Our Wounds Are Healed
Worship
On Eagles' Wings
Thematic Prayer, Meditation, And Services Of The Word For Christian Burial
(Family and friends are called to silence for the opening of the prayer service.)
Opening Invocation
Leader: In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).
We are gathered here to celebrate the victory over death that _____________ whose earthly sickness, sins, and scars have been healed by the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Great Healer.
After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed (Matthew 14:35--36).
Responsive Reading from Psalm 30:1--2, 4--5
Reader: I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
Response: And did not let my foes rejoice over me.
Reader: O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
Response: And you have healed me.
Reader: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
Response: And give thanks to his holy name.
Reader: For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime.
Response: Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Prayer
Leader: Let us pray. Father, you have promised us eternal life through your Son, Jesus Christ. Through his wounds, we find healing on earth and in heaven. We thank you for this immeasurable gift. You have given us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and though our tears flow, you dry them with the joy of our salvation. Amen.
Old Testament Responsive Reading from Isaiah 58:8--11
Reader: Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;
Response: Your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Reader: Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help,
Response: And he will say, Here I am.
Reader: If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
Response: Then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
Reader: The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;
Response: And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
New Testament Reading from Acts 4:8--12; Mark 5:38--42
Leader: God heals our wounds of body and spirit. In the gift of God's Son, Jesus, our healing is made complete, for we have been offered perfection through our salvation. We hear this from Peter in Acts 4:8--12:
Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is "the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone." There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.
The Gospels record many miracles of healing. Touching the hem of Jesus' garments gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, mobility to the paralyzed and lame, sanity to those filled with demons. The Gospel of Mark records a greater miracle, the raising of a child from death to life. We see these miracles as a foreshadowing of Jesus' ultimate purpose on earth, our salvation, by offering us life after death. We read in Mark 5:38--42:
When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, [Jesus] saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.
Responsive Reading from Isaiah 53:3--5
Reader: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
Response: And as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Reader: Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases;
Response: Yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
Reader: But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
Response: Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Meditation and Prayer
Leader: In his suffering and death, Jesus gave us life. Let us reflect on the readings we heard a few moments ago. (Silence) Let us pray. Almighty God, you look over us in our frailty, pain, and sorrow, and you give us healing here on earth. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving us your Son, wounded and stricken for our sins, so that we may be healed from sin and death and have a home with you in heaven. In his name we pray. Amen.
Reading from Luke 6:18--23, 27--28, 31
Reader: They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Leader: Jesus reminds us in the reading we just heard that we are to "Love our enemies" and "Do to others as you would have them do to you." We know this is difficult. We may recall many examples of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and love which _____________ has offered to us. Let us take a moment of silence of think of ways in which _____________ touched our lives. (Silence) Now I will ask the family and friends if there are any memories or thoughts that you would like to share with those of us here.
A Time for Sharing (The leader will allow time for recollections.)
Comfort for the Living
Reader: For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will lead them and repay them with comfort, creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them (Isaiah 57:15, 18--19).
Responsive Reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1--4, 11
Reader: For everything there is a season,
Response: And a time for every matter under heaven:
Reader: A time to be born, and a time to die;
Response: A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
Reader: A time to kill, and a time to heal;
Response: A time to break down, and a time to build up;
Reader: A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
Response: A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
All: He has made everything suitable for its time.
Leader: Let us pray the prayer that our Lord taught us:
All: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Leader: I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes. Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer (Psalm 6:6--9).
Heavenly Father, you look into our hearts and offer comfort and peace to those who mourn. "You heal the brokenhearted and bind their wounds." Daily, we taste the fruits of our lives - war, peace, riches, poverty, joy, sorrow, life, and death. Help us to remember that each has its season. Teach us to accept the fruits of our days. We go in confidence that ______________ lives with you in heaven. We thank you for your healing hand and for the gift you have given us, Jesus Christ, our Great Healer, in whose name we pray. Amen.
(The service is concluded.)
Service Program For Distribution
Our Wounds Are Healed
(The participants will read the portions of the service marked with Response and All.)
Opening Invocation
Responsive Reading from Psalm 30:1--2, 4--5
Reader: I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
Response: And did not let my foes rejoice over me.
Reader: O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
Response: And you have healed me.
Reader: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
Response: And give thanks to his holy name.
Reader: For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime.
Response: Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Prayer
Old Testament Responsive Reading from Isaiah 58:8--11
Reader: Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;
Response: Your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Reader: Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help,
Response: And he will say, Here I am.
Reader: If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
Response: Then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
Reader: The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;
Response: And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
New Testament Reading from Acts 4:8--12; Mark 5:38--42
Responsive Reading from Isaiah 53:3--5
Reader: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
Response: And as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Reader: Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases;
Response: Yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
Reader: But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
Response: Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Meditation and Prayer
Reading from Luke 6:18--23, 27--28, 31
A Time for Sharing
Comfort for the Living
Responsive Reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1--4, 11
Reader: For everything there is a season,
Response: And a time for every matter under heaven:
Reader: A time to be born, and a time to die;
Response: A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
Reader: A time to kill, and a time to heal;
Response: A time to break down, and a time to build up;
Reader: A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
Response: A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
All: He has made everything suitable for its time.
The Lord's Prayer
All: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Opening Invocation
Leader: In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).
We are gathered here to celebrate the victory over death that _____________ whose earthly sickness, sins, and scars have been healed by the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Great Healer.
After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed (Matthew 14:35--36).
Responsive Reading from Psalm 30:1--2, 4--5
Reader: I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
Response: And did not let my foes rejoice over me.
Reader: O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
Response: And you have healed me.
Reader: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
Response: And give thanks to his holy name.
Reader: For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime.
Response: Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Prayer
Leader: Let us pray. Father, you have promised us eternal life through your Son, Jesus Christ. Through his wounds, we find healing on earth and in heaven. We thank you for this immeasurable gift. You have given us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and though our tears flow, you dry them with the joy of our salvation. Amen.
Old Testament Responsive Reading from Isaiah 58:8--11
Reader: Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;
Response: Your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Reader: Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help,
Response: And he will say, Here I am.
Reader: If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
Response: Then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
Reader: The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;
Response: And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
New Testament Reading from Acts 4:8--12; Mark 5:38--42
Leader: God heals our wounds of body and spirit. In the gift of God's Son, Jesus, our healing is made complete, for we have been offered perfection through our salvation. We hear this from Peter in Acts 4:8--12:
Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is "the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone." There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.
The Gospels record many miracles of healing. Touching the hem of Jesus' garments gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, mobility to the paralyzed and lame, sanity to those filled with demons. The Gospel of Mark records a greater miracle, the raising of a child from death to life. We see these miracles as a foreshadowing of Jesus' ultimate purpose on earth, our salvation, by offering us life after death. We read in Mark 5:38--42:
When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, [Jesus] saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.
Responsive Reading from Isaiah 53:3--5
Reader: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
Response: And as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Reader: Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases;
Response: Yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
Reader: But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
Response: Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Meditation and Prayer
Leader: In his suffering and death, Jesus gave us life. Let us reflect on the readings we heard a few moments ago. (Silence) Let us pray. Almighty God, you look over us in our frailty, pain, and sorrow, and you give us healing here on earth. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving us your Son, wounded and stricken for our sins, so that we may be healed from sin and death and have a home with you in heaven. In his name we pray. Amen.
Reading from Luke 6:18--23, 27--28, 31
Reader: They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Leader: Jesus reminds us in the reading we just heard that we are to "Love our enemies" and "Do to others as you would have them do to you." We know this is difficult. We may recall many examples of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and love which _____________ has offered to us. Let us take a moment of silence of think of ways in which _____________ touched our lives. (Silence) Now I will ask the family and friends if there are any memories or thoughts that you would like to share with those of us here.
A Time for Sharing (The leader will allow time for recollections.)
Comfort for the Living
Reader: For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will lead them and repay them with comfort, creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them (Isaiah 57:15, 18--19).
Responsive Reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1--4, 11
Reader: For everything there is a season,
Response: And a time for every matter under heaven:
Reader: A time to be born, and a time to die;
Response: A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
Reader: A time to kill, and a time to heal;
Response: A time to break down, and a time to build up;
Reader: A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
Response: A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
All: He has made everything suitable for its time.
Leader: Let us pray the prayer that our Lord taught us:
All: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Leader: I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes. Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer (Psalm 6:6--9).
Heavenly Father, you look into our hearts and offer comfort and peace to those who mourn. "You heal the brokenhearted and bind their wounds." Daily, we taste the fruits of our lives - war, peace, riches, poverty, joy, sorrow, life, and death. Help us to remember that each has its season. Teach us to accept the fruits of our days. We go in confidence that ______________ lives with you in heaven. We thank you for your healing hand and for the gift you have given us, Jesus Christ, our Great Healer, in whose name we pray. Amen.
(The service is concluded.)
Service Program For Distribution
Our Wounds Are Healed
(The participants will read the portions of the service marked with Response and All.)
Opening Invocation
Responsive Reading from Psalm 30:1--2, 4--5
Reader: I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
Response: And did not let my foes rejoice over me.
Reader: O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
Response: And you have healed me.
Reader: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
Response: And give thanks to his holy name.
Reader: For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime.
Response: Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Prayer
Old Testament Responsive Reading from Isaiah 58:8--11
Reader: Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;
Response: Your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Reader: Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help,
Response: And he will say, Here I am.
Reader: If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
Response: Then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
Reader: The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;
Response: And you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
New Testament Reading from Acts 4:8--12; Mark 5:38--42
Responsive Reading from Isaiah 53:3--5
Reader: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
Response: And as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Reader: Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases;
Response: Yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
Reader: But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
Response: Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.
Meditation and Prayer
Reading from Luke 6:18--23, 27--28, 31
A Time for Sharing
Comfort for the Living
Responsive Reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1--4, 11
Reader: For everything there is a season,
Response: And a time for every matter under heaven:
Reader: A time to be born, and a time to die;
Response: A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
Reader: A time to kill, and a time to heal;
Response: A time to break down, and a time to build up;
Reader: A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
Response: A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
All: He has made everything suitable for its time.
The Lord's Prayer
All: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
