Triumph Of The Cross Participant Handout

Handout

We Gather

Welcome/Introduction & Sign of the Cross

Opening Prayer

Leader: Let us pray ...

All: Lifted up among us, O God,

is Jesus the crucified: sign of your steadfast love and pledge of your will to save.

May the whole world know the transforming power of your great love,

bringing us through death into life with and in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

We Listen

Scripture

Reader: from the letter of Paul to the Philippians (Phil 2: 6 - 11)

Though Christ Jesus was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.

Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ... Pause ...

Reflection (Leader)

We Respond

Ritual Action

Leader: For Christians, the Cross symbolizes this paradox: Life can come out of death! Each of you has a (paper/cardboard) cross in front of you.

I invite you to take a few moments to write a word or phrase that would express something of the pain you might be experiencing at present in your everyday life. (This could be your own personal pain or the pain of someone you know).

Write this on the horizontal bar of the cross...

Now let’s find another word or phrase to describe the glory or transformation that we hope for when we (or those of whom we are thinking) can surrender to and move through this pain.

Write this word or phrase along the vertical bar of the cross ...

We Go Forth

Blessing & Dismissal
Sign of Peace

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