The Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 30th, 2025

You are welcome to print this liturgy at home and bring it with you on Sunday.

Opening Acclamation
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;
God’s mercy endures for ever.

Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: 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.

Penitence from the Book of Common Prayer
Let us hear our Lord’s blessing on those who follow him:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who weep, for they shall be consoled.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins, to intercede for us in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments and to live in love and peace:

Silence

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Silent Processional

Song of Praise
Psalm 121 (arr. Rain for Roots)

I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?
I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?

Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the mountains
Who has been my defender since my birth
Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the heavens
Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the earth

I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?
I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?

In the sunshine, in the moonlight
You will keep me safe
In the sunshine, in the moonlight
You will keep me

I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?
I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?

Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the mountains
Who has been my defender since my birth
Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the heavens
Oh, my help comes from the Maker of the earth

In the sunshine, in the moonlight
You will keep me safe
In the sunshine, in the moonlight
You will keep me

I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?

The Collect of the Day from Common Worship: Additional Collects (2004)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Merciful Lord, you know our struggle to serve you: when sin spoils our lives and overshadows our hearts, come to our aid and turn us back to you again; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Lesson Joshua 5:9-12

The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.

While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal, they kept the Passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 32

Blessed is he whose transgressions are for*given,
Whose sins are *covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin is not counted a*gainst him,
And in whose spirit is no de*ceit.

When I kept silent my bones wasted a*way,
Through my groaning all day *long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy u*pon me;
My strength was turned into the drought of *summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to *You.
I did not cover up my in*iquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the *Lord.”
You forgave the guilt of my *sin.

Therefore let everyone who is *godly
Pray to You while You may be *found;
You’re my hiding place, You protect me from *trouble,
You surround me with songs of de*liverance.

I will instruct you and *teach you
In the way you should *go;
I will counsel you and watch *over you.
Do not be like the horse or the *mule,
Which have no under*standing.

But must be controlled by bit and * bridle
Or they will not come to *you.
Many are the woes of the *wicked,
But the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds those who *trust him.

Glory be to the Father and to the *Son
And to the Holy *Spirit
As it was in the be*ginning,
Is now and ever shall be A*men

Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we no longer know him in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation
Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners

Hallelujah! What a savior!
Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end

The Gospel Reading Luke 15:1-3, 11b, 32
+ This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them this parable: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Gospel Acclamation
Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners

Hallelujah! What a savior!
Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end

Homily Rev. Danny Bryant

A Creed from the United Church of Canada

We are not alone, we live in God’s world.

We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit. We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

The Prayers of the People
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.

Silence is kept.