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Oculi mei semper ad Dominum, quia ipse evellet de laqueo pedes meos;
respice in me, et miserere mei, quoniam unicus et pauper sum ego.
[My eyes are always on Adonai who will free my feet from the trap;
Look to me and have mercy on me because I am alone and poor.]
Entrance Antiphon Third Sunday of Lent
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!
You lead me near restful waters.
~To revive my drooping spirit.
Hymn for Lent III
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.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Evening Psalm
Antiphon
Once you were far way and now
you are brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Refrain
By his wounds we have been healed.
I Peter 2:21-25
Christ suffered for you leaving you an example:
that you should follow in his steps. (Refrain)
He committed no sin; no guile was found upon his lips.
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. (Refrain)
When he suffered, he did not threaten;
but he trusted in God who judges justly. (Refrain)
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (Refrain)
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you were straying like sheep,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. (Refrain)
Glory to the Holy One and the Word and the Breath of Love.
As always before so now and evermore. Amen.
Once you were far way and now
you are brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ.
READING Isaiah 55: 1-3
All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, get grain and eat;
Come, get grain without money, wine and milk without cost!
Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what does not satisfy?
Only listen to me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.
Pay attention and come to me; listen, that you may have life.
Responsory
R. Now is the acceptable time, *now is the day of salvation.
V. As servants of God, Let us commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, patience and kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love; *now is the day of salvation. V. Glory to the Holy One and the Word and the Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
At the height of the festival, Jesus stood there and cried out:
“If any of you thirst, you should come to me!”
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
At the height of the festival, Jesus stood there and cried out:
“If any of you thirst, you should come to me!”
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
As we enter the Springtime of the year and continue to celebrate the season of Lent, may we listen deeply for the Word of God revealed in creation, in scripture, and in the ordinary circumstances of our lives; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we realize Jesus broke through cultural, religious, ethnic, and gender barriers by speaking with the Samaritan Woman of Sychar and discussing theology with her– may we have the courage and compassion to break through and the barriers and dismantle the institutions of racism, sexism, classism and every other form of privilege that ignores or excludes others; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we remember the Woman at the Well who was the first apostle and evangelist to the people of Samaria, may we be ready to share with others the living water of faith in God’s all-inclusive, unconditional love; ~God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As we prepare for the feast of Easter, may we examine our hearts and sincerely reject anything from our lives that is contrary to the law of love;
~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 enter the sacred waters of Baptism at Easter and free all of us from slavery to selfishness, addictions, 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 the God who offers us living waters + bless us with true knowledge, sure hope and sound understanding. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai. ~And give thanks to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for this season.
Ave Regina caelorum, Ave Domina Angelorum.
Salve radix, salve porta, Ex qua mundo lux est orta:
Gaude Virgo gloriosa, Super omnes speciosa:
Vale, O valde decora, Et pro nobis Christum exora.
Pray for us O gracious Queen of the Universe,
~ 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 body.
Send us your assistance in times of temptation.
May we who celebrate the memory of the holy Mother of God,
rise from our sins by the help of her intercession.
We ask this through Christ our Love. Amen.