ADVENT III

 Gaudete Candles

* Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete:

modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus; Dominus prope est!

Nihil sollicitisitis, sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum. 

[Translation at bottom of this post]

 

 

O Holy ONE + open my lips,

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Blest is the One who comes in the NAME of our God

~Hosanna in the highest!

 

ADVENT MORNING HYMN

A herald’s voice is calling out, rebuking darkness with a shout:

Throw all those nightmares far away, Christ comes with dawn to wake the day!

 

The lazy mind, the sordid heart, are roused to waken with a start;

Come watch the New Star at its rise; it shines upon the morning skies.

 

The Lamb is sent from heights above, to show this people how to love;

So let us rise, fling off the night, and join Christ in the ways of light.

 

Though greed and loneliness appear to have an upper hand this year,

Give us a voice that all may hear the Good News that your Reign is near!  Amen.

 

PSALMODY

Psalm 64/65a

Antiphon

O Jerusalem, look up and see the power of your God.

Behold a savior comes to set you free.


 To You our praise is due

O God in Zion

To You do we commit our lives,

for you are the One who hears our prayer.

 

To you do we come

when we have gone astray.

When our transgressions weigh us down

You are the One who sets us free.

 

Blessed are those you invite

and welcome to your dwelling.

You fill us with the bounty of your house,

and the holiness of your temple.

 

You keep your promise with wonders,

O Adonai, our savior,

You are the hope of all on Earth

even the most distant isles.

 

Clothed in power and strength

You uphold and steady the mountains;

You still the roaring of the seas

(restless waves and raging nations).

O Jerusalem, look up and see the power of your God.

Behold a savior comes to set you free.

 

Psalm 64/65b

Antiphon

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her forever, all you who  love her!

People everywhere stand amazed:

You fill them from east to west with your joy.

You tend and water the land,

and it yields a great harvest.

You fill your springs,

ready the seeds, and prepare the grain.

 

You soak the furrows and level the ridges;

With softening rain you bless its growth.

You crown the year with your goodness,

All you touch comes alive:

Abundance flows in your steps,

In fields and meadows it flows.

 

The hills are dressed with joy,

the pastures covered with flocks.

the valleys wrap themselves in grain,

They shout for joy and break into song:

 

Glory to the ONE and the WORD

and the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her forever, all you who  love her!

Psalm 149

Antiphon

Sion, fear not! Behold, your God is coming, Alleluia!

Sing a new song to Adonai,

sing praise in the assembly of the faithful!

Let Israel rejoice in her Maker,

let the children of Zion exult in their God.

Let us all praise the Holy Name with dancing

and make music with timbrel and harp.

 

For Adonai takes delight in this people,

And crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

shout for joy and enjoy the feast.

Let the praise of God be on our lips

and the sword of truth near at hand,

 

to teach God’s justice to the nations

revealing the consequences of their actions;

to break the chains of oppression

and unbind its fetters of iron;

to do God’s will on earth as in heaven,

the joy and honor of all who are faithful.

 

Glory to the ONE and the WORD

and the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

Sion, fear not! Behold, your God is coming, Alleluia!

 

READING      Isaiah 35: 6, 10

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf be unstopped;

then shall the lame leap like a hart, and the tongues of the mute sing for joy!

And those whom Adonai has ransomed will return to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;  they will be filled with joy and gladness and shall see sorrow and sighing flee away.

Responsory

R. Jerusalem, lift up your eyes: * the glory of Adonai will shine upon you!

V. Your Savior comes to you, to loosen your bonds.
the glory of Adonai will shine upon you!

 

Canticle of Zachary–  Luke 1:68-79

 Antiphon

Are you the expected one, or must we look  for another?
Tell John what you have seen: Light to the blind, life to the dead;

and Good News preached to the poor,  Alleluia!

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 the WORD

Iandn the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

Are you the expected one, or must we look  for another?

Tell John what you have seen: Light to the blind, life to the dead;

and Good News preached to the poor,  Alleluia!

 

Litany of Intercession

Lord Jesus, light for those who wait in darkness, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Christ Jesus, joyous song for those who have no voice, Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

 

Lord Jesus, dance of freedom for those who bound by illness or  poverty , Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Gathering our prayers and praise into one, we pray as Jesus taught the disciples:

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

Stir up your joy in our hearts, O God of Gladness!  May we bring the light of your presence and the warmth of your love to a world freezing in darkness and fear.  For yours is the glory and power of Love, now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the  Holy ONE  who makes joy to rain down from the heavens + shower this Earth with justice and peace.

 

Let us bless the world with peace.    ~And give thanks to God.

 

 

*The opening chant has been the “official” Entrance Antiphon for the Eucharist on the Third Sunday of Advent since the early 7th century.  The text is from Philippians 4:4-5:

Rejoice in the LORD always.  Again, I say it, Rejoice!  Your simple way of living should be noted by every human being: for the LORD is near!  Do not worry about “stuff” but in prayer, make your petitions known before God.