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Service of Light
Greeting/Invocation
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 .
Earth hurt’ling into dark’ning dusk, Our future running out,
The Word kept sounding from the past, Isaiah made it shout.
A faithful few could feel the warmth As precious promise grew;
Joy flooded those who heard the Word, As Mary made it true.
Refresh this remnant in these wilds Who, left must surely grope;
Unfold the pledge with plenitude for those still holding hope.
Great Abba, everlasting care Is yours for Earth you own,
You Word, Your Spirit flourish now! And leave us not alone.
Text: St. Meinrad, 1967, alt., Tune WALSALL CM. W. Anchors (ca 1721)
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon
See now approaching the greatest Prophet,
one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.
Psalm 32/33b
How happy the nations who listen;
The peoples who respond to this love.
For God-Love holds all things together
While guarding the children of Earth.
Preparing all things from eternity,
Ready to share all we need;
Into our hands and our hearts
Bestowing what makes us free.
A nation is not saved by its army
A general not saved by his strength;
Weapons –mere outward expressions
Of greed in fearful hearts.
None of this leads to safety,
This kind of power cannot save.
But God’s love is always at hand
For those whose hearts are open,
To rescue their lives from destruction
To feed them in times of famine.
Our whole being is waiting for God
Whose love is both help and shield.
Our hearts rejoice in this wonder,
We trust in the NAME of the Holy One.
May your love be upon us, O God,
For we place all our hope in You.
See now approaching the greatest Prophet,
one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.
READING: Micah 5:4-5a
The ruler in Israel shall stand firm and shepherd this flock by the strength of Adonai, in the majestic Name of Adonai Elohim; and they shall remain, for God’s greatness will reach to the ends of the Earth; and Israel’s ruler will be Peace.
Silent Reflection
Responsory
R. You heavens open from above that clouds may rain the Just One!
Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55
Antiphon:
Zion fear not! Behold, your God is coming, alleluia!
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
Zion fear not! Behold, your God is coming, alleluia!
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany
We humbly pray to the one who rescues us from the darkness of sin
and in faith we cry out: ~ Come Lord Jesus
Gather together all the people of the Earth
and establish with them your everlasting covenant. ~Come Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God you came of old to take away the sin of the world;
purge us today from the dregs of our guilt. ~ Come Lord Jesus
You came to recover what was lost;
come again in your mercy. ~Come Lord Jesus.
Our faith seeks you out; let us find everlasting joy with you when you come again.
~Come Lord Jesus.
You taught us to pray…
Our Father …
Prayer of St. Damasus & Blessing
O Christ, your names are manifold:
Adonai, because you are Spirit;
Word, because you are God;
Son, because you are the Only-Begotten;
Shepherd, because you are a guardian;
Way, because you are the path to life;
Lamb, because you were slain;
Cornerstone, because you bind as one all that is divided;
Teacher, because you instruct and demonstrate how to live;
Truth, because you are from the Holy One;
Good Samaritan, because you are the compassion of God;
Vine, because we are redeemed by your blood;
Prophet, because you have revealed what is to come.
~Come Lord Jesus. 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 the world with peace. ~And give thanks 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 the world with peace. ~And give thanks 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.