Prayers for Holy Week
Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday
March 27, 2024
For the last few years the Assembly has sourced fresh prayers to mark the journey of Easter, one for each key day of Holy Week - Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
The first two prayers for the weekend are now available: for Maundy Thursday, written by Rev Salesi Faupula, and Good Friday, written by Rev Dr Sarah Agnew.
Stay tuned as we shortly add a prayer for Holy Saturday, and follow along on our Facebook and Instagram as we share them each day.
This Easter may you know the deep and residing presence of the crucified and risen Christ, whose self-giving love knows no limits and cannot be ended even by death.
"Give us the wisdom to die with you"
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Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
written by Rev Salesi Faupula, Moderator-elect of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
God of the cosmos, creator, sustainer and redeemer,
in this space, we come to you in prayer.
Tonight, we remember Sisū (Jesus) gathering with his disciples outside Jerusalem,
to share in what we know now was his final meal.
We remember his humble nature,
as he washed the feet of his friends.
We remember the prophetic announcement of his betrayal, disturbing us,
because we don’t like to imagine such an act.
But these are the haunting truths that surround this night
as the atmosphere builds towards what tomorrow will bring.
‘Otua mafimafi (Eternal God), draw close to us,
so that we may know of Your Love
which illumines our dark and trembling hearts.
And like Peter asked, wash not only our feet
but our entire lives with your Spirit.
‘Eiki lelei (Good God) we pray for the Uniting Church, the leaders, and the people,
may your ‘Will’ be manifest in our life,
so that we reflect daily a Christ-like mindedness.
‘I he huafa e tamai, ‘Alo mo e Laumalie ma’oni’oni
(In the name of God the father, Son and Holy Spirit),
Holy three, holy one. Amen.
Good Friday
written by Rev Dr Sarah Agnew, storyteller and minister at Christ Church, Wayville
Our Jesus,
Holy One among us,
we honour you today,
the day we tell of your dying.
You came with good news
of Holy kinship to reconcile,
to heal, and make whole,
all life, for full life, for all,
and we,
humanity,
we are afraid.
And fear – power, greed,
the legalistic need to be correct –
fear put you on a cross.
Today we tell of your dying,
and let us not forget
the ways we put you on that cross
day after day after day:
state-sanctioned assaults
on human being, dignity, freedom;
small acts of violent inaction when
Earth, women, children,
marginalised minorities,
First Nations peoples,
are being harmed.
May we not turn away
from the cross today,
nor from its echoes every day.
Our Jesus,
give us courage to mourn;
give us strength to grieve;
give us the wisdom to die with you,
dying to death, so that on
a new day
in good time
we may rise again into new life
with you.
For today, our Jesus,
Holy One among us,
we pause,
we see,
we honour you,
as we tell, as we enter,
your death.