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SERVICE OF LIGHT

Greeting/Invocation

 We light the First and Second Candles on the Advent Wreath, and say or sing:

Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!

~Thanks be to God!

 

My soul magnifies Adonai;  ~

My spirit dances in God my Savior.

 

MARIAN EVENING HYMN

Mary, crowned with living light,
Temple of the Lord,
Place of peace and holiness,
Shelter of the Word.

 

Mystery of sinless life
In our fallen race,
Free from shadow, you reflect
Plenitude of grace.

 

Virgin-mother of our God,
Lift us when we fall,
Who were named upon the Cross
Mother of us all.

 

Abba, Word and Holy Breath,
Heaven sings your praise;
Mary Magnifies your name
Through eternal days.
_{Melody: St. Meinrad, CHANGING SEA 75.75. Text: Stanbrook Abbey}

 

SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

Antiphon: 

Ark of the Covenant! Mother of the Savior!

Throne of Wisdom, O Virgin Mary!

Psalm 147

O praise Adonai, Jerusalem!
Zion praise your God!

 

Who has strengthened the bars of your gates
and has blessed the children within you.
Who established peace on your borders,
and feeds you with finest wheat.

 

God sends out a word to the earth
and swiftly runs the command.
Showering snow white as wool,
and scattering frost like ashes.

 

Adonai hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen with winter;
God sends forth the Word and it melts them:
and with the Holy Breath the waters flow.

 

God reveals the way of life to Jacob,
to Israel saving laws and decrees.
God deals differently with other nations;
has not taught them these decrees.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the Breath of Love,

As always before

so now and evermore, Amen.

Ark of the Covenant! Mother of the Savior!

Throne of Wisdom, O Virgin Mary!

READING: Romans 8:29-30

Those whom God foreknew were predestined to share the image of the Son.

Those predestined were likewise called; those called were also justified.

 

 

Silent Reflection

Responsory  

R.  All humankind blesses you, *Holy Mother of God.

V. Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it * Holy Mother of God! 

V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.

Canticle of Mary          Luke 1:46-55

Antiphon:

This day a shoot has sprung from the stock of Jesse;

this day Mary was conceived without any stain of sin;

this day the head of the ancient serpent was crushed through her, alleluia!

 

It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.

My heart + is radiant with Adonai,

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 the WORD 

And to the BREATH of Love! 

As always before, 

so now and evermore.  Amen

This day a shoot has sprung from the stock of Jesse;

this day Mary was conceived without any stain of sin;

this day the head of the ancient serpent was crushed through her, alleluia!

SERVICE OF PRAYER

Prayer of Jesus

Our Dear Abba…

Intercessory Prayer

May your mercy embrace all the faithful,

~From one generation to the next.

 

Reveal the power of your arm,

~scatter our pride and conceit.

 

Dethrone the power of our arrogance

~empty our hoarding of riches.

 

Lift up the lowly,

~And fill the hungry with good things. 

 

Rescue your servants from suffering,

 ~Show us your loving kindness.

 

Maranatha!

~ Come, Our Savior, Come!

Closing Prayer and Blessing

Gracious God, you showed great favor to Mary of Nazareth and asked her to bring your eternal Word into the world, to stand with him in his passion and death, and to rejoice in his resurrection.  May we follow her example  and  carry your liberating Word into a world that still longs for the poor to be lifted up, and the hungry to be filled with good things.  May all who celebrate her feast this day work together for the freedom and flourishing of all people and the whole of creation.   We ask this through Jesus, the Incarnate Word, who lives and loves with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

 

May the One who makes justice to rain down from the heights, + shower us and all on Earth with compassion and peace.  Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai.

~Thanks be to God.

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.

 

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.