Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Winter Sunrise

 

Invitation to  Worship

Come, let us sing to  Adonai, let us praise the God of all creation!

 

O Holy One,+ open my lips.

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

 

Let everything that lives and that breathes-

~give praise to Adonai, alleluia!

 

Sunday Morning Hymn

The first of all the days of time,

The day that darkness lost its dread

Becomes the everlasting day

The first-born rose of all the dead.

 

So we arise again, alert,

Renewed by salutary sleep

To gird ourselves for life ahead,

Your loving covenant to keep.

 

Your Holy Spirit gives the words

To psalms and canticles we pray;

Give us this day our daily need

To join our hearts to what we say.

 

Grant, Loving Abba, what we ask

Addressed to you, in your own Son,

Who with the Spirit Paraclete

Has joined us too to make us one.

 Text:  St. Meinrad, 1967; Melody: Plainsong Mode I

 

Psalmody

Antiphon/Refrain

In the morning I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

Psalm 62/63

O God, you are my God, and I long for you from early morning

My whole being desires you

Like a dry, worn out and waterless land

my soul is thirsting for you.

 

Let me see you in the sanctuary;

let me see how mighty and glorious you are.

Your constant love is better than life itself

and so I will praise you.

 

I will give you thanks as long as I live;

I will raise my hands to you in prayer.

My soul will feast and be satisfied

and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

 

As I lie in bed I remember you,

all night long I think of you for you have always been my help.

In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy;

I cling to you and your hand keeps me safe.

 

Glory to the Abba and to the Word

And to the Breath of Love

As it was in the beginning is now

and will be forever.Amen

 

 

 READING   I Corinthans 2:1-5

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

 

Responsory

R.  This is the day the Lord has made *alleluia, alleluia!.

 V.  Let us rejoice and be happy today *alleluia, alleluia!

 

Canticle of Zachariah

Antiphon

You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world, 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 to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

 

You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world, alleluia.

 

Litany of Intercession

That all who have been called and gifted to be salt of the earth and light of the world may overcome what divides us and may join our voices in proclaiming good news for the poor, let us pray…

~ Hear us O God.

 

That political and economic leaders may be filled with God’s Spirit of compassion and lead with honesty, justice and a passion for the flourishing of all, let us pray…

~ Hear us O God.

 

That the love and example of those who live and work in the darkness of violence, poverty and corruption may be light and hope for  those who suffer most, let us pray…

~ Hear us O God.

 

That those who have received more may be freed to share their abundance with those who are oppressed by racism, classism, and violence, let us pray…

~ Hear us O God.

 

That the sacredness of all life and the rights of all human and all earthly beings may be upheld in the hearts and in the laws of all peoples and nations, let us pray…

~ Hear us O God.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

O Holy One, Source, Guide and Goal of all that is, You called and gifted Jesus for a ministry of teaching and proclaiming the gospel, and curing every disease and illness among the people.  You have called and gifted each of us to be salt of the earth and light for the world in a great variety of ways with a wonderful diversity of gifts.  When we go astray, help us wake up and change direction so that we may channel our lives and our energies into preparing the way for your reign on Earth as it is in heaven where yours is the power and glory of love now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the Spirit of God + kindle in our hearts a passion for justice and a commitment to the poor.  ~Amen 

 

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