Martyrs

Red

Invitation to Confession

The saints were faithful unto death

and now dwell in the heavenly kingdom for ever.

As we celebrate their joy,

let us bring to the Lord our sins and weaknesses,

and ask for his mercy.

Kyrie Confession

We are often slow to follow the example of Christ.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

We often fail to be known as Christ’s disciples.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

We often fail to walk the way of the cross.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Collect

Almighty God,

by whose grace and power your holy martyr N

triumphed over suffering and was faithful unto death:

strengthen us with your grace,

that we may endure reproach and persecution

and faithfully bear witness to the name

of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Lectionary

2 Chronicles 24.17-21; Isaiah 43.1-7; Jeremiah 11.18-20; Wisdom 4.10-15

Psalms 3; 11; 31.1-5; 44.18-24; 126

Romans 8.35-end; 2 Corinthians 4.7-15; 2 Timothy 2.3-7 [8-13]; Hebrews 11.32-end; 1 Peter 4.12-end; Revelation 12.10-12a

Matthew 10.16-22 or 10.28-39 or 16.24-26; John 12.24-26 or 15.18-21

Agnes (21 January): also Revelation 7.13-end

Alban (22 June): especially 2 Timothy 2.3-13; John 12.24-26

Alphege (19 April): also Hebrews 5.1-4

Boniface (5 June): also Acts 20.24-28

Charles (30 January): also Ecclesiasticus 2.12-end; 1 Timothy 6.12-16

Clement (23 November): also Philippians 3.17–4.3; Matthew 16.13-19

Cyprian (15 September): especially 1 Peter 4.12-end; also Matthew 18.18-22

Edmund (20 November): also Proverbs 20.28; 21.1-4, 7

Ignatius (17 October): also Philippians 3.7-12; John 6.52-58

James Hannington (29 October): especially Matthew 10.28-39

Janani Luwum (17 February): also Ecclesiasticus 4.20-28; John 12.24-32

John Coleridge Patteson (20 September): especially 2 Chronicles 24.17-21; also Acts 7.55-end

Justin (1 June): especially John 15.18-21; also 1 Maccabees 2.15-22; 1 Corinthians 1.18-25

Laurence (10 August): also 2 Corinthians 9.6-10

Lucy (13 December): also Wisdom 3.1-7; 2 Corinthians 4.6-15

Oswald (5 August): especially 1 Peter 4.12-end; John 16.29-end

Perpetua, Felicity and companions (7 March): especially Revelation 12.10-12a; also Wisdom 3.1-7

Polycarp (23 February): also Revelation 2.8-11

Thomas Becket (29 December or 7 July): especially Matthew 10.28-33; also Ecclesiasticus 51.1-8

William Tyndale (6 October): also Proverbs 8.4-11; 2 Timothy 3.12-end

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia.

The one who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 16.24

Alleluia.

(or)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever would become my followers,

let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Alleluia.

John 15.16

Intercession

[We pray for strength to follow Jesus.

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.]

Jesus said: ‘Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

Jesus said: ‘Unless you change

and become humble like little children,

you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

Jesus said: ‘Happy are the humble;

they will receive what God has promised.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

Jesus said: ‘Be merciful as your Father is merciful;

love your enemies and do good to them.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

Jesus said: ‘Love one another, as I love you;

there is no greater love than this,

to lay down your life for your friends.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

Jesus said: ‘Go to people everywhere

and make them my disciples,

and I will be with you always, to the end of time.’

Saviour, we hear your call.

Help us to follow.

God of mercy,

you know us and love us

and hear our prayer:

keep us in the eternal fellowship of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen.

Introduction to the Peace

Once we were far off,

but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near through the shedding of Christ’s blood,

for he is our peace.

Ephesians 2.13

Prayer at the Preparation of the Table

God of faithfulness,

your servant N praised you in his/her death.

Receive all we bring before you this day,

and give us the strength of will

to proclaim your righteousness and love.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Preface

For one martyr

And now we give you thanks

that in the witness of your martyr N,

who followed Christ even to death,

you reveal your power made perfect in our human weakness.

or, for many martyrs

And now we give you thanks,

glorified in the assembly of your saints,

for your martyrs who bless you and praise you,

confessing before the powers of this world

the great name of your only Son.

Extended Preface

It is indeed right and good,

our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For following the example of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ,

your holy martyr N shed his/her blood for the glory of your name.

His/her death reveals your power made perfect in our human frailty.

You choose the weak and make them strong

in bearing witness to you

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

With joyful hearts we echo on earth

the song of the angels in heaven

as they praise your glory without end:

(or)

It is indeed right and good,

our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

holy Father, almighty and eternal God,

and to praise the wonder of your work

revealed in the lives of N (N) and all your holy martyrs.

Before the foundation of the universe

you chose them in Christ as your witnesses,

to glorify your name

and reveal before the world the light of your truth.

By the Holy Spirit you gave them great courage

so that in the very weakness of this mortal body

they might conquer death and overcome its power.

And so we join with them and all the powers of heaven

to glorify your holy name

in this their joyful hymn of praise:

Post Communion

Eternal God,

who gave us this holy meal

in which we have celebrated the glory of the cross

and the victory of your martyr N:

by our communion with Christ

in his saving death and resurrection,

give us with all your saints the courage to conquer evil

and so to share the fruit of the tree of life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(or)

God our redeemer,

whose Church was strengthened by the blood of your martyr N:

so bind us, in life and death, to Christ’s sacrifice

that our lives, broken and offered with his,

may carry his death and proclaim his resurrection in the world;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

God give you grace to follow his saints

in faith and love and steadfastness

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Short Passages of Scripture

Jesus said,

‘Those who want to save their life will lose it,

and those who lose their life for my sake,

and for the sake of the gospel,

will save it.’

Mark 8.35

Jesus said,

‘Very truly, I tell you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains just a single grain;

but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’

John 12.24

If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 6.8

Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present,

nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8.38,39