
him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
After
he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table,
he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and
Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have
set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly,
I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers
greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed
if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But
it is to fulfil the scripture, “The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel
against me.” I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur,
you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom
I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.’
After
saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell
you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain
of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was
reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of
whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord,
who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread
when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread,
he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of
bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are
going to do.’ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some
thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy
what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor.
So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was
night.
When
he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God
has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify
him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you
only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I
say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one
another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love
for one another.’
Introduction to the Sonnet
Malcolm
Guite is an English poet, singer-songwriter, Anglican priest, and academic. We
have often listened to his poetry during our Sunday worship. He
writes this poetic reflection on the Maundy Thursday reading.
Maundy
Thursday
Here is the source of every sacrament,
The all-transforming presence of the Lord,
Replenishing our every element
Remaking us in his creative Word.
For here the earth herself gives bread and wine,
The air delights to bear his Spirit’s speech,
The fire dances where the candles shine,
The waters cleanse us with His gentle touch.
And here He shows the full extent of love
To us whose love is always incomplete,
In vain we search the heavens high above,
The God of love is kneeling at our feet.
Though we betray Him, though it is the night.
He meets us here and loves us into light.
Malcolm Guite (1957)
from Sounding the Seasons published by Canterbury
Press
Used with the poet’s permission.
Conclusion of the
Service
The
scriptures are rich with stories about love – God’s love for us, our love for
God, our love for each other. These
readings tonight are but a few examples.
Unfortunately, this celebration of love must come to an end. But as the words of Paul remind us at the
beginning of this service, love never ends.
It
is my hope and prayer that all of us go away from this special time of sharing
with a greater understanding of the many facets of love. May our lives reflect the love of God to all
we encounter in our daily lives. For as
Jesus has just commanded us:
A new
commandment I give to you:
Love
one another as I have loved you.
By
this all will know you are my disciples,
if
you have love for one another. John 13
Please
join me as we collect all our prayers into one
–
as our Saviour, Jesus Christ, taught us, let us pray:
Our Father, in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.
Blessing
Go forth in Christ
showing love to all you meet
and in all you do.
And the blessing …
This Is Love – Steve Bell
Steve Bell Links
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