Opening prayer 20 March 2016

Hosanna, Praise be to you Lord God

King and ruler of the universe

Maker and shaper of the cosmos

Father and lover of creation

our hearts shout with joy at their knowledge of you

our souls sing with elation at their awareness of you

our minds open with wonder at their insight into all you are

Before, during and after everything

you are there

Words cannot fully express the ecstasy we have of knowing you as our Lord, so we pause in quiet adoration in reverence before your throne this hour

[pause]

Heavenly King

though all was made in and through you, as Father, son and holy spirit

you came to us not as an earthly king would

but humbly on a donkey, riding in peace and love

ride again, into our hearts and minds and souls

show us in our worship together,

our shared songs, our hearing your word anew, our prayers

the path of love, of peace, of discipleship

that when the darkness and pain of Good Friday are upon us

we will not flee, we will not abandon you

but we will weep and mourn at your cross

knowing our many flaws, the many times we have turned away from you

the many times we have to love you, to love others, to love ourselves

was the reason you will be on that cross

so we can know nothing, nothing in all creation, can separate us from your love

a love which is beyond all human understanding

a love which set us free from all our sins, all our wrongdoings, all the ways we’ve turned from you, Lord God and sets us free to follow our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together saying: