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Service of Light
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Christmas Candles and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord! ~Thanks be to God!
The glory of Adonai will be revealed, ~ And all nations will see the glory of our God.
EVENING HYMN for Christmas Eve
Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending he,
Of the things that are that have been, And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.
O that birth forever blessed, When the virgin full of grace,
By the Holy Spir’t conceiving, Bore the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed his sacred face,
Evermore and evermore.
This is he whom seers in old time, Chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets Promised in their faithful word;
Now he shines, the long-expected; Let creation praise its Lord,
Evermore and evermore.
Christ to thee with God our Abba, And O Holy Spirit to thee,
Hymn and chant and glad thanksgiving, And unwearied praises be:
Honor, glory and dominion, And eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-413); Tune: 13th Century Plainsong
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1
The Maker of Peace is made glorious;
and all the world longs to see his face!
Psalm 145/146
My soul, sing praise to Adonai
I will praise Adonai all my days;
make music to my God while I live.
Never depend on rulers:
born of earth, they cannot save.
They die and turn to dust.
and all their plans simply crumble.
They are wise who depend on God,
who look to the Adonai of Jacob,
creator of heaven and earth
maker of the teeming sea.
Adonai keeps faith forever,
and is just to all who are oppressed,
the One who gives bread to the hungry
and sets all the prisoners free.
Adonai gives sight to the blind,
raises those whose bodies are bent,
protects refugees and strangers,
upholds and comforts widows and orphans.
Adonai is One who loves the just
and blocks the path of the wicked.
Adonai will reign forever
Sion’s God from one generation to the next..
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
The Maker of Peace is made glorious;
and all the world longs to see his face!
Antiphon 2
Mark how near is the Reign of God:
Surely it will soon appear.
Psalm 146/147
How good to sing God praise!
Sing to the One who is loving!
We cannot help but shout this praise!
Adonai rebuilds Jerusalem
and gathers the exiles of Israel;
healing the broken-hearted,
and binding up all of their wounds.
God fixes the number of the stars
and calls each one by its name.
Adonai is great and almighty;
wise beyond all telling:
For the Holy One raises the lowly and the poor,
while the wicked are humbled to the dust.
O sing to Adonai, giving thanks,
Sound the harp with psalms for our God,
Who stretches the heavens with clouds,
preparing rain for the Earth,
making mountains green with grass
and plants to serve everyone’s needs.
Adonai provides food for our cattle
and for young ravens when they call.
They are not impressed by the power of horses
nor by the strength and speed of a warrior.
For Adonai takes delight in the reverent;
and those who trust God’s compassion.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Mark how near is the Reign of God:
Surely it will soon appear.
Antiphon 3
Lift up your heads and look: your redemption is close at hand.
Psalm 147
O Praise Adonai, Jerusalem,
Zion, praise the Holy One.
God’s-Love gives strength to the little ones,
And courage to face their fears.
Peace to be their sure refuge,
Golden wheat to share at the feast.
God’s- Word cuts through the resistance
That fosters greed and conceit;
Sends snow heavy as wool
And scatters frost like ashes;
Hurls down hail like crumbs,
Freezes the waters with Winter.
God’s-Word melts them with Spring,
God’s-Breath makes the waters flow.
The Word is written on our hearts
To guide us with wisdom and justice;
That together we may share with all people
God’s ways of justice and truth.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
READING — Isaiah 52: 7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion: “Your God reigns!:
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of Adonai to Zion. Break forth together in singing, you ruins of Jerusalem;
for Adonai has comforted this people and has redeemed Jerusalem. Adonai has bared the holy arm in front of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Silent Reflection
Responsory
R. Today you will know *the Lord our God is coming.
V. And tomorrow you will see God’s glory.*Adonai our God is coming.
V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Breath of Love. R. Today …
Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55
Like the rising of the sun, you will see the One-Who-Saves
coming forth from our God, resplendent as a bridegroom.
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
Like the rising of the sun, you will see the One-Who-Saves
coming forth from our God, resplendent as a bridegroom.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
Let us pray to Christ our Savior:
~O Savior, save us.
Son of the living God:
~O Savior, save us.
Son of Adam, Abraham, Israel and David:
~O Savior, save us.
Son of Mary, Ruth, Rachel, Rebecca and Sarah:
~O Savior, save us.
One Promised by the holy prophets:
~O Savior, save us.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Dear Abba…
Closing Prayer and Blessing.
God of endless love and compassion, while silence held sway, and night was midway in its course, your all-powerful Word, issued forth from the royal throne room, to celebrate the wedding of Heaven and Earth. May our celebration of his birth at Bethlehem, kindle the torches of our hearts to welcome him and lead all people and all creation to his feast of unity, justice and peace, for he lives and loves with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
All may make the sign of the Cross as we say:
May Jesus, the light and life of the world + bless us and free us to love.
~ Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for Advent.
Marian Antiphon
Loving Mother of our Savior, holding open heaven’s only hope, Star for steerage in this vastness, rise to help us, save the sinking. Nature’s greatest Wonder: you have borne your own true Maker, giving human life to him. Virgin ever, before and after, that Good News from Gabriel, Word of Life for living, tell it now: mercy to all people!
The angel of the Lord brought the message to Mary.
~ And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. We ask, O Lord, that we who have been privileged to receive the Good News of the Incarnation of Christ, you Son, may be prepared through his passion and cross to approach also the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.