Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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 light;
~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 the one who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.
Psalm 37/38
Adonai, I deserve an angry rebuke,
a punishment for what I have done;
Arrows have sunk deep in me
I feel as if your hand has come down on me:
My bones are brittle, my body withers,
through my sin, no health or wholeness remains.
My guilt towers higher than my head;
it is a weight to heavy to bear.
My wounds are foul and festering,
the result of my own folly.
I am bent over and brought to my knees
I walk in misery all day long.
A fever now consumes me,
there is no health in my body.
Feeble and broken I cry out,
groaning from the heart.
Adonai, you see what I long for,
you hear my sighs and my groaning.
My heart pounds, my strength is spent,
the light of my eyes is snuffed out.
Friends and neighbors avoid me;
everyone keeps their distance.
Others plot against me and lay snares,
seek my ruin and speak of harm,
hatching plots and spreading lies.
Like someone born deaf or unable to speak
I can no longer hear and I have no defense.
I wait for you, O Adonai,
and you, my God will answer.
I pray: “Do not let them gloat,
or mock and laugh when I fall.”
For I am about to collapse,
there is no relief from my pain.
I know my guilt and confess my sin;
I regret what I have done.
My enemies are many and strong;
they hate and tell lies without cause.
Those who deal evil for good
blame me for seeking what is right.
Adonai, do not abandon or forsake me!
My God, do not stay so far away!
Hurry, Adonai, and help me!
For you are God, my Savior!
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Let the one who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.
Reading Philippians 3:8-11
I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and [the] sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Responsory
R. I cry aloud to the Holy One: *”Arise, O Adonai, and save me my God!”
V. How many are my foes O Adonai! How many are rising up against me!
V. Glory to the One and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
“Woman, has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord.”
“Then neither do I condemn you. Go your way and sin no more.”
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
“Woman, has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord.”
“Then neither do I condemn you. Go your way and sin no more.”
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
When we attempt to remove splinters from the eyes of others but refuse to acknowledge and deal with the beams in our own eyes… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we are horrified and indignant about scandals and corruption among religious or political leaders, but easily justify our own lack of honesty and integrity … ~ Forgive us O God.
When we accuse victims of sexual abuse of “asking for it;” and accept as “normal” that men use women as possessions, ego-supports or proofs of their own masculinity…
~ Forgive us O God.
When we condemn and imprison women for prostitution but refuse to prosecute the men who purchase their services… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we spend time and resources policing what goes on in bedrooms and ignore the sins committed in boardrooms… ~ 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 your forgiveness–given-before-we-ask–is the greatest power in dealing with personal and social sin. May all who have experienced your forgiveness and loving kindness join you in showing compassion to others, especially those who are trapped in self-destructive behaviors or systemic injustice. ~Amen.
Blessing
May the God of Compassion + fill our hearts with loving-kindness for ourselves and for all those who suffer. 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 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 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.