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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.
Rescue me from death, O God, my Savior;
~ And my tongue shall ring out your goodness!
MORNING HYMN for LENT
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Lenten Morning Hymn .
God of Compassion turn to us your children;
Bend down your ear in your great loving kindness.
And, as your people’s song is now ascending,
We beg you, hear us.
Look down in mercy from your throne of glory;
Pour on our souls the radiance of your presence;
Drive from our weary hearts the shades of darkness;
Our footsteps lighten.
Free us from sin because of your great loving;
And cleanse the sordid, loose the fet-tered spirit.
Spare ev’ry sinner; raise with your own right hand
All who have fallen. Amen.
Text: Aures Ad Nostras, trans A, G, McDougall (1895-1964) alt.; Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU
PSALMODY
Antiphon
O Adonai receive us as we sing with humble hearts
and so may our offering be pleasing to you.
Psalm 104/105: 1-15
Give thanks to Love, acclaim the Name
tell all that Adonai has done.
Make music and sing among the peoples
God’s mighty deeds and wonders!
Revel in the holy Name!
Delight in seeking Adonai.
Look always for God’s strength and power,
the presence of Love in our world.
Recount the signs and wonders
the judgments and just decrees.
For God remembers the covenant,
the promise for a thousand generations,
the agreement made with Abraham
and the oath sworn to Isaac.
Confirmed with Jacob as a law
for Israel as a covenant forever:
“I give you a land to care for,
Canaan will be your inheritance.
They were only a few in number,
a handful of nomads in the land,
wandering from country to country,
from one realm and nation to another.
Love tolerated no oppression,
admonished kings and rulers on their account:
“Do not touch those I have anointed;
do no harm to any of my prophets.”
Glory to the One and to the Word
and to the Breath of Love
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
O Adonai receive us as we sing with humble hearts
and so may our offering be pleasing to you.
READING Genesis 17: 3-6
God spoke to Abram and said:
“My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.”
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Give thanks to Adonai, tell the Name, *make know God’s deed among the peoples. V. God remembers the covenant forever, the oath that was sworn to Abraham; *make known God’s deeds among the peoples. V. Glory to the ONE and the WORD and the Breath of Life.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to think
he would see my day; when he saw it he was glad.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
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.
Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to think
he would see my day; when he saw it he was glad.
Intercessory Prayer
The Spirit of Adonai anointed you…
to bring good news to the poor;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
to proclaim liberty to captives;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
to restore sight to the blind;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
to let the oppressed go free;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
to proclaim a jubilee year from Adonai;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
You came that all might have life and have it to the full;
~Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
You taught us to pray…
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer
We give you thanks, O Gracious God, for with a mother’s love you have watched over us in the night and brought us from the shadows of darkness into morning’s light. As Spring sees new life emerging from the muck and mud left by a long, cold winter, may your gift of this season of grace renew our spirits, cleanse our hearts and free us to grow and flourish in freedom and the fullness of life. Amen.
Blessing
May the God of light + fill us with all peace and joy, as we approach the Holy Feast of Easter. ~Amen.
Let us bless the world with peace.
~And give thanks to God.