St. Ignatius of Antioch

St.Ignatius

October 17 – St. Ignatius of Antioch

Invitation to Worship

Come, let us sing to Adonai, let us praise the God of all creation!

We make the Sign of the Cross over our  lips as we begin.

O Holy ONE + open my lips,

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

 

Let all creation praise the greatness of God!

Let the universe extol the glory of Adonai!

 

MORNING HYMN

All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .

A martyr’s victory we sing

And for ourselves such strength implore

as Christ in other body-ing

Is put to death by sin once more.

 

No greater love than this is found

For members and their head alike;

His passion is repeated, round:

“Me Saul, it is; yes Me you strike!”

 

The sign of contradiction glares:

The Lifted One draws all who heed;

Rejection festers, fury flares,

The storm but spreads the Church’s seed.

 

The glory crowning life is death,

God’s Glory: Abba, Spirit, Son,

So fill and overwhelm our breath

Until all suffering is done.  Amen.

Text: St. Meinrad Archabbey, 1968; Tune: Plainsong MODE VIII

 

PSALMODY

REFRAIN

The time for my birth is close at hand;

I desire to belong to God.

Canticle of the Three Children (Dan 3:57-87)

You angels and all powers of Adonai,

O heavens and all waters above the heavens.

Sun and moon and stars of  the sky,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

Every shower of rain and fall of dew,

all winds and fire and heat.

Winter and summer,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

O  chill and cold,

drops of dew and flakes of snow.

Frost and cold, ice and sleet,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

O Mother Earth,

O mountains and hills and valleys.

All that grows upon the earth,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

O springs of  water, seas and streams,

O whales and all that move in the waters.

All birds of  the air,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

O beasts of the wild,

and all you flocks and herds.

All women and men everywhere,

glorify Adonai.

Praise God and highly exalt God for ever!

 

Let us glorify the ONE, and the WORD

and exalt the HOLY BREATH.

In the firmament of God’s power and love,

glorify Adonai.

The time for my birth is close at hand;

I desire to belong to God.

 

READING     Letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Romans

I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God.

No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire.

 

Silent Prayer

 

Responsory

R. If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God * Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are below.   Alleluia!   V. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are below.   Alleluia!
V.  Glory to the Abba, and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.

 

 

Canticle of Zachary–  Luke 1:68-79

 Antiphon

I seek the One who died for us;

I long for Christ who rose for our sake.

 

Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,

Who visits this people to set us free

Raising for us a sign of salvation

In the house and family of David.

 

God promised throughout past ages

In words of holy prophets

To save us from our enemies,

And from the control of our oppressors.

 

Adonai favored our ancestors

And remembered the sacred covenant.

The pledge to Abraham and Sarah

Is now renewed for us;

 

That freed from the grip of our foes

We might worship without fear

And be both just and holy

For the rest of our days.

 

And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”

Will go ahead to prepare the way,

By teaching this people of salvation

Through forgiveness of their sins.

 

For the loving compassion of the Holy One

As the Rising Sun will shine upon us

To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow

To guide our feet on the way of peace.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

and to the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen.

I seek the One who died for us;

I long for Christ who rose for our sake.

Intercessory Prayer

You created all things and found everything you made to be very good;

help us to live as your image, loving and caring for  all of creation.

 

You called St. Ignatius to continue teaching the love he learned from the Apostles,

~may all with ministry in the church imitate his humility and compassion.

 

Through the practice of patience and a willingness to lay down his life, Ignatius hoped to be wheat ground into the pure bread of Christ;

~ may we permit suffering to transform us into bread for the world.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Dear Abba…

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

O God of endless life and wisdom, through the folly of the Cross
you wondrously taught Saint Ignatius of Antioch the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Grant us the wisdom to discern the truth of the Gospel that we may become steadfast in faith and in service together with all your saints,  For yours is the glory and power of love now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the God of all Wisdom +   bless us with Understanding and Knowledge, Counsel and Courage, Reverence and Loving Kindness  Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai!    ~Thanks to God.