By stretching out his arms on the cross as he was being nailed to it, Jesus offers himself as a total sacrifice for our salvation. The prophet Isaiah said of the suffering servant, “He is a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering” But, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” We pray for those who are in pain, particularly those people who are being tortured, those who are bedridden and those who are terminally ill.

Lord God, you sent your only Son to redeem the world by his obedience even to death on the cross. Grant that the continual memory of his bitter cross and passion may teach us so to crucify the lusts of our flesh that dying to sin and living to you we may die with him and rise again with him and live with him for ever. Amen.

Holy God
Holy and strong
Holy and immortal
Have mercy on us all.