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SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light the EASTER CANDLE and say or sing:
Christ our Light!
~Thanks be to God!
Christ is risen, alleluia!
~He is risen indeed, alleluia!
HYMN FOR AN EASTER FRIDAY EVENING
There in God’s garden stands the Tree of Wisdom,
whose leaves hold forth the healing of the nations:
Tree of all knowledge, Tree of all compassion, Tree of all beauty.
Its name is Jesus, name that says, “Our Savior!”
There on its branches see the scars of suff’ring;
see where the tendrils of our human selfhood feed on its life-blood.
Thorns not his own are tangled in its foliage;
our greed has starved it, our despite has choked it.
Yet, look! it lives! its grief has not destroyed it nor fire consumed it.
See how its branches reach to us in welcome;
hear what the Voice says, “Come to me, ye weary!
Give me your sickness, give me all your sorrow, I will give blessing.”
This is my ending, this my resurrection;
into your hands, Love, I commit my spirit.
This have I searched for: now I can possess it. This ground is holy.
All heav’n is singing, “Thanks to Christ whose Passion
offers in mercy healing, strength and pardon.
Peoples and nations, take it, take it freely!” Amen! My Lover!
Text: Imre von Pecselyi Kiraly (1641) tr. Erik Routley (1974) alt. ; Tune: TREE OF LIFE 56.56.56.5 K. Lee Scott
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Evening Psalmody
Antiphon
Tell it among the nations:
“Our Love has reigned from the Tree, Alleluia!”
Psalm 95/96
Sing a new song to Adonai!
Sing it and bless God’s Name!
Sing it everyone, and everywhere!
Proclaim God’s help every day,
Tell every nation about the triumph!
God’s glory and wonders among the peoples.
A God so great deserves all praise,
and the dread of all other gods,
far too many value their worthless idols
but it was Adonai who made the heavens;
to God belong majesty and power
and splendorous beauty in the temple.
Proclaim Adonai, O families of nations,
Praise the glory of God’s power
Praise the glory of the Holy Name.
Bring gifts to offer in the temple,
worship with reverence and awe,
O Earth, join us in praise.
Tell it among the nations:
“Adonai reigns with justice!
As the firmness of Earth is not swayed,
nothing will sway the justice of God.
Let heaven and Earth be glad,
the sea and its creatures render praise;
the fields and their animals exult,
the trees and their birds sing for joy,
at the presence of Adonai who comes–
who comes to reign on Earth.
With justice God will set Earth aright;
with truth restore the world to right order!
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love.
As always before
so now and evermore. Amen.
Tell it among the nations:
“Our Love has reigned from the Tree, Alleluia!”
READING AcTS 9:15-18
The Lord [Jesus] said to [Ananias],
“Go, for this [Saul] is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
Responsory
R. Christ, the image of God, is the Good News of God’s glory; *who has dawned upon us and brought us to light; alleluia, alleluia! V. Out of darkness God has made to shine within us the light of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ * who has dawned upon us and brought us to light; alleluia, alleluia! V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
Those who eat my Flesh and drink my Blood have eternal life,
and I will raise them up on the last day: Alleluia, Alleluia!
Canticle of Mary
My heart + is radiant with the Lord,
My whole being delights in God my Savior.
All people now will call me blessed
For God has loved this humble handmaid.
The Almighty has shown me great favor
Holy is the NAME,
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
From one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God,
Scatters the proud in their own conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones
While lifting up the lowly:
Fills the famished with bounty,
And reveals the emptiness of riches.
Rescues lowly Israel,
Sharing such loving kindness,
As promised to our ancestors
To Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants forever.
Glory to the One and to the Word
And to the Breath of Love
As always before
So now and evermore. Amen
Those who eat my Flesh and drink my Blood have eternal life,
and I will raise them up on the last day: Alleluia, Alleluia!
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
O Bread of Life, you gave your flesh and blood for the life of the world;
~may we use our hearts, minds and bodies to be bread for the world.
O Bread of Life, you revealed yourself to dejected and despondent disciples in the simple-yet-sacred act of breaking-and-sharing bread; ~may we recognize the sacred in every part of our lives and the power of your presence in the sharing of all your gifts that nourish and sustain life.
O Bread of Life, you revealed yourself to Thomas as the Lamb-Who-Had-Been-Slain, and to Saul as the One-Who-Is-Being-Persecuted; ~may we recognize you in all those who have been wounded by scapegoating, oppression, marginalization, imprisonment, addictions, mental illness, depression and disillusionment.
O Bread of Life, with every appearance you blessed your disciples with deep peace, profound joy, and the end of fear; ~ may our celebration of these great 50 Days of Easter extend these blessings to all our sisters and brothers and all of your beloved creation.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father…
Closing Prayer
We bless and thank you, O Gracious God, for all that you have done in raising Jesus from the dead. You have conquered the power of death and opened to us the way to the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life which your love offers to us and all of your creation. May the Risen Christ open our eyes and breathe into our hearts that we may recognize him in the wounds of the world, know him in the breaking and sharing of bread, and follow him in his risen life now and forever. Amen
Blessing
May the God of Life who brought Jesus through death to resurrection+ bless us with Peace and Joy, Alleluia! ~Amen, Alleluia!
Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia! ~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for the Easter Season.
O Queen of Heaven, be joyful, alleluia!
For He whom you rejoiced to bear for us, alleluia!
Has arisen, as he promised, alleluia!
Pray now for us to our God, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia!
For our Love is truly risen, Alleluia!
Let us pray.
Holy, Immortal and Mighty God, you have brought joy to the world by raising Jesus from the dead. By the prayers of Mary his Mother, and of all the myrrh-bearing women,
raise us up with Jesus and bring us to the fullness of life. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ, our Risen Love. Amen.