Fifth Sunday in Lent (Lent 5) (Sermons and Commentary)

THE COLLECT.
WE beseech thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people: that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE EPISTLE. Heb. 9. 11
CHRIST being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves; but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

(this gospel in the 1662 BCP)
THE GOSPEL. S. John 8. 46
JESUS said, Which of you convinceth me of sin? and if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory; there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil: Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing; it is my Father that honoureth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God: yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

(this gospel is unique to the Canadian 1962 BCP)
THE GOSPEL. S. Matthew 20. 20
THEN came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

INTROIT. Ps 43
Ant. GIVE sentence for me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; / O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee? / and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, / and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling;
4 And that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness; / and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5 Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? / and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6 O put thy trust in God, for I will yet give him thanks, / who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

No Gloria, but repeat Antiphon.

GRADUAL. Ps 143:1-10
HEAR my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire: / hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake.
2 And enter not into judgement with thy servant; / for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground: / he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, / and my heart within me is desolate.
5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works: / yea, I meditate upon the works of thy hands.
6 I spread forth my hands unto thee: / my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
7 Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint: / hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust: / show thou me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; / for I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God: / let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.

Additional Propers for Eucharistic Devotions