the third sunday in lent
AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR USE AT HOME
The Third Sunday in Lent
March 23, 2025
THE WORD OF GOD
Opening Hymn: O Bless the Lord, My Soul! #411
The Opening Acclamation BCP p. 355
Presider: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People: His mercy endures forever.
The Summary of the Law BCP p. 351
The Confession of Sin
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all people:
we acknowledge and lament our many sins
and the wickedness we have committed time after time,
by thought, word, and deed against your divine majesty.
We have provoked your righteous anger
and your indignation against us.
We earnestly repent,
and are deeply sorry for these our wrongdoings;
the memory of them weighs us down;
the burden of them is too great for us to bear.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father.
For your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that from this time forward
we may always serve and please you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Reading Exodus 3:1-15
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 63:1-8
1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.
2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place,
that I might behold your power and your glory.
3 For your loving-kindness is better than life itself;
my lips shall give you praise.
4 So will I bless you as long as I live
and lift up my hands in your Name.
5 My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,
6 When I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the night watches.
7 For you have been my helper,
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
Second Reading I Corinthians 10:1-13
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land #648
The Holy Gospel Luke 13:1-9
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them–do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Priest: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
As we continue our journey of Lent, let us pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
We pray for the church. Lead us faithfully in the way of the cross. Unite us as one body in Christ. Empower us with courage to speak out against injustice and greed, demonstrating with our words and actions the love of Jesus. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the world. For sheep, cattle, and all domesticated livestock. For wild creatures, service animals, and pets. Provide shelter, food, and safe drinking water for every living creature. Protect the earth from disaster and harm. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for the nations. Teach us to honor one another as you command. Protect refugees and immigrants fleeing from their homes in search of safety and freedom. Guide lawmakers, peacekeepers, and all who work toward reconciliation and justice. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those in need. For those who lack what they need for daily life. For people whose lives are consumed by their possessions. For those who grieve, and for all who are ill, especially Cathy, Edward, Helena, Holly, Jenny, Lee, Louise, Lyndon, Miriam, Pat, Ray, Ron, Susan, Zach, and others? (pause). Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for this congregation. For those preparing for baptism or confirmation, and for their families, sponsors, and faith mentors. For Bible study leaders and participants. For our elders in thanksgiving for the depth of wisdom and experience they offer. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We remember with gratitude those who have gone before us. Inspire us by their witness and example. Bring us with them into the joy of eternal life with you. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Trusting in your covenant of mercy, O God, we lift our prayers to you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer BCP p. 364
A Prayer For Spiritual Communion When We Cannot Receive The Sacrament
Dear Lord Jesus,
I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion.
I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come at least spiritually into my heart.
As I trust that you have already come,
I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you.
Never let me be separated from you,
that I may love and serve you with all my being,
and at the last day, be welcomed into your kingdom. Amen
The Lenten Blessing
May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness,
to deny ourselves,
to take up the Cross,
and to follow Him;
and may the blessing of God Almighty:
the Father, and the + Son, and the Holy Spirit
be with us, and remain with us always.
Amen.
Closing Hymn Lord, Dismiss Us #344
The Dismissal
Priest: Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God.