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Thomas Aquinas, OP (1225-1274) died on March 7th
His Feast is now celebrated on January 28th
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.
Adonai filled him with a spirit of wisdom,
~ And clothed him with a robe of glory.
MORNING HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .
O Thomas, still with warmth and light
Your mind renews the Church of God.
May we who offer praise this day
Be blessed to work for truth in love.
With your most pure and simple heart
You saw the Myst’ry you adored
And, raised to gaze on things divine,
You found where human truths are stored.
You watched and prayed and pondered deep
“O Lord, My God, that I may see!”
God heard your prayer and through that grace
We now enjoy what you received.
In humble silence you had learned
From Christ, your friend, to master sin;
And then with glorious words you told
Of that great freedom found in him.
O gracious teacher, pray that we
Like you may clearly see the Way,
And humbly without fear proclaim
The truth that brings eternal day.
O Loving Abba hear our prayer
Through Jesus Christ, your loving Son,
That in your Spirit we may live
And praise you ever Three-in-One. Amen.
Text: Ralph Wright, OSB; Tune: Plainsong
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Those who live as children of the light
bring forth goodness, justice and truth.
Psalm 145/146
My soul, sing praise to Adonai
I will praise Adonai all my days;
make music to my God while I live.
Never depend on rulers:
born of earth, they cannot save.
They die and turn to dust.
and all their plans simply crumble.
They are wise who depend on God,
who look to the Adonai of Jacob,
creator of heaven and earth
maker of the teeming sea.
Adonai keeps faith forever,
and is just to all who are oppressed,
the One who gives bread to the hungry
and sets all the prisoners free.
Adonai gives sight to the blind,
raises those whose bodies are bent,
protects refugees and strangers,
upholds and comforts widows and orphans.
Adonai is One who loves the just
and blocks the path of the wicked.
Adonai will reign forever
Sion’s God from one generation to the next.
Glory to the ONE and the WORD
And the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Those who live as children of the light
bring forth goodness, justice and truth.
READING Wisdom 9:9-11
With you is Wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes
and what is conformable with your commands.
Send her forth from your holy heavens
and from your glorious throne dispatch her
That she may be with me and work with me,
that I may know what is pleasing to you.
For she knows and understands all things,
and will guide me prudently in my affairs
and safeguard me by her glory.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Wisdom has built herself a house; she has prepared her table, has brought forth her wine. And she calls to her children: *Come and eat of my bread, and drink of my wine; Come to the feast I prepared for you.
V. They have come from the eastern and western lands; Gathered around the table,
at the feast of the Reign of God. * Come and eat of my bread, and drink of my wine; Come to the feast I prepared for you.
V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
You are the light of the world;
Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify God.
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
You are the light of the world;
Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify God.
Intercessory Prayer
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
A Prayer of Thomas Aquinas
O ineffable Creator, out of the treasure of your Wisdom, you have most wisely distributed the parts of the world;
O true Fountain of light and wisdom, pour upon the in-born darkness of my understanding the double beam of your brightness, and so remove from me the darkness of sin and ignorance.
O Word who makes eloquent the tongue of the dumb, instruct my tongue, and pour on my lips the grace of your blessing. Give me quickness of understanding, capacity of retaining, subtlety of interpreting, facility in learning, and copious grace in speaking.
Guide my going in, direct my going forward, accomplish my going forth; through Christ our Lord. 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.