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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
For forty days Christ fasted, fed upon his Abba’s every word–
all for the joy that lay ahead; such were his pleas, his prayer was heard.
Though one with God he plunged his heart deep in the world’s unfathomed pain;
he wrestled demons, hunger, thirst, that we in him may do the same.
In Christ our journey is revealed: his face set toward Jerusalem.
Where he, our head, goes, so must we: the church, his body, one with him.
O Abba, Food of those who fast, O Christ in whom the least are known,
Earth’s rising sap, O Spirit-spring: come raise to life what you have sown! Amen.
Tune: ERHALT’ UNS HERR (1547); Text: Aelred Seton-Shanley
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
PSALMODY
Antiphon/Refrain
If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.
Psalm 94/95
Come ring out our joy to Adonai; hail the Rock who saves us.
Let us come to God’s presence, giving thank, with songs, let us hail Adonai!
A mighty God is Adonai. In whose hands are the depths of the Earth.
The heights of the mountain’s are God’s, to whom belongs the sea and the dry land
shaped by those Hands.
Come in, let us bow and bend low. Let us kneel before God who made us. For God is our God and we the people of God’s pasture, the flock that is led by those Hands.
O that today you would hear God’s voice; harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day in the dessert when your forbearers tested me; when they tried me, though they saw my works.
Setting: Tobias Colgan, OSB, alt.
READING I Corinthians 1: 27b-30
God singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong. The Holy One chose the world’s lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were something; so that humankind can do no boasting before God. God it is who has given you life in Christ Jesus; and has made him our wisdom and our justice, our sanctification and our redemption.
Responsory
R. On that day, all idols will be thrown down *and Adonai alone will be exalted V. Human pride will be humbled and the arrogance of men will be brought low * and Adonai alone will be exalted. V. Glory to the Holy One, and the Word and the Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
The Holy One who sent me is Truth,
and what I learn from God I share with the world.
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
The Holy One who sent me is Truth,
and what I learn from God I share with the world.
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
You call us from living by worldly values;
~ teach us the values of the Reign of Heaven.
You call us from selfishness and greed;
~ teach us the values of compassion and generosity.
You call us from elitism and exclusivism;
~ teach us the values of equality and solidarity.
You call us from rivalry and domination;
~teach us the values of cooperation and loving service.
You call us from segregation and isolation;
~teach us the values of inclusion and hospitality.
You call us from waste and destruction;
~ teach us the values of stewardship and restoration.
You call us from obsessions with speed and convenience;
~teach us the values of patience and perseverance.
You call us from frenzy and worry;
~ teach us the values of serenity and peace.
Prayer of Jesus
Abba in Heaven, holy is your Name!
May your reign of love come and your way of loving be lived on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us no more than the bread we need for today. Forgive us our sins as we forgive all those who have harmed or wronged us. Keep us free in times of temptation and protect us from evil. For yours is the glory and power of love, both now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
May the Spirit of God + kindle in our hearts the love of God and neighbor that is the fulfillment of the law. ~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 Light. Amen.