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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!

 

O Adonai, You are my light;

~My God, You  illumine my darkness.

 

EVENING HYMN for LENT

Jesus calls us out of darkness To the wonder of his light.

See your dignity, O Christian, Rescued from eternal night.

See the glory of your  calling, Brothers, Sisters of the Lord,

Calling  God alone  your Abba Through the love that Christ outpoured.

 

Turn away from all corruption, Be a sign before the world

Of the love our Abba shows us In the gentle mighty Word.

Be the light upon the lampstand, Be the city on the hill.

Be the men and women toiling, Seeking but our Abba’s will.

 

Abba, hear your children call you In the name of Christ your own;

Send the Spirit whom he promised That in him we may be one.

So the world will come to know you in the One  who came and died,

For your love will be reflected In the mirror of our lives.

Text: Ralph Wright, OSB, alt. Tune DOMHNACH TRIONOIDE 87 87 D

 

 SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

 Antiphon

Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter my house,

Just give an order, and my boy will be well.

Canticle of Hezekiah

Once I said in the noontime of life

I must pass away;

I must go down to the gates of Sheol,

I am deprived of the rest of my years.

 

I will never see Adonai again

in the land of the living.

Never again like those who live in  the world

shall  I look on any creature.

 

My dwelling is taken from me,

pulled up like a shepherd’s tent.

Like a weaver you roll up my life

to cut from the loom.

 

I shudder like a swallow,

I moan like a dove.

My eyes turn to the heights:

care for me, Adonai, be my safeguard.

 

My heart will live for you

My spirit will live for you alone.

You will cure me and give me life

restore me and make me live.

 

Give my spirit rest, Adonai,

bring me back from the pit of destruction.

Sheol does not praise you,

nor does death extol your Name.

 

The living, the living are the ones who praise you,

as I do today.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love;

as always before,

so now and evermore. Amen.

Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter my house,

Just give an order, and my boy will be well.

 

Reading   Isaiah 65 :17-18

Thus says Adonai:
Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;
The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create;
For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight;
I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.

Responsory

R. Adonai does deeds of justice *and gives judgment for all who are oppressed.

V. Adonai is compassion and love *and gives judgment for all who are oppressed.

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

Gospel Canticle of Mary

Antiphon

 The father knew then that it was at the very hour at which Jesus had said,

“Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole  household.

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

 

The father knew then that it was at the very hour at which Jesus had said,

“Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole  household.

Service of Prayer

Litany of Intercession

When you are hungry and we form task forces to discuss food deserts or proper nutrition for the poor… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

When you are in prison and we insist on tougher sentencing for crimes and the building  of more prisons… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

When you are naked and we debate the morality of your appearance… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

When you are sick or injured and we thank God for our own health… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

When you are homeless and we build mansions for ourselves while preaching the spiritual shelter of the love of God…

~ Forgive us O God.

 

When you are lonely and we avoid you by promising to pray for you… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

When we seem so holy, so close to God– but you are still very hungry, and lonely and cold… ~ Forgive us O God.

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father …

 

Closing Prayer

God of Life and Liberation, in his teaching, his parables and his example, Jesus revealed that to live fully as the image of God, each of us is called and gifted to meet the real, practical needs of our sisters and brothers.   May our celebration of this holy season rehearse us in living by his values and bring us closer to realizing the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life that your love offers to us and all creation both now  and forever.   ~Amen.

 Blessing

May the God of all Compassion + fill our hearts with loving-kindness for all those who suffer from want and neglect.   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 now 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, 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.