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Greeting/Invocation

As the Jewish mother lights the candles at the beginning of Sabbath, Christians light (a) candle(s) at the beginning of Evening Prayer.  In Advent, we light the candles of the Advent wreath.  On this evening and for the next 6 days, we light the First Candle on the Advent Wreath, and say or sing:

Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!

~Thanks be to God!
Let your face shine on us, O God;

~And we  shall be saved.

 

ADVENT EVENING HYMN

All may sing or alternate the verses of the Advent Evening Hymn—this one translated anew from the Monastic version of Conditor Alme Siderum.  The traditional melody or any familiar Long Meter hymn tune may be used, e.g. On Jordan’s Bank.

O Lord of Light who made the stars, O Dawning light of faith for all,
O Christ , you save the universe, Now hear your people when we call.

 

Compassion moved your loving heart When death assailed all humankind,
You came to save a weary world: The sick to heal, the lost to find.

 

As this old world sank down towards night, A Groom appeared to start the feast
From Virgin Mother, Bread and Light, New Day, new Life, new Joy increased.

 

Before your name, O gentle Lord, May every creature bend the knee,
May silent stars and planets praise The One whose love sets all things free.

 

Be with us Lord, this Advent night, as winter wombs our Earth with snow;
As cold and darkness play their part gestating life from death below.

 

All glory, honor, thanks and praise, to Abba and Emmanuel,
And to the Spirit in whose love, all life and love forever dwell.  Amen. 

 

SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

One or more of the Antiphons for the First Sunday of Advent may be sung with their respective Psalms.
Those who wish may sing alternate verses with the cantor.

Antiphon 1 

On that promised day, all the peaks will drip with newest wine,
and the hills will flow with milk and honey, 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.

On that promised day, all the peaks will drip with newest wine,
and the hills will flow with milk and honey, Alleluia.

 Antiphon 2

Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Sion!  Thrill with happiness,
O  Daughter of Jerusalem, Alleluia.

Psalm 32/33a

Shout joy to the ONE, O you just,
Those who love can’t help but sing praise.

 

Give thanks plucking strings of your harp,
On a lute with ten strings sing your psalms.
O sing a song that is new
Play loudly with the best of your skill.

 

For the Word of the Creator is Truth,
And all creation reflects Its Beauty.
This Lover of justice and truth
Fills the Earth with great love.

 

With a Word, the heavens are made,
With a Breath, all the stars appear;
The waves of the sea are collected
And stored as a treasure in the deep. 

 

May all peoples be astounded,
All on earth stand in wonder and awe!
When Love speaks, creation is freed;
All that is– springs into being.

 

To plan without Love leads to nothing;
Such designs will crumble and fall.
Love’s design will stand forever,
The plans of Compassion for ages.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

and to the BREATH of Love;

as always before, 

so now and evermore. Amen.

 Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Sion!  Thrill with happiness,
O  Daughter of Jerusalem, Alleluia.

Antiphon 3

See now approaching the greatest Prophet,
one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.

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.

 See now approaching the greatest Prophet,
one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.

 READING      Romans 13:11-14

It is now the hour to wake from sleep.
Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us therefore throw off the deeds of darkness
and put on the armor of light… put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Silent Reflection

 

 

Responsory  

               R. You heavens, open from above that clouds may rain the Just One.

 

Gospel Canticle of Mary        Luke 1:46-55

Antiphon:

Behold, the name of Adonai is heard from afar,
and all the world is filled with God’s glory.

 It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.

My heart + is radiant with Adonai,
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

Behold, the name of Adonai is heard from afar,
and all the world is filled with God’s glory.

 SERVICE OF PRAYER

Litany 

Let us call on the Beloved, the happiness of all who wait for God’s Reign:
~Come, O Love, do not delay.

 

We wait in joyful hope
~For your Love to appear again.

 

You created the world, freeing all things to be;
~Walk with us now in beauty and peace.

 

You came to share life to the full
~Free all creation to flourish together.

 

You gather all in your loving embrace
~Show us again your radiant face.

 

 

Prayer of Jesus 

Let us pray together as our Lord, Jesus Christ has taught us to pray:

Our Dear Abba in heaven,  …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

Stir up your love, O Jesus, and come. As a mother hen spreads her wings to gather her brood, extend your arms to gather and protect us.  Free us to bring the warmth of your love to a world freezing in loneliness and fear.  For yours is the glory and power of Love, now and forever.  Amen.

 

All may make the sign of the Cross as we say:

May the peace of the Holy ONE+ which surpasses all understanding + guard our hearts and our minds in Jesus,+ our Emmanuel. ~ Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.

 

Marian Antiphon

Loving Mother of our Savior, holding open heaven’s only hope, Star for steerage in this vastness, rise to help us, save the sinking.  Nature’s greatest  Wonder: you have borne your own true Maker, giving human life to him. Virgin ever, before and after, that Good News from Gabriel, Word of Life for living, tell it now: mercy to all people!

 

The angel of the Lord brought the message to Mary.
~ And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

 

Let us pray.  We ask, O God, that we who have been privileged to receive the Good News of the Incarnation of Christ, you Son, may be prepared through his passion and cross to approach also the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.