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ALLELUIA!
Invitation to Worship
Our Love is truly risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
O Holy One,+ open my lips.
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
All your creatures shall thank you, alleluia;
~And your friends shall repeat the blessing, alleluia!
HYMN FOR EASTER MORNINGS
Gentle Shepherd, Living Bread, Christ arisen from the dead,
Be our Paschal Feast today As we sing for joy and say: ALLELUIA!
Christ, our Mother, gives us birth as new people for the Earth,
With his Body feeds his own, nursing us ’til we are grown, ALLELUIA!
“Peace to you,” our Shepherd said, Then he blessed and broke the bread,
Passed the cup of Paschal wine Filling us with life divine: ALLELUIA!
Gate through which your sheep are led, Pasture where your sheep are fed,
Altar, Priest and Sacrifice: Love alone that will suffice: ALLELUIA!
Shepherd, Mother, Sheepfold-Gate, Call by name to all who wait:
“Come and follow, join the strife; Take the Way that leads to life: ALLELUIA!”
Text: The Daily Feast ; Tune: CHRIST IST ERSTANDEN 77.77.4
PSALMODY
May the Peace of the Risen Christ
make us glad, Alleluia!
Psalm 84/85
O Holy One, you have blessed your land
and averted the destruction of Jacob,
You forgave your people’s iniquity
covering all of their shame,
You blessed them and raised up new hope;
Forgiving with merciful love.
Revive us now, God, our Helper!
Refine us with the Fire of your Love!
Restore once again our life,
That all people may rejoice in you!
Show us your Love and Compassion
And grant us your saving help.
I will hear what Adonai has to say,
Speaking with a voice of peace,
Peace for this people and the saints
Who turn their hearts to Love:
New life is drawing near,
Glory is filling the land.
Kindness and faithfulness have embraced
Righteousness and peace have kissed.
Truth sprouts from the earth,
While justice leans down from heaven.
Adonai will grant what is good,
And Earth will bear her fruit;
Justice will walk ahead
And guide us in the ways of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
May the Peace of the Risen Christ
make us glad, Alleluia!
READING Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Responsory
R. Jesus appeared to the disciples and said*”My peace be with you” alleluia! V. “As my Abba sent me, so now I send you* My peace be with you, alleluia!” V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon/Refrain
I call you my friends no longer are you slaves
for I’ve made known to you all the Abba told me.
Canticle from John 14
My peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives; I give peace that will last.
I am going a-way, and I will return to you
Rejoice in your love for me, for I return to my Abba.
The ruler of this age is coming, but soon will be cast out by love;
the world must know that I always do as my Abba commands.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
O Good Shepherd, you know and call each of us by name; ~ lead us to green pastures where we can live in health and harmony with the rest of your beloved creation.
O Good Shepherd, you seek those who are lost and gently carry them back to the fold; ~lead us out of our comfort and complacency to find and welcome those who are isolated, lost or wandering aimlessly.
O Good Shepherd, you have sheep who belong to other folds but listen to the voice of your deep wisdom, ~open our ears to hear your voice speaking through them and their traditions and bring us together into one flock of great diversity and beauty.
O Good Shepherd, you have given yourself to us as a Banquet in the face of all we fear; ~may our sharing of the Eucharist and of each meal transform us into Bread for the World.
O Good Shepherd, you provide so much more than we need that our cups overflow;
~free us to share all that we have so that all people and all creation may flourish.
O Good Shepherd, you lead your sheep through darkness and death into God’s marvelous light; ~ bring us through the gate of self-giving love to the fullness of life.
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 freedom, flourishing and fullness of life which your love offers to us and all of your creation. May the Good Shepherd –who is the Way, the Truth and the Life– call us by name to follow him through the gate of self-emptying love into the pastures of abundant life now and forever. Amen
Blessing
May the Good Shepherd who lay down his life for the sheep + bless us and lead us to everlasting life and peace. Alleluia! ~Amen, Alleluia!
Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia! ~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!