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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
O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!
Psalm 136/137
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept remembering Zion.
On the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.
For it was there that they asked us our captors for song, our oppressors for joy:
“Sing to us” they said, “one of Zion’s songs”.
O how could we sing the Song of Adonai on alien soil!
If I forget you Jerusalem, let my right hand whither!
O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!
If I prize not Jerusalem above all my joys!
O Babylon destroyer, be open to change, for Love makes you free!
The path you are on will lead to your destruction.
Give glory to the ONE and to the WORD and to the BREATH of Love;
as always before so now and evermore. Amen
O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not.
READING 2 Chronicles 36: 15-21
Early and often Adonai, the God of their ancestors, sent messengers to the kings of Judah, for God had compassion on the people and the Temple. But successive rulers mocked God’s messengers, despised their words, and scoffed at the prophets, until Adonai brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in their own sanctuary, with compassion for neither young men nor young women, neither the old nor the infirm; all of them he delivered into his power. All the utensils of the house of God, large and small, the treasures of the house of Adonai, and the treasures of the king and his princes, all these Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon. The Chaldeans burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burnt down all its palaces, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword he carried captive to Babylon, where they became slaves to him and his sons until the Persian kingdom came to power. All this was to fulfill the word of Adonai spoken by Jeremiah: ” Until the land has retrieved its lost Sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.”
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Look with mercy, Adonai; Look with kindness on your people: with compassion turn to your sinful people. V. O God we now confess our sin, Renounce our greed and stubborn pride, Resolve to mend our ways and win Forgiveness through Christ crucified. V. Do not reject us, Adonai, nor hide your face as we deserve; your guiding light and grace we need to know your ways and how to serve.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
I have done many good works for you to see,
for which of these do you stone me?
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.
I have done many good works for you to see,
for which of these do you stone me?
Intercessory Prayer
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is breaking the chains of evil and untying the bonds of injustice; ~Help us to fast by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is freeing the oppressed and welcoming the poor into our homes; ~Help us to fast by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is clothing the persons we find naked and not despising our neighbors; ~Help us to fast by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is sharing food with the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, and welcoming immigrants and strangers;~Help us to fast by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is caring for those who are sick or injured and visiting those who are in prison; ~Help us to fast 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 this final week of 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 & Freedom 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.