Lent

Ash Wednesday
Principal Holy Day

Purple or Lent Array

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,

who hatest nothing that thou hast made

and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent:

create and make in us new and contrite hearts

that we, worthily lamenting our sins

and acknowledging our wretchedness,

may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy,

perfect remission and forgiveness;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

This Collect may be used as the Post Communion on any day from the First Sunday of Lent until the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday of Lent instead of the Post Communion provided.

Post Communion

Almighty God,

who hast given thine only Son to be unto us

both a sacrifice for sin

and also an example of godly life:

give us grace

that we may always most thankfully receive

that his inestimable benefit,

and also daily endeavour ourselves

to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The First Sunday of Lent
Purple or Lent Array

Collect

Almighty God,

whose Son Jesus Christ did fast forty days in the wilderness,

and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:

give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to thy Spirit;

and, as thou knowest our weakness,

so may we know thy power to save;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

O Lord our God,

who hast renewed us with the living bread from heaven,

and dost thereby nourish our faith,

increase our hope,

and strengthen our love:

incline our hearts always to hunger for him

who is the true and living bread,

and give us grace to live by every word

that proceedeth out of thy mouth;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Second Sunday of Lent
Purple or Lent Array

Collect

Almighty God,

who showest to them that be in error the light of thy truth,

to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness:

grant unto all them that are admitted

into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,

that they may eschew those things

that are contrary to their profession,

and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same;

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Almighty God,

who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves:

keep us both outwardly in our bodies,

and inwardly in our souls;

that we may be defended from all adversities

which may happen to the body,

and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Third Sunday of Lent
Purple or Lent Array

Collect

Almighty God,

whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,

and entered not into glory before he was crucified:

mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,

may find it none other than the way of life and peace;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord, we beseech thee,

grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations

  of the world, the flesh and the devil,

and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent
Purple or Lent Array

Mothering Sunday may be celebrated in preference to the provision for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

Collect

O Lord, we beseech thee,

absolve thy people from their offences,

that through thy bountiful goodness

we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins

which by our frailty we have committed;

grant this, O heavenly Father,

for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord God,

whose blessed Son our Saviour

gave his back to the smiters

and hid not his face from shame:

give us grace to endure the sufferings of this present time

with sure confidence in the glory that shall be revealed;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mothering Sunday
Purple or Lent Array

Mothering Sunday may be celebrated in preference to the provision for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

Collect

Merciful God,

whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,

shared the life of a home in Nazareth

and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:

strengthen us in our daily lives

that in joy and sorrow

we may know the power of thy presence

to bind together and to heal;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

God of love,

who in this sacrament dost feed us

with the food and drink of eternal life,

even as a mother feedeth her children at the breast:

mercifully grant that we who have tasted thy goodness

may grow in grace within the household of faith;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Fifth Sunday of Lent
Passiontide begins

Purple or Lent Array

Collect

Most merciful God,

who by the death and resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ

hast 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 thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord Jesus Christ,

who hast taught us

that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters

we do also for thee:

give us the will to be the servant of others

as thou wast the servant of all,

who gavest up thy life and didst die for us,

yet livest and reignest, now and for ever.

Palm Sunday
Red

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,

who of thy tender love towards the world

hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ

to take upon him our flesh

and to suffer death upon the cross:

grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,

and also be made partakers of his resurrection;

through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord Jesus Christ,

who didst humble thyself by taking the form of a servant

and wast obedient even unto the death of the cross for our salvation:

grant us the mind to follow thee

and to proclaim thee as Lord and King,

to the glory of God the Father.

Maundy Thursday
Principal Holy Day

White

At Morning and Evening Prayer the Collect of Palm Sunday is used.

At Holy Communion this Collect is used.

Collect

God our Father,

who hast invited us to share in the supper

which thy Son hath given to his Church

that it may proclaim his death until he comes:

may he nourish us by his presence,

and unite us in his love;

who liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord Jesus Christ,

we thank thee that in this wonderful sacrament

thou hast given us a memorial of thy passion:

grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries

of thy body and blood

that we may know within ourselves

and show forth in our lives

the fruits of thy redemption;

for thou livest and reignest, now and for ever.

Collect

Almighty God,

we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family

for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed and given up into the hands of sinners

and to suffer death upon the cross;

who now liveth and reigneth with thee,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Easter Eve
Hangings removed

Collect

Grant, O Lord,

that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,

so by continually mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him;

and that through the grave and gate of death

we may pass to our joyful resurrection;

for his merits, who died and was buried and rose again for us,

thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000 and published by Church House Publishing.

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