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Invitation to Worship
Come, let us return to Adonai our God–
Our God who is gracious and merciful.
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
My sacrifice is a contrite spirit,
~ A humbled, contrite heart, you will not reject.
FRIDAY MORNING LENTEN HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn for Lent.
O Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ, Dispel the darkness of our hearts,
Till your blest light makes nighttime flee And brings the joys your day imparts.
In this our “time acceptable” Touch ev’ry heart with sorrow, Lord,
That, turned from sin, renewed by grace, We may press on toward love’s reward.
The day, your day, in beauty dawns When in your light Earth blooms anew;
Led back again to life’s true way, May we, forgiv’n, rejoice in you.
O loving Trinity, our God, To you we bow through endless days,
And in your grace new-born we sing New hymns of gratitude and praise.
Text: Iam Christe, Sol Iustitiae Tune: CHRIST OUR LIGHT L.M.
PSALMODY
Antiphon/Refrain
Be merciful, O God, for we have sinned.
Psalm 50/51
Have mercy on me, O God, in your loving kindness;
in your compassion blot out my offenses.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
I know full well my misdeeds,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, against you have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight. (R)
Yet you look for truth in my inmost being,
and teach me wisdom in my heart.
Purify me that I may be clean,
wash me, make me brighter than snow.
Create in me a pure heart O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your holy Spirit from me. (R)
Deliver me from death, O God my Savior,
that my tongue may sing of your justice.
O Holy One, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
You have no delight in sacrifices;
burnt offerings from me would not please you.
The sacrifice you accept is a humble spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.(R)
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Be merciful, O God, for we have sinned.
READING Numbers 21: 4-9
From Mount Hormah they set out by way of the Sea of Reeds, to bypass the land of Edom, but the people’s patience was worn out by the journey; so they complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”* So ADONAI sent among the people seraph* serpents, which bit the people so that many of the Israelites died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against ADONAI and you. Pray to ADONAI to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, and ADONAI said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover. Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Human One be lifted up, *so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. V. For God sent this Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved; *So that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
The HOLY ONE whose ambassador I am, is with me.
My Abba has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases my God.
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.
The HOLY ONE whose ambassador I am, is with me.
Abba has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases God.
Intercessory Prayer
The fast that you desire, Adonai, is breaking the chains of evil and untying the bonds of injustice; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is freeing the oppressed and welcoming the poor into our homes; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is clothing the persons we find naked and not despising our neighbors; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is sharing food with the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, and welcoming immigrants and strangers; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
The fast that you desire is caring for those who are sick or injured and visiting those who are in prison; ~Help us to love you by loving our neighbor.
Create in us clean hearts, O God; ~ And fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. You call us in this holy season to return to you with all our hearts and to be moved with compassion towards all who suffer. May our Lenten prayers and practices and our whole lives help to build your reign on Earth as it is in heaven where you live and love One God for ever and ever. Amen.
May the God of Life & Liberty who calls us to love God and to love our neighbors + bless our hearts with loving-kindness.
~Amen.
Let us bless the world with peace.
~And give thanks to God.