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March 17 St. Patrick
Invitation to Worship
Come, let us return to Adonai our God– our God who is gracious and merciful.
O Holy One,+ open my lips.
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Rescue me, O God, my Savior-
~And my tongue shall ring out your goodness!
Morning Hymn by St. Patrick
We wrap around ourselves today the great name of the Trinity,
the Three in One, the One in Three, the God who lives eternally.
Christ within us, Christ around us, Christ beside us, Christ surround us,
Christ behind us, Christ before us, Christ to comfort and restore us.
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger,
Christ beneath us, Christ above us, Christ to cherish and to love us.
Psalmody
Antiphon
Your friends, Adonai, have made known
the glorious splendor of your reign.
Psalm 144/145b
All your creatures shall thank you, Adonai,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
Let them make known to all
your might and your glorious reign.
Your dominion lasts forever
your rule for all generations.
You are faithful in all your words
and loving in all your deeds.
You support those who have fallen
and raise all those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand
to feed all living things.
Most just in all your ways
most loving in every deed.
You are near to all who call
who cry out from their hearts.
You grant them their desires,
hear their cry and save them.
You protect and keep alive
All who strive to love.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love.
As always before
so now and evermore. Amen.
Your friends, Adonai, have made known
the glorious splendor of your reign.
READING Jeremiah 1:4-9
Now the word of Adonai came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Ah, Adonai Elohim! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But Adonai said to me, “Do not say, `I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you shall go, and whatever I command you shall speak. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says Adonai.”
Then Adonai put forth his hand and touched my mouth;
and Adonai said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
Responsory
Christ be beside me, Christ be before me,
Christ be behind me, Love of my heart,
Christ be within me, Christ be below me,
Christ be above me, never to part.
From St Patrick’s Letter to Coroticus
“O most dear ones, I can see you Beginning the journey to the land Where there is no night nor sorrow nor death… You shall reign with the apostles and prophets and martyrs. You shall seize the everlasting kingdom, As Christ promised when he said:
‘they shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”
Responsory
Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me, shield in the strife.
Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising, light of my life.
Canticle of Zachariah
Antiphon
Do not judge and you will not be judged.
For whatever you measure out to others
will be measured back to you, says our Lord.
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
Do not judge and you will not be judged.
For whatever you measure out to others
will be measured back to you, says our Lord.
Litany of Intercession
When you are hungry and we form task forces to discuss food deserts or proper nutrition for the poor… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are in prison and we insist on tougher sentencing for crimes and the building of more prisons… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are naked and we debate the morality of your appearance… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are sick or injured and we thank God for our health… ~ Forgive us O God.
When you are homeless and we build mansions for ourselves while preaching the spiritual shelter of the love of God…
~ Forgive us O God.
When you are lonely and we avoid you by promising to pray for you… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we seem so holy, so close to God– but you are still very hungry, and lonely and cold… ~ Forgive us O God.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
God of Life and Liberation, in his teaching, his parables and his example, Jesus revealed that to live fully as the image of God, each of us is called and gifted to meet the real, practical needs of our sisters and brothers. You called St. Patrick to follow Christ’s example of forgiving and praying for those who enslaved him and to share the Gospel with the people of Ireland. May our celebration of St. Patrick’s day in the midst of Lent rehearse us in living by Gospel values and bring us closer to realizing the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life that your love offers to us and all creation both now and forever. ~Amen.
May the Spirit of God + kindle in our hearts the love of God and neighbor that is the fulfillment of the law. ~Amen
Let us bless the world with peace. ~And give thanks to God.