Categories
Eucharist

Sunday 18th May 2025 – 11:15

God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.

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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.

Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings

Let us pray. 

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

1. God is love: let heav’n adore him;

    God is love: let earth rejoice;

    Let creation sing before him,

    And exalt him with one voice.

    He who laid the earth’s foundation,

    He who spread the heav’ns above,

    He who breathes through all creation,

    He is love, eternal love.

2. God is love: and he enfoldeth

    All the world in one embrace;

    With unfailing grasp he holdeth

    Every child of every race.

    And when human hearts are breaking

    Under sorrow’s iron rod,

    Then they find the selfsame aching,

    Deep within the heart of God.

3. God is love: and though with blindness

    Sin afflicts the souls of men,

    God’s eternal loving-kindness

    Holds and guides them even then.

    Sin and death and hell shall never

    O’er us final triumph gain;

    God is love, so Love for ever

    O’er the universe must reign.

Timothy Rees (1874–1939); William Rowlands (1860–1937)

The Celebrant says the

Greeting

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing for the

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.

Kyrie Eleison

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.

 

Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Celebrant introduces the

Confession

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.

The Celebrant pronounces the

Absolution

To which all reply

Amen.

Please remain standing whilst the Choir sing

Gloria in excelsis

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones the

Collect of the Day

God of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: Grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity. Amen.

Please be seated for the

Revelation 21: 1–6

At the end of the Reading

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please remain seated for the

Gradual

O for a closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame; a light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb! Return, O holy dove, return, sweet messenger of rest! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, and drove thee from my breast. So shall my walk be close with God, calm and serene my frame; so purer light shall mark the road that leads me to the Lamb.

The Revd Anthony Cæsar (1924–2018)

Please stand for the

Gospel

The Minister and Choir sing

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint John, in the 13th chapter, beginning at the 31st verse.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 13: 31–35

At the end, the Minister and Choir sing

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please remain standing whilst the Preacher moves to the Pulpit for the

Sermon

Preacher: The Reverend J. K. McWhirter, B.Sc., B.Th., M.Th. Prebendary of Taney

Please be seated for the Sermon. At the end, the Preacher will conclude with a prayer, during which the congregation will stand for the

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 Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit 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 and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who 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.

The Minister says 

Let us pray.

Please kneel or be seated for the 

Prayers

Each petition ends

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

At the end

Merciful Father,

accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Please stand as the Celebrant introduces the

Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

During the hymn, a collection of money is made. You can donate online by tapping the Support Us button in the bottom right.

1. It is a thing most wonderful,

    Almost too wonderful to be,             (heaven,

    That God’s own Son should come from 

    And die to save a child like me.

2. And yet I know that it is true;

    He chose a poor and humble lot,

    And wept and toiled and mourned and died,

    For love of those who loved him not.

3. But even could I see him die,

    I could but see a little part

    Of that great love, which, like a fire,

    Is always burning in his heart.

4. It is most wonderful to know

    His love for me so free and sure;

    But ’tis more wonderful to see

    My love for him so faint and poor.

5. And yet I want to love thee, Lord;

    O light the flame within my heart,

    And I will love thee more and more,

    Until I see thee as thou art.

William How (1823–97); Trad. English, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

Please remain standing as the Celebrant and Choir sing

Sursum Corda

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding

…through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom, to pray 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.

The Celebrant breaks the bread, and says

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Celebrant invites the People to receive Communion.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion.

We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.

Whilst the people receive Communion, the Choir sing

Agnus Dei

Motet

O sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur; recolitur memoria passionis eius; mens impletur gratia; et futuræ gloriæ nobis pignus datur. Alleluia!

(O sacred feast, wherein Christ is received; the memorial of his passion is renewed; the soul is filled with grace; and a pledge of future glory is given to us. Alleluia!)

Eoghan Desmond (2016)

When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

A seasonal Post-Communion Prayer may be said, and then this prayer

Almighty God,  we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Please stand to sing the

Hymn

1. At the Lamb’s high feast we sing

    Praise to our victorious King,

    Who hath washed us in the tide

    Flowing from his piercèd side.

    Praise we him, whose love divine

    Gives his guests his Blood for wine,

    Gives his body for the feast;

    Christ the Victim, Christ the Priest.

2. Where the Paschal Blood is poured,

    Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;

    Israel’s hosts triumphant go

    Through the wave that drowns the foe.

    Praise we Christ, whose Blood was shed,

    Paschal Victim, Paschal Bread;

    With sincerity and love

    Eat we manna from above.

3. Mighty Victim from the sky,

    Hell’s fierce powers beneath thee lie;

    Thou hast conquered in the fight;

    Thou hast brought us life and light.

    Now no more can death appal,

    Now no more the grave enthral;

    Thou hast opened Paradise,

    And in thee thy saints shall rise.

4. Easter triumph, Easter joy,

    Sin alone can this destroy;

    From sin’s power do thou set free

    Souls new-born, O Lord, in thee.

    Hymns of glory and of praise,

    Father, unto thee we raise;

    Risen Lord, all praise to thee,

    With the Spirit, ever be.

Latin, tr. Robert Campbell (1814–68);  Jakob Hintze (1622–1702)

The Celebrant says the

Blessing

After which, all say

Amen.

The Deacon and the Choir sing the

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please remain standing as the Choir and Clergy depart.

Please remain at your seat for the duration of the

Organ Voluntary

Developed by the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Education Department: Clark Brydon (Education & Safeguarding Officer).

Material in this service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer, © RCB 2004.

Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.

To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: education@stpatrickscathedral.ie