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Invitation to Worship
Come, let us return to Adonai our God, our God who is gracious and merciful.
O Holy One,+ open my lips.
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
You lead me near restful waters,
~To revive my drooping spirit!
Hymn Third Sunday of Lent
At Jacob’s well a Stranger sought His drooping frame to cheer,
Samaria’s daughter little thought That Jacob’s God was near.
This she had known: her fainting heart For richer draughts had sighed;
Ne’er had Messiah ever kind, Those richer draughts denied.
She heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give
The living water, thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
She came to Jesus and she drank Of that life-giving stream;
then ran to tell her friends and kin: “These waters will redeem.”
Still at each heart this Stranger seeks His drooping frame to cheer;
But like the woman can we see that Jacob’s God is here?
He’s thirsting for our hearts to share the love we have in store.
Behold the living waters flow, Come drink and thirst no more.
Tune: KINGSFOLD. Text: vv 1 & 3 G. Walters (1847) alt. v. 2, H Bonar (1808-1889), alt,
Psalmody
Antiphon
Anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again;
this water will well up within you to eternal life.
Psalm 92/93
Adonai, you reign with glory,
draped in splendor, robed with light.
You have girded yourself with the power of love.
The world you made firm, it will not be shaken;
even so, your reign is eternal–
for your Love has existed forever.
Onward roll the waves, O Holy One,
onward the waters lift their voices,
onward like a fury of thunder.
Greater than the roaring of the waters,
More glorious than the surging of the sea,
Your Love is glorious on high.
Your decrees are firm and worthy of trust;
the beauty of holiness and worship
fills your dwelling place forever.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love.
As always before
so now and evermore. Amen.
Anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again;
this water will well up within you to eternal life.
READING Romans 5:5-8
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Responsory
R. Jesus stood there and cried out: If any of you thirst, simply come to me.
V. The water I shall give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life *If any of you thirst, simply come to me!” V. Glory to the Holy One and the Word and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachariah
Antiphon
Now is the time that true believers worship my Abba in spirit and in truth.
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
Now is the time that true believers worship my Abba in spirit and in truth.
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
As we enter the Springtime of the year and continue to celebrate the season of Lent, may we ponder the Word of God in our hearts and savor its meaning more fully day by day; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we examine our hearts, may we sincerely reject everything in our lives that is contrary to the law of love; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we prepare for the feast of Easter , may we seek a change of heart, give ourselves to prayer, and persevere in loving our neighbors, especially those in greatest need;
~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we remember the woman of Samaria, may we be willing to review our lives and acknowledge our failures; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we long for the living waters, may we become true worshippers of God in spirit and in truth; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father…
Closing Prayer
Gracious God of all Compassion, through Jesus you revealed your mercy to the woman of Samaria and awakened in her a thirst for living water. Strengthen all those who are preparing to approach the sacred waters of Baptism at Easter and free all of us from slavery to selfishness, addiction, and sin. Through this celebration of Lent rehearse us in learning from Jesus and living by his values so that we may truly worship You in Spirit and in truth. ~Amen.
Blessing
May Adonai+ bless us and keep us. ~Amen
May the Face of Adonai + shine on us and be gracious to us. ~Amen
May Adonai + look upon us with favor and give us peace. ~Amen
Let us bless the world with peace. ~And give thanks to God.