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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!

 

Stay with us Lord for it is evening,

~And the day is almost over.

 

MONDAY EVENING HYMN

The blazing energies of light,

unleashed when God said, “Let it be,”

in fusion formed the womb of life,

the rain clouds and the raging sea.

 

These parted, each to its domain,

divided by the vault of sky;

untamed and turbulent, unchecked,

within them life and death would vie.

 

Those waters clothed our planet home,

so terrible and yet so fair:

the gift without which all would cease,

yet placed, so fragile, in our care.

 

Both sign and sacrament of life,

of love awash, poured out and fresh:

engulfing all that sin would spawn,

while nurt’ring life in all the rest.

 

Thus evening came and morning came

that second day when waters burst:

both flood and freshness for our world,

chaste herald of our second birth.  Amen.

Text: Aelred-Seton Shanley; Tune: Plainsong

 

 

 SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

 Antiphon

I lie down in peace, and sleep comes at once

for Adonai makes me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4

When I call, answer me, O God of Justice!

from oppression you released me,

have mercy now, and hear me!

 

You rebels, how long

will keep your hearts closed,

will you love what is useless

and seek what is stupid and false?

 

It is Adonai who is kind

to those who are generous in mercy;

I pray that Adonai

will hear whenever I call.

 

Tremble, do not sin,

ponder on your bed and be still.

Make justice your sacrifice

and trust in our God.

 

Many people ask,

“What will make me happy?”

Let your face shine on us, O Adonai,

For you have put into our hearts greater joy,

than others provide with abundance of food and barrels of wine.

 

I lie down in peace, and sleep comes at once

for you, Adonai, make me dwell in safety.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love;

as always before,

so now and evermore. Amen.

I lie down in peace, and sleep comes at once

for Adonai makes me dwell in safety.

Reading   Mark 5:14-19

The people came out to see what had happened.
As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,sitting there clothed and in his right mind.
And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine.
Then the people began to beg him to leave their district.
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him.

Responsory

R. “Go home to your family and announce to them *all that our God in great mercy has done for you.” V. Then the man went off and proclaimed in the whole region, what Jesus had done for him; and *all that our God in great mercy has done for you.

Gospel Canticle of Mary

Antiphon

 

That evening as the sun was setting they brought to Jesus

all the sick with those who had unclean spirits.

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

That evening as the sun was setting they brought to Jesus

all the sick with those who had unclean spirits.

 

Service of Prayer

Litany of Intercession

For all who thirst—whose lives are endangered by lack of safe water to drink—whose crops and livestock whither from lack of rain, ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For the millions of women and girls who spend much of their days fetching water for their families, animals and crops, ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who suffer from too much water—from tsunamis and floods—and from the death and destruction, dampness and disease carried in the aftermath, ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For those who hoard water, who waste it or pollute it—forcing others to pay excessively for water that rightfully belongs to all, ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For those whose bodies, minds and spirits languish—cut off from the endless flow of God’s love enfleshed in self and others, in all creatures and all of creation, ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

Creator God, we stand in wonder and awe before your gift of water that brings life and nourishment through streams and rivers, marshes and swamps, lakes, seas and oceans!  We marvel at water’s beauty and diversity of forms in dew and mist, rain and snow, hail and ice, humidity, vapor and steam.  As we celebrate  the creation and distribution of water on this second day of the week, strengthen our commitment to conserve and share this gift with wisdom and respect.  As this feast also commemorates the life of Saint Blaise, join our prayers to his for the physical, mental, spiritual and ecological health of all people and all creation.  For yours is the glory and power of love now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the God of all creation +   bless us with a hunger and thirst for justice.   Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai!    ~And give thanks to God.

 

Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon. Ave Regina Caelorum is sung from the 3rd of February until Good Friday, inclusive.

Queen of the heavens we greet you, Queen of Angels 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, holy Mother of God.

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.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we be freed from present sorrow and attain eternal happiness.  We ask this through Christ our Love.  Amen.