We join our hearts and voices to worship the living God though Jesus the Messiah.
Hymns: NHWS 368, 163, 25, 210
First Reading Acts 12:1-11
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
Psalm 125
R. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion that stands for ever.
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.
As the hills stand about Jerusalem, so the Lord stands round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore. R.
The sceptre of wickedness shall not hold sway
over the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous turn their hands to evil. R.
Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are true of heart.
Those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord shall take away with the evildoers;
but let there be peace upon Israel. R.
Second Reading 2 Timothy 4:6-8. 17-18
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.
Alleluia!
Gospel Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Intercessions
We pray for the Church, built on the rock of St Peter. May we have the persistence and courage of Peter, and the wisdom and insight of Paul, as we proclaim the Gospel in our own time and place.
We pray for the world, where the Gospel message of peace is so often drowned out by shouts of hatred and the noise of war. We ask God to strengthen the voices of those who try to make peace.
We pray for our local communities and our neighbours, for all who hold power and all who struggle with life; that the values of God’s kingdom may hold sway.
We pray for all who are in particular need, especially for any known to us who are ill or in distress, and for those who are imprisoned. May they know the consoling presence of Christ.
We pray for the departed, especially those we have known and loved, looking towards the day when all God’s creation will be renewed on earth as in heaven. This week we remember Norman Jessney, Florence Watson, Christine Hopper, Theresa Crosby, Boris Petrovs, Cathleen Gillard, Arthur Wiles, Freddie Curbeson, Kenneth Hatwell, Frank Stansfield.
Also check out other Sports events in Kingston Upon Hull, Festivals in Kingston Upon Hull.
