THE CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY COMMUNION (2)
The Fifth Sunday in Lent – 26th March 2023

HYMN  108: Praise to the Holiest

 THE GREETING
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.                                     

THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PENITENCE
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. 
Matthew 22: 37-39

Lord, have mercy on us,
and write these your laws in our hearts.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins, to intercede for us in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God's commandments and to live in love and peace:

Silence
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen. 
THE ABSOLUTION

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY – Page 264
Collect 1
We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty,to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

or

Collect 2
Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: Grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross, we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

THE LENTEN COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING - Isaiah 43: 16-21
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. 

THE PSALM – 126: 1-8
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
then were we like those who dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter  and our tongue with songs of joy.
3 Then said they among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
4 The Lord has indeed done great things for us, and therefore we rejoiced.
5 Restore again our fortunes, O Lord, as the river beds of the desert.
6 Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy.
7 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed, will come back with shouts of joy,
bearing their sheaves with them. 

THE EPISTLE READING Philippians 3: 4b-14
..even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

CHILDREN’S PRAYER

CHILDREN’S HYMN  - 224 – How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

The Passion Reading according to Luke

THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen  
 
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
At the end of the Intercessions the following is said:
Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

THE PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS
We do not presume to come to this your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness but in your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord, whose nature is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us. Amen.

THE PEACE
The peace of the Lord be always with you 
OFFERTORY HYMN 226 It is a Thing Most Wonderful 

THE TAKING OF THE BREAD AND WINE

Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us therefore let us celebrate the feast. 
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord is here.    His Spirit is with us. Lift up your hearts.    We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.    It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Father, almighty and everliving God, at all times and in all places it is right to give you thanks and praise: 
And so with all your people, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. 
Hosanna in the highest!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you, Father, the creator and sustainer of all things; you made us in your own image, male and female you created us; even when we turned away from you, you never ceased to care for us, but in your love and mercy you freed us from the slavery of sin, giving your only begotten Son to become man and suffer death on the cross to redeem us; he made there the one complete and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world: he instituted, and in his holy Gospel commanded us to continue, a perpetual memory of his precious death until he comes again: On the night that he was betrayed he took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to you, he gave it to them, saying, Drink this, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in    remembrance of me. Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup we do as Christ your Son commanded:
we remember his passion and death, we celebrate his resurrection and ascension, and we look for the coming of his kingdom.
Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; and as we eat and drink these holy gifts, grant by the power of the life-giving Spirit that we may be made one in your holy Church and partakers of the body and blood of your Son, that he may dwell in us and we in him: Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

THE LORD'S PRAYER
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.                           
We being many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
THE COMMUNION

Communion Hymns: 325 Be Still 418 Here O My Lord; 419 I am not Worthy

THE POST COMMUNION PRAYER: Page 264  God of hope, in this eucharist we have tasted the promise of your heavenly banquet and the richness of eternal life. May we who bear witness to the death of your Son, also proclaim the glory of his resurrection, for he is Lord for ever and ever. 

THE PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies o be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

THE BLESSING 

HYMN 443: Sent Forth with God’s Blessing

ANNOUNCEMENTS for Sunday 26th March 2023
April Magazine 
The April edition of Cathedral News is now available. Distributors and those who normally receive their copy by post, please collect from the Cathedral porch.
Confirmation Class
Next class - Pizza Night is on Monday 27th March at 6.30pm in the Upper Room. Candidates must attend the Holy Week service on Monday 3rd April at 7.30pm. We hope to see parents and others there too. After the service there will be a rehearsal for the Confirmation Service which will then be on Sunday 30th April at 11.00am.
Adult Confirmation
Any adults, who are not already confirmed, and would like to be confirmed please contact the clergy or the Parish Office and a member of the Clergy will be in touch. A service to confirm adults will take place in St Macartin’s Cathedral on Ascension Thursday (18th May) at 7.30pm. Adults throughout the Diocese are welcome to be confirmed at this service – please contact the clergy for details.
Tuesday Club
The next meeting is on 28th March at 2.00 pm in the Hilliard Room. Mrs June McIlfatrick is the guest, and her theme, flower arranging and planting of bulbs. New members are welcome. To arrange transport please contact Eleanor Lynn on 66324603 or the Cathedral Office.
John Rutter Requiem 
Fermanagh Choral Society presents John Rutter Requiem on Sunday 2nd April at 7.30pm in St Macartin’s Cathedral. All are very welcome. Subscription £10.A
Flower Festival
Friday 26th to Monday 29th May, 9.00am to 8.00pm each day, closing on Monday 29th at 5.00pm. Teas available each day. Your support will be very important to us over the four day event. To cater we will require approximately forty people per day to help. Do not worry if you do not bake, as there are lots of food items required, and help needed in various areas. Regarding supervision of the Cathedral and car park, twenty eight guides will be required each day to cover four, three hour shifts over the weekend. Committee members will be in the Side Chapel immediately after the 11.00am service today and next Sunday and we ask anyone who can help to please put their name on the Rota.
Flower Festival Donations
Personal donations can be made to cover the cost of flowers. Donations can be made in memory of loved ones and business donations can also be made. Please note we will not be asking for donations, but anyone can volunteer to make donations and they will be recorded anonymously on a list in the Flower Festival Booklet. 
Wednesday in Lent 29th March 
7.30pm - Service of Compline
Mid Week Service
Thursday 30th March
11.00am – Holy Communion 
Sunday 2nd April - The Sixth Sunday in Lent - Palm Sunday 
9.00am – Holy Communion 
10.30am – Meet at Hall for Palm Sunday Procession to Church
11.00am – Morning Prayer