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Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
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.
EVENING HYMN
A light shone forth upon this earth Its glow was from above:
Life strove to reach a glad rebirth Through death to perfect love.
Spring stayed her not upon her way Who heard its call aright:
It heralded the dawn of day In timeless Paschal light.
Nor darkest night of winter’s gloom Her purpose could retard;
Her Love had risen from a tomb, What venture was too hard?
Her virgin heart thus ever free To love all God had made,
Knew joy in its supreme degree– Christ’s joy which does not fade.
Praise then the Abba, Word divine and Spirit in glad song,
Around whose throne like stars that shine, Christ’s faithful virgin throng. Amen.
Text: Stanbrook Abbey (1971); Tune: DETROIT C.M.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon
At midnight the cry was heard:
“Behold the bridegroom comes, go to meet him.” Alleluia!
Psalm 120/121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains:
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from Adonai
who made heaven and earth!
May God never allow you to stumble!
May your guard never sleep;
No, God sleeps not nor slumbers–
Adonai, Israel’s guard.
Adonai is your guard and your shade;
standing right there at your side.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
Adonai will guard you from evil;
God will guard your soul.
Adonai will guard your going and coming,
both now and for ever.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
At midnight the cry was heard:
“Behold the bridegroom comes, go to meet him.” Alleluia!
Reading Isaiah 66:10-13
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; Exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, That you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts!
For thus says ADONAI: Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bodies flourish like the grass; The power of Adonai shall be known to all who serve.
Responsory
R. This you shall see and be glad at heart: *As a mother comforts her child, who shall I myself comfort you. V. You shall be carried in my arms and fondled on my knees *As a mother comforts her child, who shall I myself comfort you. V. Glory to the ONE, to the WORD, and to the Holy BREATH of Life.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
Blessed are you, Abba, God of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your Reign.
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
Blessed are you, Abba, God of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your Reign.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
With St. Therese, help us to realize we can nourish ourselves on nothing but truth.
As was the case with Therese, our vocation is love. Help us to hear you calling us to be love, and then be all things.
Do not allow us to miss a single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right thing and doing it all for love.
For Therese, prayer was a surge of the heart; a simple look turned toward heaven, a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy; teach us to pray.
Remind us that “Holiness consists simply in doing Your will, and being just what You want us to be.”
May we be ready today with a word or a smile , which is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.
Help us simply to live from one moment to another; look only to the present, forget the past and take good care not to forestall the future.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. We rejoice today in the fellowship of your blessed servant Therese and we give you thanks for her life of simple love and profound wisdom which continue to delight and inspire us. Fill us with life and light, and give us perseverance to serve you all our days; For yours is the power and glory of love now and forever. Amen.
May the Love of Christ inspire us with compassion for all who suffer,
and may he bring us all to everlasting life. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai! ~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Salve Regina.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Salve Regina
Marian Antiphon
Mother of Mercy, Our Queen we greet you. Our life, our hope, our happiness we hail you. We call to you as Eve’s own children, and exiles. To you we lift our hearts in sorrow and fear, in this valley of tears. Turn then, our loving Advocate, and look with favor upon us. And after our life in exile, show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O gracious, O loving, O Virgin benign, our Mother Mary.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God;
~ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. Holy, Mighty and Immortal God, through the working of the Holy Spirit, you prepared the body and soul of the glorious virgin Mother Mary, as a worthy dwelling for your Word; grant that we, who celebrate her memory each evening, may with the help of her prayers, be freed from ever-present evil, and come to share the fulness of life eternal. Amen.