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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 Lord!

~Thanks be to God!

 

Stay with us Lord for it is evening,

~And the day is almost over.

 

WEDNESDAY EVENING HYMN

O God, Whose hand has spread the sky

And all its shining lights on high;

You, when the fourth day had begun

Did frame the circle of the sun.

 

Surrounding it with fiery light,

You crowned the sun with regal might,

And set the moon her ordered ways,

The mistress over months and days.

 

O shine your light upon our mind;

The dark of sin and guilt unbind.

Direct us into truth and right,

and make us children of the light.

 

O Loving Abba hear our cry,

Through Jesus Christ, your Word most high,

Whom in the Spirit we adore,

Who love with you forevermore.  Amen.

Text: Caeli Deus Sanctissime; tr. Gethsemani (1968) alt.;  Tune: Plainsong Mode VIII

 

 SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

 Antiphon

The Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.

St. Francis’ Canticle of Creation

Most High, Almighty God,

Good and Holy One!

All praise, glory, and honor

and exaltation are yours!

To you alone do they belong,

And no mere mortal dares pronounce your Name.

We praise you O Loving God! 

 

Praise to you, O Adonai our God,

for all your creatures:

first for our dear Brother Son,

who gives us the day and illumines us with his light;

fair is he, in splendor radiant,

bearing your very likeness, O Holy One!

We praise you O Loving God! 

 

For our Sister Moon,

and for bright shining stars:

We praise you O Loving God! 

 

For our Brother Wind,

for fair and stormy seasons

and all of heaven’s varied moods,

by which you nourish all that you have made.

We praise you O Loving God! 

 

For our Sister Water,

so useful, and lowly,

so precious and pure.

We praise you O Loving God! 

 

For our Brother Fire,

who brightens up our darkest nights:

beautiful is he and eager,

invincible and keen:

We praise you O Loving God! 

The Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.

Reading   James 1: 22-25

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
it is as if you were to look at your own face in a mirror.
You see yourself, then goe off and promptly forget
what you looked like.
But if you peer into the perfect law of freedom and persevere,
and are not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;
you shall be blessed in everything that you do.

Responsory

R. The rising sun will shine upon us *and direct our feet in the ways of peace.

V. The heavens still proclaim the glory of God *and direct our feet in the ways of peace.

V. Glory to the ONE, to the WORD, and to the Holy BREATH of Life.

Gospel Canticle of Mary

Antiphon

Jesus laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time–
his sight was restored and he could see everything clearly.

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

Jesus laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time–
his sight was restored and he could see everything clearly.

Service of Prayer

Litany of Intercession

For astronomers, cosmologists, and all who explore the depths of space and the mysteries and wonder of the universe,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all whose lives and work are intimately connected to the time of day and the seasons of the years, especially those affected most by global warming and climate change,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who are forced by poverty or war to live under the open sky, burned by the sun during the day or freezing under the stars each night,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who are deprived by modern lifestyles and preferences from experiencing the natural beauty and rhythms of day and night, seasons and celebrations that acknowledge our home and role in the universe,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Every atom in our bodies was forged in the fiery belly of a star who lived, died and gave itself back to the universe: may we learn this Wisdom of God, manifest in the stars and in Jesus of Nazareth, and live and die in harmony with everything else going on in the universe. ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

God of the Starry Universe, as we celebrate  the  fourth day of the week, we praise and thank you for the wisdom and splendor of each shimmering star; the heat and life-giving energy of our Sun, the serene beauty and mystery of our Moon, and the reliable rhythms of days, weeks, months, seasons and years.  May every person on earth be entranced by each sunset, amazed by each constellation, astonished by each season, and filled with gratitude that your universe in its infinite variety has invited each of us to be an integral part of such splendor, for your love is the power that has created all things, sustains all things, and frees all things to join you in building the future now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the God of the Cosmos +   bless us with reverence, wonder and awe .   Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai!    ~And give thanks to God.

 

Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon. Ave Regina Caelorum is sung from the 3rd of February until Good Friday, inclusive.

Queen of the heavens we greet you, Queen of Angels we entreat you,

Fairest flower, heaven’s portal From whom came the Light immortal.

Matchless maiden, God did raise you For the Universe to praise you.

Hear us, O hear us, dear Mother; Show your children Jesus, our brother.

 

Pray for us, holy Mother of God.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Let us pray.  O Gracious God, grant to your people lasting health of mind and of body.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we be freed from present sorrow and attain eternal happiness.  We ask this through Christ our Love.  Amen.