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You have mercy on all, O God, and hate none of the things which you have made.
Overlooking the sins of all for the sake of repentance and sparing us; because you are Adonai our God.
(Entrance Antiphon for Ash Wednesday)
Service of Light
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Evening Candle and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Thanks be to God!
O Adonai, You are my lamp;
~My God, You illumine my darkness.
EVENING HYMN for LENT
For forty days Christ fasted, fed upon his Abba’s every word–
all for the joy that lay ahead; such were his pleas, his prayer was heard.
Though one with God he plunged his heart deep in the world’s unfathomed pain;
he wrestled demons, hunger, thirst, that we in him may do the same.
In Christ our journey is revealed: his face set toward Jerusalem.
Where he, our head, goes, so must we: the church, his body, one with him.
O Abba, Food of those who fast, O Christ in whom the least are known,
Earth’s rising sap, O Spirit-spring: come raise to life what you have sown! Amen.
Tune: ERHALT’ UNS HERR (1547); Text: Aelred Seton-Shanley
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon/Refrain
Come, let us return to Adonai our God–
our God who is gracious and merciful.
Psalm 102/103a
My soul, give thanks to Adonai,
all my being, bless the Holy Name.
My soul, give thanks to Adonai
and never forget all these blessings.
Bless God, who forgives all your sin,
who heals every one of your ills,
who snatches you free from death,
who enfolds you with tender compassion
who fills your life with goodness
and gives you the strength of an eagle. (Refrain)
Adonai does deeds of justice
and defends the poor and oppressed;
Teaches God’s ways to Moses
and God’s deeds to the children of Israel.
Adonai is compassion and love,
patient and rich in mercy.
God will not accuse us for long,
nor bring our sins to trial,
nor exact from us in kind
nor give us what our sins deserve. (Refrain)
As high as the heavens are above the Earth,
so great is God’s love for those who trust.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far does God remove our sins.
As parents have compassion on their children,
Adonai has pity on those who are reverent,
for Adonai knows of what we are made,
and remembers that we are dust. (Refrain)
The love of Adonai is everlasting
upon those who revere God’s Holiness;
whose justice reaches out to all generations
when they keep God’s will in their minds and hearts.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Come, let us return to Adonai our God–
our God who is gracious and merciful.
Reading Joel 2:1; 12-13
Sound the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of ADONAI is coming–it is near. Yet even now, says Adonai, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to Adonai your God, a God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Responsory
R. Now is the acceptable time, *now is the day of salvation.
V. As servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, by genuine love. *now is the day of salvation.
V. Glory to the ONE, to the WORD, and to the Holy BREATH of Life.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
With the armor of justice, let us prove ourselves through much patience and fasting.
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 and to WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
With the armor of justice, let us prove ourselves through much patience and fasting.
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
Grant us pardon and peace:
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Forgive our sins and neglect:
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give us true faith and undying hope in your love for us:
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Strengthen our resolve to follow Christ more closely this Lenten Season:
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
May we live each day more simply so that others may simply live:
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant light and peace to all those who have died and consolation to those who grieve them: ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
May the incense of our evening prayer rise before you, Gracious God, and may your loving-kindness fall upon us, that with purified hearts and minds we may sing your praise with the hosts of heaven and the whole of creation and glorify you forever;
for your love is the power that has created all things, sustains all things, and frees all things to join you in building the future now and forever. Amen.
May the God of the Compassion + bless us with forgiveness and fill our hearts with loving-kindness for all people and all creation . Amen.
Let us bless Adonai! ~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon. Ave Regina Caelorum is sung from the 3rd of February until Good Friday, inclusive.
Queen of the heavens we greet you, Queen of Angels now we entreat you,
Fairest flower, heaven’s portal From whom came the Light immortal.
Matchless maiden, God did raise you For the Universe to praise you.
Hear us, O hear us, dear Mother; Show your children Jesus, our brother.
Gracious Queen of the Universe.
~ Intercede for us with Christ your Son.
Let us pray. O Gracious God, grant to your people lasting health of mind and of body. Send us your assistance in times of temptation. May we who celebrate the memory of the Holy Mother of God, rise from our sins by the help of her intercession. We ask this through Christ our Love. Amen.