IV EASTER

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ALLELUIA!
Invitation to  Worship

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  Alleluia!

 

O Holy One,+ open my lips.

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

 

This is the day Adonai has made, alleluia;

~Let us rejoice and be glad in it, alleluia!

 

Hymn for Easter Sunday

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain Of triumphant gladness;

God has now brought Israel Into joy from sadness.

Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke Jacob’s sons and daughters;

Led them with unmoistened foot Through the Red Sea’s waters.

 

‘Tis the spring  of souls today: Christ has burst his prison,

And from three day’s sleep in death As a Sun is risen;

All the winter of our sins, Long and dark, is flying

From his Light, to whom we sing joy and praise undying.

 

Now the queen of seasons, bright With the day of splendor,

With the royal Feast of Feasts, Comes its joy to render;

Comes to glad Jerusalem Who with true affection

Welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus’ resurrection!

Text: St. John of Damascus, (ca. 750) Tr. JM Neale ); Tune: GAUDEAMUS PARITER 76.76.D

 

 

PSALMODY

Antiphon

Alleluia! Our Shepherd, the Font of living water,

has destroyed the power of death,  Alleluia, Alleluia!

Psalm 22/23

You, O LOVE, are my shepherd,

There is nothing more I need.

Fresh and green are the pastures,

Where you take me to rest;

Leading  me near calming waters

You renew my drooping spirit.

 

You guide me in the path of goodness,

Always true to your Loving-kindness.

If I walk in the valley of death’s darkness

No evil would I fear

You are there with your shepherd’s staff

To strengthen, guide and give comfort.

 

You spread a feast before me

In the presence of all that I fear,

You soothe my head with oil;

My cup is more than full.

 

Your goodness and love will tend me

All the days of my life.

I will dwell in the Heart of your Love

For ever and ever.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

and to the BREATH of Love.

As always before

so now and evermore. Amen.

Alleluia! Our Shepherd, the Font of living water,

has destroyed the power of death,  Alleluia, Alleluia!

READING   Acts 2: 14, 36-40

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”

Responsory

R.  The Good Shepherd has risen * alleluia, alleluia!.  

V. He gave his life for his sheep and deigned to die for his flock *alleluia, alleluia! 

V.  Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.

 

Canticle of Zachariah

Antiphon

I am the Good Shepherd, my sheep I pasture

and for them I lay down my life,  Alleluia!

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

I am the Good Shepherd, my sheep I pasture

and for them I lay down my life,  Alleluia!

 

 SERVICE OF PRAYER

Litany of Intercession

O Good Shepherd, you know and call each of us by name;

~ lead us to the green pastures of living in health and harmony with  the rest of your beloved creation.

 

O Good Shepherd, you seek those who are lost and gently carry them back to the fold;

~lead us out of our comfort and complacency to find and welcome those wandering aimlessly.

 

O Good Shepherd, you have given yourself to us as a Banquet in the face of all we fear;

~may our sharing of the Eucharist and of each meal transform us into Bread for the World.

 

O Good Shepherd, you provide so much more than we need that our cups overflow;

~free us to share all that we have so that all people and all creation may flourish.

 

O Good Shepherd, you lead your sheep through darkness and death into God’s marvelous light;

~ bring us through the gate of self-giving love to the fullness of life.

 

 

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father…

 

Closing Prayer

We bless and thank you, O Gracious God, for all that you have done in raising Jesus from the dead. You have conquered the power of death and opened to us a way to the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life which your love offers to us and all of your creation.  May the Risen Christ breathe into our hearts, minds and souls, and open our eyes that we may know him in the breaking and sharing of bread and follow him in his risen life now and forever.   Amen

Blessing

May the Good Shepherd, who lay down his life for the sheep + bless and guide us to peace.

~Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia!.

~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!