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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.
Those who exalt the self will be humbled;
~ but those who humble the self will be exalted.
MORNING HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn for Lent.
Dear Abba, we have wandered and hidden from your face;
In foolishness have squandered Your legacy of grace.
But now, in exile dwelling, We rise with fear and shame,
As distant but compelling, We hear you call our name.
And now at length discerning The evil that we do,
Behold us God, returning With hope and trust in you.
In haste you come to meet us And home rejoicing bring,
In gladness there to greet us With calf and robe and ring.
O Life of all the living, Both banished and restored,
Compassionate, forgiving And ever-caring Lord,
Grant now that our transgressing, Our faithlessness may cease.
Stretch out your hand in blessing, in pardon and in peace.
Text: Kevin Nichols (ICEL 1980) ; Tune: PASSION CHORALE 76.76. D.
PSALMODY
Antiphon
It is compassion, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God that Adonai desires.
Psalm 101/102
Adonai, listen to my prayer
and let my cry for help reach you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear towards me
and answer quickly when I call.
For my days are vanishing like smoke,
my bones burn away like fire.
My heart is withered like the grass.
I forget to eat my bread.
I cry with all my strength
and my skin clings to my bones.
I am like a pelican in the wilderness,
like an owl in desolate places.
I lie awake and I moan
like some lonely bird on a roof.
All day long my foes revile me;
those who hate me use my name as a curse.
The bread I eat is ashes;
my drink is mingled with tears.
In what seems Adonai like anger and fury,
I have been lifted up and thrown down.
My days are like a passing shadow
and I wither away like the grass.
But you, Adonai, will endure forever
and your Name from age to age.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion:
for this is the time to have mercy;
yes, the appointed time has come
for your servants love her very stones.
The nations shall revere your Name, Adonai
and all earth’s rulers your glory,
when you build up Zion again
and appear in all your glory.
For you always hear the prayers of the helpless;
and will not ignore their pleas.
Glory to the One and to the Word,
and to the Breath of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
It is compassion not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God that Adonai desires.
READING Hosea 6: 1-4
“Come, let us return to Adonai, who has rent, but will heal us;
has struck, but will bind our wounds.
God will revive us after two days and on the third day will raise us up to live.
Let us know, let us strive to know Adonai; as certain as the dawn is the coming,
and the judgment shines forth like the light of day!
Adonai will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.”
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. The earth will yield its fruit, *God, our God will bless us. V. The meadows will be covered with flocks, the valleys decked with wheat *God, our God will bless us. V. Glory to the Abba and the Word, and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
The tax collector kept his distance and would not dare to raise his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
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.
The tax collector kept his distance and would not dare to raise his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Intercessory Prayer
With the tax collector of the Gospel, we pray:
~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
Like the woman who lost her coin, you work diligently to find me;
~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
You come to look for this lost sheep, ready to carry me home on your shoulders;
~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
You run to greet this prodigal with kiss and calf, robe and ring;
~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
You choose your followers from among tax-collectors and call sinners, and free Zachaeus to give his wealth to the poor; ~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
You permit women deemed unworthy by religion and culture to touch and anoint you, and you forgive sin whenever you see expressions of love; ~ O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
~ And fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
God of mercy and forgiveness, our self-righteous arrogance is so quick to tally our praying, fasting and almsgiving while we stand in judgment and condemn the rest of humankind. Help us to know in the depths of our hearts that it is mercy and compassion that you desire and that it would be better for us to cease all our Lenten practices if they do not rehearse us in loving our neighbor as we hope to be loving you–for you live and reign in the power of compassion and unconditional love now and forever. Amen.
May the God whose arms are always extended to welcome us + bless us with self-awareness and compassion for all our sisters and brothers. ~Amen.
Let us bless the world with peace.
~And give thanks to God.