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SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Evening Candle and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Thanks be to God!
O Adonai, You are my lamp;
~My God, You illumine my darkness.
EVENING HYMN for LENT
Jesus calls us out of darkness To the wonder of his light.
See your dignity, O Christian, Rescued from eternal night.
See the glory of your calling, Brothers, Sisters of the Lord,
Calling God alone your Abba Through the love that Christ outpoured.
Turn away from all corruption, Be a sign before the world
Of the love our Abba shows us In the gentle mighty Word.
Be the light upon the lampstand, Be the city on the hill.
Be the men and women toiling, Seeking but our Abba’s will.
Abba, hear your children call you In the name of Christ your own;
Send the Spirit whom he promised That in him we may be one.
So the world will come to know you in the One who came and died,
For your love will be reflected In the mirror of our lives.
Text: Ralph Wright, OSB, alt. Tune DOMHNACH TRIONOIDE 87 87 D
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Let us walk while we have the light
that the darkness may not overcome us.
Psalm 18/19b
The law of Adonai is perfect,
it revives the soul.
God’s teachings can be trusted
they give wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of Adonai are right,
they delight the heart.
The commands of God are clear,
they sharpen our vision.
Reverence for God is holy,
it abides forever.
The truth of these decrees
are revealed in their justice.
They are worth more than gold,
than the purest of gold
and their taste richer than honey,
than honey from the comb.
Keeping them is our reward,
for through them we walk in light.
Yet sins remain within us,
forgive my hidden faults.
Keep my pride in check
break the grip of my arrogance.
Then I shall be free of blame
and from deadly sin.
May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
remain in your good grace,
My rescuer and my rock!
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Let us walk while we have the light
that the darkness may not overcome us.
Reading Leviticus 19: 1-2; 13-18
ADONAI said to Moses,
“Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:
Be holy, for I, ADONAI your God, am holy.
“You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God. I am ADONAI.
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge each other justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am ADONAI.
“You shall not bear hatred for your kin in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove one another
do not incur sin because of another.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow citizens.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am ADONAI.”
Responsory
R. Adonai does deeds of justice *and gives judgment for all who are oppressed.
V. Adonai is compassion and love *and gives judgment for all who are oppressed.
V. Glory to the ONE, to the WORD, and to the Holy BREATH of Life.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
As often as you did it for one of these siblings of mine,
insignificant though they seem to be,
you did it for me, says Jesus our Love.
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
My heart + is radiant with the Lord,
My whole being delights in God my Savior.
All people now will call me blessed
For God has loved this humble handmaid.
The Almighty has shown me great favor
Holy is the NAME,
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
From one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God,
Scatters the proud in their own conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones
While lifting up the lowly:
Fills the famished with bounty,
And reveals the emptiness of riches.
Rescues lowly Israel,
Sharing such loving kindness,
As promised to our ancestors
To Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants forever.
Glory to the ONE and to WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
As often as you did it for one of these siblings of mine,
insignificant though they seem to be,
you did it for me, says Jesus our Love.
.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
When you are hungry and we form task forces to discuss food deserts or proper nutrition for the poor… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are in prison and we insist on tougher sentencing for crimes and the building of more prisons… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are naked and we debate the morality of your appearance… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are sick or injured and we thank God for our own health… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are homeless and we build mansions for ourselves while preaching the spiritual shelter of the love of God…
~ Forgive us O God.
When you are lonely and we avoid you by promising to pray for you… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we seem so holy, so close to God– but you are still very hungry, and lonely and cold… ~ Forgive us O God.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer
God of Life and Liberation, in his teaching, his parables and his example, Jesus revealed that to live fully as the image of God, each of us is called and gifted to meet the real, practical needs of our sisters and brothers. May our celebration of this holy season rehearse us in living by his values and bring us closer to realizing the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life that your love offers to us and all creation both now and forever. ~Amen.
Blessing
May the God of all Compassion + fill our hearts with loving-kindness for all those who suffer from want and neglect. Amen.
Let us bless Adonai! ~And give thanks to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon.
Queen of the heavens we greet you, Queen of Angels now we entreat you,
Fairest flower, heaven’s portal From whom came the Light immortal.
Matchless maiden, God did raise you For the Universe to praise you.
Hear us, O hear us, dear Mother; Show your children Jesus, our brother.
Pray for us, O Gracious Queen of the Universe.
~ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O Gracious God, grant to your people lasting health of mind and of body. Send us your assistance in times of temptation. May we who celebrate the memory of the Holy Mother of God, rise from our sins by the help of her intercession. We ask this through Christ our Love. Amen.