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SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Evening Candle and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Love!
~Thanks be to God!
“My night knows no darkness, alleluia;
~All is resplendent with your light, alleluia!”
HYMN FOR ST. LAWRENCE DAY
Then spoke the prefect. At his nod
Forthwith the executioner
Stripped off the holy martyr’s robes
And laid him bound upon the pyre.
When slow, consuming heat had seared
The flesh of Lawrence for a space,
He calmly from his gridiron made
This terse proposal to the judge:
“Pray turn my body, on one side
Already broiled sufficiently,
And see how well your Vulcan’s fire
Has wrought its cruel punishment.”
The prefect bade him to be turned.
Then Lawrence spoke: “I am well baked,
And whether better cooked or raw,
Make trial by a taste of me.”
He said these words in way of jest;
Then raising shining eyes to heaven
And sighing deeply, thus he prayed
With pity for unholy Rome.
Thus ended Lawrence’s fervent prayer,
Thus ended, too, his earthly life:
With these last words his eager soul
Escaped with joy from carnal chains.
Some noble Romans, who were led
By his amazing fortitude
To faith in Christ, then bore away
The hero’s body from the scene. Amen.
Text: St Prudentius (348-413); Tune: VERBUM SUPERNUM L.M.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Blessed Lawrence prayed saying:
“I give thanks to you, O Lord,
that I have been found worthy to enter your gates.”
Psalm 14/15
O Adonai, who shall be admitted to your tent,
or rest on your holy mountain?
Those who walk with integrity
and do only what is right,
speaking the truth with courage.
They never spread slander
or abuse their friends
or condemn their neighbors.
They disdain the godless
but honor those who are faithful.
Before God, they give their word
and keep it at any cost.
They do not take interest on loans
nor take bribes against the innocent.
Indeed the ones who love justice
will stand for ever unshaken.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before, so now and evermore. Amen
Blessed Lawrence prayed saying:
“I give thanks to you, O Lord,
that I have been found worthy to enter your gates.”
READING 1 Corinthians 15:3-5,8a
Rejoice, beloved, to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Responsory
R. Blessed Lawrence cried out: “I worship my God and serve no one else –
* So I do not fear your torture.”
V. God is my rock; I take refuge in the Holy One;
* So I do not fear your torture.
V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
The deacon Lawrence gave sight to the blind by the sign of the cross
and distributed among the poor the treasures of the Church.
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 WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
The deacon Lawrence gave sight to the blind by the sign of the cross
and distributed among the poor the treasures of the Church.
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
You called Lawrence to serve as deacon, leading the prayers of the faithful, assisting at the altar and passing the cup, ~strengthen all who exercise liturgical ministries in the prayer of the Church.
As deacon, Lawrence knew by name the orphans and widows, the sick, the blind, the lame, and the lepers of Rome, and considered them the true treasure of the church, ~ may we follow his example in serving those in need and recognizing how precious they are to You.
Roasted over hot coals, the martyr Lawrence, prayed calmly for the authorities and forgave his executioner ~teach us to calm the heat of anger and to pray for those who cause us harm.
You strengthened Lawrence to bear witness to the truth in the face of bitter persecution ~empower us to bear witness to the reality of your love at all times and in every place.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father…
Closing Prayer
Gracious God of Truth and Compassion,
you called the deacon, Lawrence, to love you by serving at table in liturgy and in ministry with the poor. Help us to follow his example by sharing the treasures you have entrusted to us for the life and salvation of the world. We ask this and all things through your Word, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Blessing
May God bless + us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to freedom and the fullness of life, ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai. ~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon.
Salve Regina, Mater misericordiae, Vita dulcedo et Spes nostra, salve!
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae; Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum vale. Eia, ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos, ad nos converte; et Jesum benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis, post hoc exilium ostende.
O Clemens, O Pia, O Dulcis, Virgo Maria!