St Peter's Scottish Episcopal Church, Kirkcaldy - Sunday 14th March 2021, Lent 4 Mothering Sunday
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St Peter's Scottish Episcopal Church, Kirkcaldy
Sunday 14th March 2021, Lent 4 Mothering Sunday
Introit Hymn: Love divine all loves excelling
Welcome: Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Collect for Purity: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Summary of the Law: Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
The first commandment is this:
“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord.
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind
and with all your strength.”
The second is this:
“Love our neighbour as yourself.”
There is no other commandment greater than these.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Kyrie: Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.Collect: Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of
your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross
and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Collect SPB: We beseech thee O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts; that as we have known the
incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and
passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. Amen.
First reading: Isaiah 7. 10-14 (SPB Isaiah 7.1)
Second reading: Hebrews 10. 4-10
Introit Hymn: The king of love my shepherd is
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we
saw his glory. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 1. 26-38 (SPB St Luke 1.26)
When gospel is announced:
Glory to Christ our Saviour.
At end:
Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel.
Praise to Christ our Lord.
Homily:
When my own mum was still with us, I used to scour the shops for a card which celebrated Mothering
Sunday rather than its relatively new incarnation, Mother’s Day. Today was never meant to be solely about
mothers; its original meaning was more about mothering. The day itself grew out of the medieval tradition
of visiting the mother-church and taking an offering for presentation at the altar there. The fact that this
was done at the mid-point of Lent made it something of a break in the penitential season. I’m not sure how
many people fast in Lent nowadays, but, if you do, I hope you remember that Sundays don’t count! That’s
because every Sunday is a festival; every Sunday is a Day of Resurrection. But Midlenting Day, as it was
called, was a special day-off, and hence was also known as Refreshment Sunday (or Laetare Sunday, from
the Latin word for ‘rejoice’). It was only in Victorian times that this was developed into the custom of sons
and daughters who lived and worked away from home joining their families for the day, and bringing small
gifts for their mothers.
So, today is a unique day in the year to give thanks for mothering itself, perhaps for ‘Mother Church’, and
also for our own mothers. But we have to acknowledge this is a day on which some people find very
difficult. For some women – and men too – this day underlines their silent, personal griefs and sorrows.
Quiet tears will be shed by many on this day: tears for children who have died, tears for children who have
rejected their parents, tears for the relationships that never happened, tears for the children that never
were. There will also be tears for mothers who have loved and been loved and are now sorely missed, but
there will also be tears for some mothers who have may have loved too much and for some who have not
loved at all. All in all, a day of mixed emotions. Which brings us to today’s Gospel, providing a
counterbalance against the risk of over-sentimentalising this day.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, is often submerged by centuries of church tradition that can too easily overlook the
fact she was a teenage girl, pregnant before her marriage; forced onto a long journey on the back of a donkey
in the last stages of that pregnancy; compelled to flee with her betrothed and the baby as refugees to a
foreign land. Hardly the stuff of chocolates and roses. And it is only a few short weeks ago we celebrated
Candlemas and heard the old prophet Simeon tell Mary that a sword would come to pierce her heart, a
prophecy tragically fulfilled on that first Good Friday as Mary waited at the foot of the Cross and watched
the awful agony of her dying son. Surely this is where the iconic nature of Mary finds its truest expression,
and her mother’s love becomes an icon for all our loving. She teaches us that love is vulnerable, that it
suffers, that it takes risks. If we didn’t love, if we couldn’t love, then those painful realities that upset theequilibrium of our lives – rows, sickness, death, loss, broken relationships – all these would matter far less
to us. But we do love, and so they hurt acutely.
Mothering Sunday, placed so near to Holy Week, reminds us that a relationship, any relationship, without
pain is likely to be a relationship without love. In fact, if we love, then we put ourselves in the very path of
pain and suffering. To love is to put yourself at risk, and your heart will sometimes be wrung, sometimes
broken. But we can’t wish it any other way, for we are made in the image of a God of love, and love, real love,
costs – it is a very expensive commodity, and sometimes we may have to pay for it with the currency of our
tears.
We who have hindsight, we who live this side of Easter, know that the Cross proved to be the place of
victory, and that after the apparent defeat of death came the flowering of new life. So if we want
resurrection, if we want new life in our own lives and our relationships, then we must be prepared for the
way of the Cross, because resurrection by definition can come only by way of risk, pain and suffering, which
the Cross represents. The love of Jesus and the love of Mary both teach us that the only sort of loving and
the only sort of living worth having are those which will take risks, which will place themselves in the path
of suffering, which will face piercing even to the heart.
Mothering Sunday is a day to honour and celebrate all those who have provided mothering – in its widest
sense – in our lives. Even those people who may have had difficult relationships with their own mothers will
nonetheless know those people – both women and men – who have been their companions, who have
influenced, supported, nourished and guided them in their lives. Today’s very brief gospel brings together
the themes of mothering and the passion of Jesus. It is an intensely moving episode as Jesus hangs on the
cross, his mother and John, the beloved disciple, close by. John is the only male figure mentioned here; all
the rest are women. The supposedly strong people – the men – had deserted him, and he was left with a
handful of grieving women who, despite the awfulness of what they were witnessing, remained steadfast
and faithful to the end. We can scarcely comprehend the emotional and psychological pain Mary must have
felt as her son died before her eyes. Jesus takes this moment of agony to say something profoundly
important. To his mother he says, ‘Here is your son’, and to his close friend, ‘Here is your mother’. In other
words, you have a responsibility to nourish and care for one another if you are to try to follow Jesus. What
binds Jesus’s followers together more than just blood ties is the recognition of one another’s humanity and
the need both to give and to receive love. This is a whole new way of relating to one another and it finds its
origin and expression in the God whose very nature is love. It has often been said that, in this moment, a
new way of being family is born.
One final thought: in ancient religions, the idea of Mother God was very closely related to the idea of Mother
Earth or Mother Nature. It seemed only natural and obvious that a God who gave birth to the world must
have at least something in common with a woman who gives birth. In the Jewish and Christian traditions, in
the scriptures as well as subsequently, there are many examples of feminine imagery used for God, though
many of them were conveniently ‘lost’ or deliberately subsumed over the centuries. One that survived even
the darkness of the Middle Ages was Mother Julian of Norwich, the English mystic, who wrote: “A kind,
loving mother, who understands and knows the needs of her child will look after it tenderly because it is the
nature of a mother to do so. As the child grows older, she changes her methods, not her love. This way of
doings things is our Lord at work in those who do them.” I know we routinely refer to God as our Father, but
today, of all days, I am more than happy to leave the final word to Julian of Norwich, who concluded, ‘Thus
God is our Mother.’ Amen.
Nicene Creed: We believe in one God,
the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to
come. Amen.
Intercessions: Composed by a member of the Intercessions Group
Lord God, as we come together as the church family we ask that you give us peace in our hearts, compassion
in our dealings with other people and an awareness of your guiding hand in all that we do. On this
Mothering Sunday we remember all mothers and those who provide us with care and nurture in all stages of
our lives. Help us to always acknowledge their role in our growth and development, and inspire us to
provide care and love to those around us.
Lord Hear Us
Lord we pray for the troubled parts of this world, where there is so much suffering, where darkness prevails.
Reach out to all people, and help them find their way to you; give them and us the strength to keep to the
narrow path that leads to eternal life. Let your love inspire leaders, both local and global, to work to spread
peace and justice where there is fear and oppression. We also pray for of all those working to combat the
current coronavirus pandemic in any way, and particularly for those involved in vaccination efforts
worldwide.
Lord Hear Us
Lord we ask that your Church throughout this world provides inspiration to those who are disillusioned,
sanctuary for those who feel lost and love for those who feel uncared for. We pray that during Lent the faith
of all those who confess you as Lord will be deepened and that all may walk in the light of the Lord. We pray
for Bishop Mark our Primus and Bishop Ian our Diocesan Bishop; for Christine our Rector and all those
involved in worship at St Peters. We pray for renewal and growth in congregations throughout the Diocese
and for the invaluable work undertaken by all youth workers.
Lord Hear Us
Lord in our prayers, we think of the difficult journeys in life encountered by so many people in this world.
We pray for the needs of all those known to us in a moment of silence.
Let them be aware of your healing presence, our sure and solid foundation at all times and in all places, no
matter how dark things may seem.
Lord Hear Us
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed the message of hope amongst the tears of our
grieving for those who have died. May they all be welcomed into the eternal light of the kingdom. This
morning we particularly remember David Frew, Ina Christie, David Coulson and Susan Pattinson, whose
years mind falls at this time. Comfort those who mourn their passing and welcome them and us in our time
into your eternity.
Lord Hear Us
Lord, we ask that you accept these prayers, for the sake of your son, our saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Confession
and Absolution: God is love and we are his children. There is no room for fear in love.We love because he loved us first. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
Silence
God our Father, we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil.
For the sake of our Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
(May) God, who is both power and love, forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by his Spirit and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Peace: We meet in Christ’s Name let us share his peace.
Offertory hymn: Brother, sister let me serve you
Communion Prayer: God of infinite mercy. We thank you for Jesus our Saviour who feeds his
people and gives them eternal life. Though we cannot consume the gifts of
bread and wine we thank you that we do receive Christ’s saving presence,
the forgiveness of sins and all other benefits of his passion. Grant that we
may continue for ever in the risen and ascended life of our Saviour.
Amen.
(This prayer is said during the online Provincial service).
The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;
thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Communion hymn: Take my life and let it be
Concluding Prayer: God of mercy and forgiveness, may we who share in holy things live
together in unity and peace, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
Blessing: Christ the Son of God, born of Mary, fill you with his grace to trust his promises and
obey his will; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Dismissal: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Recessional hymn: Tell out my soul
7pm Candle Prayer
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us in the place where we are and transform us by the presence of your Son.
In this place, may we encounter the One who embodies your love.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us at the break of day and be with us in all that lies before us.In the place in which we live, may we see life renewed.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us in the place of suffering and bring your healing presence among us.
In the place of suffering, enable us to reach out to those beside us.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us in the place of sorrow and bring your light into our darkness.
In the place of sorrow, may we become bearers of your light.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us in the rhythm of life and renew hope within us.
In the community in which we live, may we bear witness to the God of hope.
Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God of Space and Time, meet us in the place where we are today.
Meet us at the close of day and be with us through the night.
Keep us safe and bring us to the dawn of a new day.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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