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January 25th is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
Invitation to Worship
Come, let us sing to Adonai, let us praise the God of all Creation!
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
I have chosen you from the world!
To bear fruit that will last, Alleluia!
HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .
A light from heaven shone around,
And in that light a voice was heard.
Then Saul fell, blinded, to the ground
And cried aloud: “Who are you, Lord?”
It was the blessed Son come down
To save him from his fearful ways
And free him from the bond of sin,
A sinner saved by Jesus’ grace.
Saint Paul was changed by God’s free love.
The scales fell from his eyes, he saw
The Love of God the cosmos move
In time with grace, beyond the law.
Renew us with your Love, O Lord.
Your new creation let us be;
Redeemed forever and restored,
With Paul’s new vision, let us see.
Text: Gracia Grindal, alt; Tune: Plainsong
PSALMODY
ANTIPHON
I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Canticle of the Three Children (Dan 3:57-87)
You angels and all powers of Adonai,
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky,
glorify Adonai.
Every shower of rain and fall of dew,
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and summer,
glorify Adonai.
O chill and cold,
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet,
glorify Adonai.
O Mother Earth,
O mountains and hills and valleys.
All that grows upon the earth,
glorify Adonai.
O springs of water, seas and streams,
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air,
glorify Adonai.
O beast of the wild,
and all you flocks and herds.
All women and men everywhere,
glorify Adonai.
Let us glorify the ONE, and the WORD
and exalt the HOLY BREATH.
In the firmament of God’s power and love,
glorify Adonai.
I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
READING Galatians 1:11-17
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it,and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was a great zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when [God], who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through grace, was pleasedto reveal the Son to me,so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabiaand then returned to Damascus.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Wherever we go we carry death in our body, the death that Jesus died, *that in this body also, life may reveal itself, the life that Jesus lives. V. The One who raised Jesus to life will raise us also with him and bring us into God’s presence. *that in this body also, life may reveal itself, the life that Jesus lives. V. Glory to the Abba and the Word, and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Good News.
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 to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Good News.
Intercessory Prayer
You created all things and found everything you made to be very good;
help us to live as your image, loving and caring for all of creation.
You revealed yourself to St. Paul as the one he was persecuting,
may we see you present in everyone, especially our opponents and enemies.
You called St. Paul to use his considerable gifts and talents to proclaim the Gospel,
make us worthy ministers of your Good News wherever you lead us.
Create new hearts in us, O God,
and fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Dear Abba in heaven …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. As you called St. Paul to become the teacher of the nations, direct all our actions by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit and further them on with your continual help so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from you and through you be brought to completion. For yours is the power and glory of love now and forever. Amen.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.