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SERVICE OF PRAISE
Greeting/Invocation
As the Jewish mother lights the candles at the beginning of Sabbath, Christians light (a) candle(s) at the beginning of Evening Prayer. In Advent, we light the candles of the Advent wreath. On this evening and for the next 7 days, we light the First & Second Candles on the Advent Wreath, and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Thanks be to God!
Let your face shine on us, O God;
~And we shall be saved.
ADVENT EVENING HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of the Advent Evening Hymn
O God of Light who made the stars,
O Dawning light of faith for all,
O Christ , you save the universe,
Now hear your people when we call.
Compassion moved your loving heart
When death assailed all humankind,
You came to save a weary world:
The sick to heal, the lost to find.
As this old world sank down towards night,
A Groom appeared to start the feast
From Virgin Mother, Bread and Light,
New Day, new Life, new Joy increased.
Before your name, O gentle Lord,
May every creature bend the knee,
May silent stars and planets praise
The One whose love sets all things free.
Be with us Lord, this Advent night,
as winter wombs our Earth with snow;
As cold and darkness play their part
gestating life from death below.
All glory, honor, thanks and praise,
to Abba and Emmanuel,
And to the Spirit in whose love,
all life and love forever dwell. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
One or more of the Antiphons for the Second Sunday of Advent may be sung with their respective Psalms.
Antiphon 1
Behold, Adonai shall appear in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory, alleluia.
Psalm 15/16
Protect me God, I turn to you for help.
I profess, “You are my Love, my greatest good.”
I once put trust in false gods,
the idols of the land.
Now I make no offerings to them,
nor do I invoke their names
Those who chase after them
simply add grief to their grief.
Adonai, you are my portion and cup,
the shape of my future;
you mark off the best place for me
to enjoy my place on the earth.
I bless God who teaches me,
who even at night directs my heart.
I am sure that God is right here beside me,
I can never be shaken.
And so my heart rejoices
my body thrills with life,
my whole being rests securely.
You will not abandon me to Sheol,
nor send your faithful one down to death.
You show me the road to life:
boundless joy as your companion for ever!
Behold, Adonai shall appear in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory, alleluia.
Antiphon 2
Zion is our strong city, a Savior will God appoint within her
for walls and ramparts.
Open wide the gates, for God our God is with us. Alleluia
Psalm 23/24b
Stretch toward heaven you gates,
open high and wide.
Let the glorious sovereign enter.
Who is this splendid ruler?
Adonai, Adonai Sabbaoth
The One who conquers the chaos.
Stretch toward heaven, you gates.
open high and wide.
Let the glorious sovereign enter.
Who is this splendid ruler?
Adonai of heaven’s glory
This splendid ruler is God.
Zion is our strong city, a Savior will God appoint within her
for walls and ramparts.
Open wide the gates, for God our God is with us. Alleluia
Antiphon 3
In the time appointed, Our Love will come, and not disappoint us.
Though he delay, wait for him, for he will surely come,
and will not be late, alleluia!
Psalm 23/24a
Yours, is the Earth, the world and its fullness
The world and all its peoples
It is you who set it on the seas,
on the waters you made it firm.
Who shall climb your mountain, Adonai,
and stand in your holy place?
Those with clean hands and pure hearts
Who desire no worthless thing.
They shall receive blessings from your Love
and reward from your saving Presence.
Such are the people who seek you,
Who seek the God of Jacob.
In the time appointed, Our Love will come, and not disappoint us.
Though he delay, wait for him, for he will surely come,
and will not be late, alleluia!
READING _________________________________ I Thessalonians 5:23-24
May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May the Holy One preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ . The One who calls is trustworthy, and will therefore do it!
Silent Reflection
Responsory
R. It is now the hour to wake from sleep, our Salvation is close at hand.
Canticle of Mary: Luke 1:46-55
Antiphon:
A Voice resounds in the desert:
Prepare the way of Adonai, make straight the path of our God.
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 through the WORD
In the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
A Voice resounds in the desert:
Prepare the way of Adonai, make straight the path of our God.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany
Let us call on the Beloved, the happiness of all who wait for God’s Reign:
~ Come, O Love, do not delay.
We wait in joyful hope
~For your Love to appear again.
You created the world, freeing all things to be;
~Walk with us now in beauty and peace.
You came to share life to the full
~Free all creation to flourish together.
You gather all in your loving embrace
~Show us again your radiant face.
Prayer of Jesus
You taught us to pray, Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Stir up our hearts, Adonai, to prepare the way for the Advent of your Incarnate Word; that through his coming, we may be ready with heart, mind and body to join in the healing and repair of this world, For yours is the glory and power of Love, now and forever. Amen.
All may make the sign of the Cross as we say:
May the peace of the Holy ONE+ which surpasses all understanding + guard our hearts and our minds in Jesus,+ our Emmanuel. Amen.
Let us bless Adonai. ~Thanks be to God.
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.