Tuesday 7 April, 2020
Tuesday in Holy Week (Year A)
See Holy Week - a Singing the Faith introduction
A new commandment I give unto you:
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this the world shall know that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
By this the world shall know that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
(StF 242)
Today, the tension of Holy Week begins to build as the threats to God’s servant and followers alike are made explicit – Psalm 71, for example, is alert to the “hand of the wicked”, “the grasp of the unjust and cruel”, of accusers and those “who seek to hurt me”.
At the same time, the breadth of God’s ambition is present in a greater emphasis placed on the universality of the servant’s message – for “all” nations. Likewise, in speaking of his unavoidable death, Jesus’ prediction that he will be glorified as a result is not about personal ego or self-aggrandisement. Rather, it reflects John’s gospel vision of all God’s peoples gathered in; and this despite Jesus’ decision to take a route of personal sacrifice that (as St Paul puts it) appears foolish in the eyes of the world.
Isaiah 49: 1-7
Psalm 71: 1-14
1 Corinthians 1: 18-31
John 12: 20-36
Suggested hymns
All my hope on God is founded (StF 455)
Captain of Israel's host, and Guide (StF 459)
Great is the darkness that covers the earth (StF 405)
Hail to the Lord's Anointed (StF 228)
Here hangs a man discarded (StF 273)
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (StF 322)
Jesus is King and I will extol him (StF 327)
Jesus the Lord said, ‘I am the bread’ (StF 252)
Now the green blade rises (StF 306)
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! (StF 186)
Thou hidden source of calm repose (StF 366)
Would I have answered when you called, ‘Come follow, follow me’? (StF 674)