Appalling Silence

Lent

LENT 2016: AN APPALLING SILENCE

There comes a time when silence is betrayal. - MLK

The season of Lent the forty days between Ash Wednesday and Easter commemorates
the forty days which, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent
in the desert before beginning his public ministry. During this time he fasted and endured
a series of temptations that we hear about in our readings during these weeks.
Lent has become a season of preparation and cleansing. In the same way that fasting has
come to be embraced by the secular world as a way to cleanse our bodies of toxins and,
for many, to prepare for a cleaner diet, so too is Lent a way to spiritually cleanse our souls
and consciousness and prepare to recommit ourselves to the intentional Way of living with
each other that our Risen Christ has shown us. Thus, Lent is a season of repentance.
To repent is to turn . . . to turn away from all that sullies our journey with God. As we identify
our waywardness, we think not only of things we have done, but also of things that we
have left undone.
Martin Luther King, Jr., said, Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things
that matter.
We are constantly tempted to remain silent. Too often we take the bait. And though our silence about the waywardness of the world may seem to make living in it somehow easier,
it also makes us complicit.
What have you been silent about this year? What have we as a community of Jesus followers been too quiet about?
As we prepare to receive the renewed hope and promise of Easter, let us turn from of our
hesitance to shout that very hope from our lips and our reticence to show it in our lives.

THE ORDER

OF

SERVICE

OPENING SONG
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted
In my brain still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of
A neon light that split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs
that voices never share and no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
Fools said I, you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon God they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the signs said, 'The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls and tenement halls'
And whispered in the sounds of silence

The Sound of Silence

by Simon and Garfunkel

When the Presider stands, all who are able also stand.

OPENING ACCLAMATION
Presider:
People:

We gather in the name of God, Eternal Majesty, Incarnate Word, Abiding Spirit:
One God, whose mercy endures forever.

Presider:

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen, says our God:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and Gods glory will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and God will answer;
you will cry for help, and God will say: Here I am.

CONFESSION

AND

ABSOLUTION

Presider:
People:

Let us reveal our true selves before God.

Have mercy, O God, have mercy,
according to your faithful love;
wipe away my wrongdoings
according to your great compassion.
Wash me clean of my guilt
and purify me from my sin.
For I know my wrongdoings;
my sin always faces me.
Create a clean heart in me, O God;
put a new, faithful spirit within me.
Deliver me from fear and indifference,
so that my tongue can sing of your righteousness.
Open my lips, O God,
that my mouth may proclaim your praise!

Presider:

You call, and the God of Salvation answers; you cry for help, and God says, Here I am.
God guides you continually, and satisfies your needs in parched places, that you may
be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. In the name
of Jesus the Christ, you are thoroughly and completely forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

People:

THE READING, PSALM,

AND

GOSPEL

See the insert sheet for the Reading, Psalm and Gospel.

REFLECTION
After the Reflection, there is silence.

THE PRAYERS

OF THE

PEOPLE

During this extended time of prayer you are invited to leave your seat and journey to the prayer stations that are set around the Cathedral.
You may also light a candle near the altar, as a way of offering prayer for specific cares and concerns
for personal prayers, for the needs of the Church, or the world, for those who are suffering from illness, addiction, or any kind of need, or for those who have died.
The Presider then offers a closing prayer, saying:
Holy God,
whos name is not honored where the needy are not served,
and the powerless are treated with contempt:
may we embrace our neighbor
with the same tenderness that we ourselves require;
so you justice may be fulfilled in love,
through Jesus Christ.
All say:
Amen.

THE PEACE
Presider:
People:

Christs peace be with you.

And also with you.

All greet their neighbors with a sign of peace.

All then sit while Announcements are made.

OFFERTORY MUSIC
You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebodys lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothings gonna hurt you the way that words do
When they settle neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
I wanna see you be brave
Everybodys been there,
Everybodys been stared down by the enemy
Fallen for the fear
And done some disappearing,
Bow down to the mighty
Dont run, just stop holding your tongue
Maybe theres a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
And since your history of silence
Wont do you any good,
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why dont you tell them the truth?
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
I wanna see you be brave

Brave, by Sarah Bareilles

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

All stand.
Presider:
People:

God is with you.

And also with you.

Presider:
People:

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to our God.

Presider:
People:

Let us give thanks to the God of our Salvation.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Presider:

God of promise and pardon, even as we sing your praises, our fear and worldly entanglements betray your call to share your grace and mercy. For you sang the world into
being, breathed life into the dust of all creation, whispered into the ears of our forbears,
put poetry upon the lips of the prophets, and, yet, we struggled to hear your voice
amidst the clamor of our own free will. Finally, you sent your Word physically into our
midst, putting your power and voice into the person of Jesus.
On the night humanity betrayed him, Jesus came to table with his followers to celebrate
the freedom of your people. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it and shared it
with his disciples saying: Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this
for the remembrance of me.
After supper, Jesus took a cup of wine, gave thanks to you, and said, Drink this all of
you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. When you drink from this cup, do this for the remembrance of me.
And so we gather now to be re-membered to you and to one another through this Holy
Sacrament. Enliven this Bread and Wine with your life-giving Spirit, and make yourself
known to us through this Body and Blood of your Word made flesh, Jesus our Savior.
Gather us through this Holy Communion into one body, and further enliven us with your
Spirit, that the love and mercy we here receive may be shared from our lips and shown
in our lives.

People:
Silence.

By Christ and with Christ and in Christ, with the power of your Spirit, and to your honor
and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

Presider:
All say:

Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us,

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.

The Presider breaks the bread in silence and then says:

Presider:

People:

To what wilderness have you strayed, oh people of the Way? To what distraction have
you tuned your ears? Have you not heard? To what diversion have you loaned your
eyes? Have you not seen? The One who established the foundations of the earth has
not abandoned. The One whose breast has nursed you has not forsaken. Oh people of
Mercy, sing chords of comfort to worried minds, tender songs to wounded hearts. Taste
and see that God is good, and raise a song of gladness!
Amen.

THE COMMUNION
The Presider and people receive communion. All are welcome to come forward. You may receive the
bread and wine, or just the bread if that is your custom. Gluten-free bread is available by asking the
priest. If you wish to receive a blessing, please signify by crossing your hands over your chest.

HYMN






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PRAYER

AFTER

COMMUNION

Presider:

Let us pray.

All say:

O God,
you took upon yourself
the yoke of humanity
and the burden of love,
and did not find it easy:
let us learn from you
to share the weight of this aching world,
that our souls may be light,
and our hearts rested,
as together we are carried by you
in Jesus Christ.
Amen.

BLESSING
Presider:
People:

AND

DISMISSAL

God be with you.

And also with you.

The Presider blesses the people, saying:

All say:

God give you sustenance as you walk the Lenten path and courage as you break the
silences that surround you; and the blessing of God, Eternal Majesty, Incarnate Word,
and Abiding Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you forever.
Amen.

Presider:
People:

Go in peace to follow the good road set before you.

Thanks be to God.

All sing the following hymn.

HYMN

HEARD THE VOICE OF


       

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This liturgy was composed by The Reverend Canon Jadon D. Hartsuff, February 2015.
The lyrics of the Opening Song, The Sound of Silence,
were written by Paul Simon between 1963-1964 for Simon and Garfunkels debut studio album Wednesday Morning, 3AM (1964).
The Opening Acclamation includes text from Isaiah 58:69.
The Confession and Absolution are inspired by and includes text from Psalm 51.
The Absolution was inspired by and includes text from Isaiah 58:9 and 11.
The text concluding the Peoples Prayers is the poem Our Neighbors as Ourselves,
by Janet Morley, in All Desires Known, Third Edition (Morehouse Publishing: 2006), p. 328.
Lyrics to the song Brave were written by Sarah Bareilles for her album The Blessed Unrest (2013).
The Communion and Closing Hymns are from The Hymnal 1982,
arranged for The Wilderness by Ryan McCarthy and Chad Johnson (2015).
The prayer after Communion is entitled Burden of Love, by Janet Morley,
in All Desires Known, Third Edition (Morehouse Publishing: 2006), p. 34

1350 Washington Street

Denver, CO 80203
( 303-831-7115
www.sjcathedral.org/wilderness