Lent 5 - March 21 - Humility

Scriptures and Hymns • March 21

The Fifth Sunday in Lent, or Passion Sunday

Intent: Humility

Processional Hymn 76

1. OUR worship rises like a | soaring | flame;
    With Angels and Archangels, | and with | all
   The company of heaven, | on Thy | Name,
     Thy Three-fold | Name, | we call.
2. Lo! heaven and earth are burning, | shining, | filled
    With that surpassing Glory | which Thou | art:
   Lost in its Light our mortal | weakness; | stilled
     Each rapt, a | dor | ing heart.
3. We are not worthy, Master, | to re | ceive,
    Thy Holy Body, nor to | drink Thy | Blood:
   Yet still Thou offerest (and | we be | lieve),
     To all who | hung | er, Food.
4. Humbly we gather to the | holy | place,
    Yet do our hearts sing and our | faces | shine,
   As, in the Glory raying | from Thy | Face,
     We take that | Bread, | that Wine.
5. Lo, we are stronger than the | strongest | now:
    Thy Life, O Christ, is thrilling | in our | own;
   O Mystery, Thou art we, and | we are | Thou,
     Knowing as | we | are known.
6. ’Tis ours to bear, if truly | we have | prayed.
    Thy Life, Thy Light, to fainting | souls and | blind;
   Then every hour a Eucha | rist is | made.
     And Thee in | all | we find.
7. Thus must they love, whom Christ so | well has | loved,
    Thus must they serve, whom Christ has | deigned to | feed,
   Their hearts, like His, henceforward | ever | moved
     By every | hu | man need.
8. Turn we to earthly light and | daily | round,
    Nor doubt that, when their homeward | Path is | trod,
   Perfect in Love, our spirits | shall have | found
     The Eternal | House | of God.
9. O Holy Christ, we bless Thee | for Thy | Love;
    With all our hearts we praise and | worship | Thee;
   To Father, Son and Holy | Ghost a | bove,
     We sing, the | One | in Three. Amen.

The Collect

O LORD, who didst lay aside thy glory and take upon thee the earthly robe of mortal flesh, we pray for wisdom to avoid the specious snare of pride and ever to walk humbly and heedfully in thy sight; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost throughout all ages of ages. Amen.

The Epistle

The epistle is taken from the twelfth chapter of the Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans, beginning at the second verse.

BE not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ and everyone members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Gospel

The holy gospel is taken from the eighteenth chapter of the Gospel according to St Luke, beginning at the ninth verse.

HE spake this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: God be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. And they brought unto him also infants, that he should touch them; but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him and said: Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen, I say unto you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Offertory Hymn 202

1. I sing the mighty pow’r of God,
    That made the mountains rise;
   That spread the flowing seas abroad,
    And built the lofty skies.
   I sing the wisdom that ordained
    The sun to rule the day;
   The moon shines full at His command,
    And all the stars obey.
2. I sing the goodness of the Lord,
    That filled the earth with food;
   He formed the creatures with His word,
    And then pronounced them good.
   Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed,
    Where’er I turn my eye:
   If I survey the ground I tread,
    Or gaze upon the sky!
3. There’s not a plant or flow’r below,
    But makes Thy glories known;
   And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
    By order from Thy throne;
   While all that borrows life from Thee
    Is ever in Thy care,
   And ev’rywhere that man can be,
    Thou, God, art present there. Amen.

Recessional Hymn 104

1. THY love for all Thy creatures
    What tongue, O God, may tell?
   The morning, noon, and evening,
    Alike our praise compel;
   The morning, noon, and evening,
    Whene’er they rise or fall,
   Unite to hymn Thy praises,
    Great Maker of them all.
2. Behold, the sun in splendour
    Hath lit his fires on high.
   The farther on his journey,
    The higher in the sky;
   And when again he sinketh
    Beneath the western wave,
   A radiant crown of glory,
    Shall kindle o’er his grave.
3. May we to whom our Master
    A brighter light has given,
   The farther on our journey,
    The nearer be to heaven;
   And when the shades of evening
    Shall lengthen o’er our heads,
   May rays of heavenly glory
    Illume our dying beds.
4. Shine, shine, Thou Sun eternal,
    And cast a ray divine;
   On those who hymn Thy praises,
    Both now and ever shine;
   For then no cloud of evening
    Shall gather round the past.
   But Thou, O Christ, shalt light us
    Safe home, safe home at last. Amen.