Gracious God, on this day we gather to remember the suffering and death of Jesus. He was despised and rejected, oppressed and afflicted, yet he was prepared to be wounded for our transgressions. We come overwhelmed by the depth of Jesus' love for us, and his commitment to defeat evil, even when that meant his own suffering and his own death. In his willingness to make us righteous, he poured himself out to death, even death on a cross, and so, in response to such love and sacrifice, we commit ourselves as his disciples to overcome evil with good, and suffering with wholeness. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.