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SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Evening Vesper Candle and say or sing:
Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Love!
~Thanks be to God!
Stay with us, O Christ, for it is evening,
~And the day is almost over.
EVENING HYMN BE THOU MY VISION
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Evening Hymn
- Be Thou my Vision, O Love of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. - Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Abba, and I thine own;
Thou in me dwelling, I with Thee one. - Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r. - Riches I need not, nor men’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High Love of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art. - High Love of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whate’er befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Text: “Rop tú mo Baile” Saint Dallán Forgaill (6th century), tr. Eleanor Hull
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Jesus entered a village,
where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
Psalm 32/33b
How happy the nations who listen;
The peoples who respond to this love.
For God-Love holds all things together
While guarding the children of Earth.
Preparing all things from eternity,
Ready to share all we need;
Into our hands and our hearts
Bestowing what makes us free.
A nation is not saved by its army
A general not saved by his strength;
Weapons –mere outward expressions
Of greed in fearful hearts.
None of this leads to safety,
This kind of power cannot save.
But God’s love is always at hand
For those whose hearts are open,
To rescue their lives from destruction
To feed them in times of famine.
Our whole being is waiting for God
Whose love is both help and shield.
Our hearts rejoice in this wonder,
We trust in the NAME of the Holy One.
May your love be upon us, O God,
For we place all our hope in You.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Jesus entered a village,
where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
READING Luke 10:38-42
Now it happened along the way that he entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But only one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen a good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Responsory
R. Martha and Mary believed in Christ *and they saw His marvelous deeds. V. They opened their home to him and provided a place for him to rest; *and they saw His marvelous deeds. V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
Martha said to Jesus:
“I have come to believe that You are the Christ,
the Son of God, come into this world.”
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
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 WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Martha said to Jesus:
“I have come to believe that You are the Christ,
the Son of God, come into this world.”
Intercessory Prayer
You accepted the hospitality of Martha and Mary, and rested in the warmth and intimacy of their friendship and home; help us to welcome travelers, immigrants, and strangers as friends and share with them the many gifts you give us each day.
You understood Martha’s being busy about many things and her faith in the healing power of your love; help us to trust that even in the face of death your presence is resurrection and life.
You affirmed Mary’s decision to sit at your feet as a disciple despite Martha’s concern
about housework and her decision to anoint your feet with precious oil despite Judas’ concern about money; help us to choose and to do what is truly right and good despite the objections and expectations of others.
When Lazarus, their brother, died, you called Martha and Mary to deeper faith in the life that comes through death; lead us through the death of our false selves to resurrection and the fullness of life.
You taught us to pray…
Prayer of Jesus
Our Dear Abba in Heaven …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Great Fire of Wisdom and Love, kindle in us both the generous hospitality of Martha and the contemplative spirit of Mary whose feast we celebrate today. As the abundance of summer’s fields and gardens calls us to be busy about many things and to share these blessings with others, may the overwhelming beauty and mystery of creation move us to contemplative wonder, gratitude and praise. For your love is the power which creates, sustains, and guides all things to freedom, flourishing and the fullness of life now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
May the God of love fill us + with all joy and peace, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, we may abound in hope. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Salve Regina
Marian Antiphon
Mother of Mercy, Our Queen we greet you. Our life, our hope, our happiness we hail you. We call to you as Eve’s own children, and exiles. To you we lift our hearts in sorrow and fear, in this valley of tears. Turn then, our loving Advocate, and look with favor upon us. And after our life in exile, show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O gracious, O loving, O Virgin benign, our Mother Mary.