PASSION SUNDAY

Passion Sunday is for ever associated, in my mind, with the death of a colleague of mine, John Denton, in a deadly car crash, as he was returning from the Bath Musical Festival to play the organ the following morning in Stroud parish church. It is a day when we see things getting serious for Jesus, as he nears Jerusalem. He knows that, if he continues to be faithful to his calling, he will be killed. But he firmly believes that it is Father’s will that he continues with his ministry. So many people will be asking, why did their relatives, friends and colleagues have to die during this pandemic?

Today, the 23rd March 2021, is a Covid-19 UK national day of reflection when we are asked to hold a minute’s doorstep vigil and silence at 12.00GMT, to mark the UK’s first Covid lockdown, to light up our doorsteps and to remember those who have died.

So many good people, who have dedicated their lives to others die before their time. Many of these were working on great projects. Some of these projects have failed through lack of funding, while millions of pounds have been spent on statements of power or useless strategies. We are sometimes tempted to give up and walk away, exhausted, but Jesus told us to pray that God would be with us in the great temptation. The temptation to despair and to lose faith itself.

When Jesus taught his Disciples the Lord’s Prayer it was believed that the end of the world was near. The words: “Do not lead us into temptation,” would have been a way of praying for God’s help in that ordeal. In today’s world it might mean coping with the powerful, the greedy, the selfish and the rich.

As the Disciples listened to Jesus, they did not know that this man of truth and integrity, of wisdom and learning, of courage and faith, would suffer a terrible death and be taken from them. He was a strong friend, a companion, fisher of men and women and a giver of life and laughter.

As he faced the storm clouds, he gave them a gift, a wonderful prayer to sustain them – The Lord’s Prayer. It was in rhythming verse and easy to remember. It would sustain them in time of trouble. He came to their house one evening and drank a glass of wine. They knew they had made a friend for life. They did not know that he was about to die. I was at the bedside of a lady who was dying. She had been a very accomplished person in her time. I was at a loss for words. She told me that she just wanted us to say The Lord’s Prayer together.

Hymns:

Father hear the prayer we offer,

not for ease that prayer should be,

but for strength that we may ever

live our lives courageously.

Be our strength in hours of weakness,

in our wanderings be our guide;

through endeavour, failure, danger,

Father, be thou at our side.

(Text: Maria Willis. 1824 – 1908)

Cymer, Iesu,fi fel ‘rydwyf,

fydd ni allaf fod yn well;

d’allu di a’m gwna yn agos,

f’ywyllys i yw mynd ymhell;

yn dy glwyfau

bydda’ i’n unig fyth yn iach

Gwna dy groes sy’n codi i fyny

‘r eiddil yn goncwerwr mawr;

gwaed dy groes sydd yn darostwng

cewri cedyrn fyrdd i lawr:

gad im deimlo

awel o Galfaria fryn.

(William Williams. 1717- 91)

Prayers:

Almighty and everlasting God

whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ

triumphed in death on the cross

that we might win life for the world;

help us in the power of his victory

to triumph over evil

and to glory in the cross alone.

Amen

Arglwydd Iesu Grist

dysgaist ni

yn gymaint ag inni ei wneud

i’r lleiaf o’n brodyr a’n chwiorydd

y gwnawn hefyd i ti:

dyro i ni’r ewyllys i fod yn weision i eraill

fel y buost ti yn was i bawb,

a rhoi dy fywyd a marw drosom,

ond sy’n fyw ac yn teyrnasu,

yn awr ac am byth. Amen.