Garlands for Ashes

Acting out Isaiah 61

Players:

• The Servant of the Lord
• The Mourner
• The Mourner’s friends

Needed:

• Garlands
• Oil for chrisming
• A ‘mantel of praise’

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The Mourner and one of the Mourner’s friend go to the first landing of the stair, The Mourner’s friend and the Mourner begin to descend the stairs as the Servant says:

The Servant: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”

The Servant: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give to them:

• a garland instead of ashes (A friend puts a garland on the Mourner)
• the oil of gladness instead of mourning (A friend chrisms the Mourner with a cross of oil)
• the mantel of praise instead of a faint spirit. (A friend puts the mantel on the Mourner)

The Mourner and the friends walk into the worship space.

The Mourner: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Time of prayer

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