Midday Prayer

It was about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in
two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion
saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was
innocent.” Luke 23.44-47
THE RESPONSE
The preaching of the cross is folly
to those who are perishing,
But to those who are being saved,
it is the power of God.
To those who are called,
Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the folly of God is wiser than human wisdom,
And the weakness of God
is stronger than human strength.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you;
Because by your holy cross,
you have redeemed the world.
THE COLLECT
Jesus, crucified and risen,
you have turned a criminal’s cross
into release and reconciliation.
Let us who are marked with the cross
be not ashamed to witness to you . . .
THE BLESSING
May Christ crucified draw us to himself. Amen.
Easter
READING
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had
directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And
Jesus came and said to them, “All
authority in heaven and on earth have been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have