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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.

 

Mardi Gras EVENING HYMN

Alleluia, song of gladness, Voice  of  joy that cannot die;

Alleluia, is the anthem Ever dear to choirs on high;

In the house of God abiding Thus they sing eternally.

 

Alleluia, thou resoundest, True Jerusalem and free;

Alleluia, joyful Mother, All thy children sing with thee;

But by Babylon’s sad waters Mourning exiles now are we.

 

Alleluia, we deserve not Here to chant forevermore;

Alleluia, our transgressions Make us for a while give o’er;

For the holy time is coming Bidding us all sins deplore.

 

Therefore in our hymns we pray, Thee, Grant us, Blessed Trinity,

At the last to keep thine Easter In our home beyond all time;

There to Thee forever singing “Alleluia,” joyfully. Amen.

Text: Alleluia Dulce Carmen, 11th c. Tune: Urbs Jerusalem Beata Mode IV

 

 

 SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

 Antiphon

Let the Earth and all she bears rejoice;

All the trees of the woods and orchards shout for joy!

Psalm 64/65

To You our praise is due

O God in Zion

To You do we commit our lives,

for you are the One who hears our prayer.

 

To you do we come

when we have gone astray.

When our transgressions weigh us down

You are the One who sets us free.

 

Blessed are those you invite

and welcome to your dwelling.

You fill us with the bounty of your house,

and the holiness of your temple.

 

You keep your promise with wonders,

O Adonai, our savior,

You are the hope of all on Earth

even the most distant isles.

 

Let the Earth and all she bears rejoice;

All the trees of the woods and orchards shout for joy!

 

Clothed in power and strength

You uphold and steady the mountains;

You still the roaring of the seas

(restless waves and raging nations).

 

You fill them from east to west with your joy.

You tend and water the land,

and it yields a great harvest.

You fill your springs,

ready the seeds, and prepare the grain.

 

You soak the furrows and level the ridges;

With softening rain you bless its growth.

You crown the year with your goodness,

All you touch comes alive:

Abundance flows in your steps,

In fields and meadows it flows.

 

The hills are dressed with joy,

the pastures covered with flocks.

the valleys wrap themselves in grain,

They shout for joy and break into song:

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love;

as always before,

so now and evermore. Amen.

Let the Earth and all she bears rejoice;

All the trees of the woods and orchards shout for joy!

Reading   I Peter 1:14-16

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly,
and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.

Responsory

R. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, *a holy nation, a people set apart. V. Obey my voice, keep my covenant, for you are my very own possession. * A holy nation, a people set apart.  V. Glory to the ABBA, and the WORD, and the Holy BREATH of Life.

Gospel Canticle of Mary

Antiphon

There is no one who has left all things for my sake and for the Gospel

who will not receive a hundredfold and life everlasting.

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

 

There is no one who has left all things for my sake and for the Gospel

who will not receive a hundredfold and life everlasting.

 

Service of Prayer

Litany of Intercession

For all who hunger–whose lives are endangered by lack of fresh fruit and vegetables–whose families and livestock are perishing from lack of vegetation,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all whose poverty force them to survive on grains and vegetables, and for those who willingly adopt this simple diet so others may simply live,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who work closely with soil–farmers, scientists, and gardeners–who recognize its fragile beauty and strive to restore its natural balance,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For those who farm and garden the Earth using permaculture and other sustainable methods that harmonize with the life of entire ecosystems,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For those who hoard the produce of the land, who build larger barns and funnel grains and greens that could feed the whole world into the unsustainable production of pork, beef and poultry to satisfy the cravings of the elite,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For those who hunger for meaning, cut off from the life-giving and sustaining love of God manifest in the cycle of life in all its paradox and diversity,

~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

Creator God, we stand in wonder and awe before Mother Earth, whom you invited to join you in the on-going work of Creation; and now each peak, valley, field and pond pours forth its poetry of gratitude and praise.  On this last evening before we begin our annual celebration of Lent, may our Alleluias of praise join the trees in clapping their hands and join all your saints in singing your praise, for yours is the love, the power and the glory now and forever.  Amen.

 

May the God of all creation +   bless us with a hunger and thirst for beauty and justice.   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.

 

Gracious Queen of the Universe:

~Intercede for us with Christ, your Son.

 

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.