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Invitation to Worship
Come, let us return to Adonai our God–
Our God who is gracious and merciful.
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.
My sacrifice is a contrite spirit,
~ A humbled, contrite heart, you will not reject.
FRIDAY MORNING LENTEN HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn for Lent.
O Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ, Dispel the darkness of our hearts,
Till your blest light makes nighttime flee And brings the joys your day imparts.
In this our “time acceptable” Touch ev’ry heart with sorrow, Lord,
That, turned from sin, renewed by grace, We may press on toward love’s reward.
The day, your day, in beauty dawns When in your light Earth blooms anew;
Led back again to life’s true way, May we, forgiv’n, rejoice in you.
O loving Trinity, our God, To you we bow through endless days,
And in your grace new-born we sing New hymns of gratitude and praise.
Text: Iam Christe, Sol Iustitiae Tune: CHRIST OUR LIGHT L.M.
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Shema Yis’ra’eil Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad:
Baruch Shem kavod Malkhutoh l’olam va’ed.
Hear O Israel Adonai is our God, Adonai is One:
Blessed the Name of God’s Reign of glory forevermore!
Psalm 50/51
Have mercy on me, O God, in your loving kindness;
in your compassion blot out my offenses.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
I know full well my misdeeds,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, against you have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.
Yet you look for truth in my inmost being,
and teach me wisdom in my heart.
Purify me that I may be clean,
wash me, make me brighter than snow.
Create in me a pure heart O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Deliver me from death, O God my Savior,
that my tongue may sing of your justice.
O Holy One, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
You have no delight in sacrifices;
burnt offerings from me would not please you.
The sacrifice you accept is a humble spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love;
as it was in the beginning, is now
and will be forever. Amen
Shema Yis’ra’eil Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad:
Baruch Shem kavod Malkhutoh l’olam va’ed.
Hear O Israel Adonai is our God, Adonai is One:
Blessed the Name of God’s Reign of glory forevermore!
READING Hosea 2: 16-22
I will allure Israel now; I will lead her back to the desert and speak persuasively to her. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as on the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
On that day—thus says ADONAI—you shall call me “My husband.” I will make a covenant for you on that day, with the wild animals, with the birds of the air, and with the things that crawl on the ground. Bow and sword and warfare I will destroy from the land, and I will give you rest in safety. I will betroth you to me forever: I will betroth you to me with justice and with judgment, with loyalty and with compassion; I will betroth you to me with fidelity, and you shall know ADONAI.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. I will call my Israel back to the desert and there I will speak to her heart; she will remember me and know me as her Lover. V. The desert and parched land exult; the wasteland will bloom and rejoice; All who return will know that Adonai is a God full of Love. V. As the heavens are high above the earth, so strong is God’s love for this people; as far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove all our guilt.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
“Teacher, which commandment in the Law is the greatest?”
So Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart.’”
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.
“Teacher, which commandment in the Law is the greatest?”
So Jesus said to him, ” ‘You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart,’”
Intercessory Prayer
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is breaking the chains of evil and untying the bonds of injustice; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is freeing the oppressed and welcoming the poor into our homes; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is clothing the persons we find naked and not despising our neighbors; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is sharing food with the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, and welcoming immigrants and strangers;~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is caring for those who are sick or injured and visiting those who are in prison; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
~ And fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. You call us in this holy season to return to you with all our hearts and to be moved with compassion towards all who suffer. May our Lenten prayers and practices and our whole lives help to build your reign on Earth as it is in heaven where you live and love One God for ever and ever. Amen.
May the God of Life & Liberty who calls us to love God and to love our neighbors + bless our hearts with loving-kindness.;
~Amen.
Let us bless the world with peace.
~And give thanks to God.