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Invitation to Worship
Come, let us sing to Adonai, let us praise the God of all Creation!
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.
Let the earth and all living things praise the greatness of God!
Let all people extol the glory of Adonai!
FRIDAY MORNING HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .
Come, let us to the God of Love
With contrite hearts return;
Our God is gracious and won’t leave
The desolate to mourn.
God’s voice commands the tempest forth,
and stills the stormy wave;
And with a strong and mighty arm
is ever quick to save.
Long has the night of sorrow reigned
The dawn shall bring us light;
God shall appear, and we shall rise
With gladness in God’s sight.
Our hearts, if God we seek to know
Shall see and then rejoice;
God’s coming like the morn shall be,
Like morning songs God’s voice.
Text: John Morrison (1781) alt; Tune: WINCHESTER OLD C.M.
PSALMODY
Antiphon
I know my guilt and confess my sin;
I regret what I have done.
Psalm 37/38
Adonai, I deserve an angry rebuke,
a punishment for what I have done;
Arrows have sunk deep in me
I feel as if your hand has come down on me:
My bones are brittle, my body withers,
through my sin, no health or wholeness remains.
My guilt towers higher than my head;
it is a weight to heavy to bear.
My wounds are foul and festering,
the result of my own folly.
I am bent over and brought to my knees
I walk in misery all day long.
A fever now consumes me,
there is no health in my body.
Feeble and broken I cry out,
groaning from the heart.
Adonai, you see what I long for,
you hear my sighs and my groaning.
My heart pounds, my strength is spent,
the light of my eyes is snuffed out.
Friends and neighbors avoid me;
everyone keeps their distance.
Others plot against me and lay snares,
seek my ruin and speak of harm,
hatching plots and spreading lies.
Like someone born deaf or unable to speak
I can no longer hear and I have no defense.
I wait for you, O Adonai,
and you, my God will answer.
I pray: “Do not let them gloat,
or mock and laugh when I fall.”
For I am about to collapse,
there is no relief from my pain.
I know my guilt and confess my sin;
I regret what I have done.
My enemies are many and strong;
they hate and tell lies without cause.
Those who deal evil for good
blame me for seeking what is right.
Adonai, do not abandon or forsake me!
My God, do not stay so far away!
Hurry, Adonai, and help me!
For you are God, my Savior!
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
I know my guilt and confess my sin;
I regret what I have done.
READING I John 5: 7-9
There are three who testify, the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this, that God has testified on behalf of the Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God carries this testimony within.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Here are words in which you can trust * Christ Jesus came to save us all. V. Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Abba and from our Jesus, our Love * Christ Jesus came to save all of us. V. Glory to the Abba and the Word, and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
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.
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
Intercessory Prayer
When we attempt to remove splinters from the eyes of others but refuse to acknowledge and deal with the beams in our own eyes… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we are horrified and indignant about scandals and corruption among religious or political leaders, but easily justify our own lack of honesty and integrity … ~ Forgive us O God.
When we accuse victims of sexual abuse of “asking for it;” and accept as “normal” that men use women as possessions, ego-supports or proofs of their own masculinity…
~ Forgive us O God.
When we condemn and imprison women for prostitution but refuse to prosecute the men who purchase their services… ~ Forgive us O God.
When we spend time and resources policing what goes on in bedrooms and ignore the sins committed in boardrooms… ~ Forgive us O God.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer
God of Life and Liberation, in his teaching, his parables and his example, Jesus revealed that your forgiveness–given-before-we-ask–is the greatest power in dealing with personal and social sin. May all who have experienced your forgiveness and loving kindness join you in showing compassion to others, especially those who are trapped in self-destructive behaviors or systemic injustice. ~Amen.
Blessing
May the God of Compassion + fill our hearts with loving-kindness for ourselves and for all those who suffer. Amen.
Let us bless Adonai! ~And give thanks to God.