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SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light the EASTER CANDLE and say or sing:
Christ our Light!
~Thanks be to God!
I believe that my Redeemer lives, alleluia!
~And in my flesh I shall see God, my Savior, alleluia!
HYMN FOR EASTER EVENINGS
Rejoice, angelic choirs, rejoice! Rejoice now, all creation!
Let trumpets loudly raise their voice To hail the Lord’s salvation;
Let all Christ’s holy people sing triumphal shouts of vict’ry bring
In festal celebration.
O earth, exult in radiance bright, Illumined by Christ’s splendor!
Your darkness now is put to flight; To him due praises render!
Be glad, O Church! sing out your songs! Your temples fill with shouting throngs
To hail the glorious victor!
Let all who gather round this flame, The sign of Christ’s arising,
The deathless light of Christ acclaim, His saving mercy prizing;
That all may live by faith in him Who conquered death, despair and sin
To make us free forever.
Text: Exsultet Iam Angelica, tr. Joel Lundeen (c) LBW 1978, alt. ; Tune: MIT FREUDEN ZART, 87 87 887
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Evening Psalmody
Antiphon
Jesus was given up for our sins
and he rose for our justification: Alleluia, Alleluia!
Psalm 75/76
In loving places, O Great Love, you are known,
those who love you glory in your Name.
You set up your tent in the City of Peace,
your dwelling place accessible to all.
From there you break the flaming arrow,
the shield, the sword, and war itself.
Glorious and clothed with Light,
more majestic than the everlasting mountains!
That which is haughty is brought down where it belongs,
the plunder of greed is stripped and despoiled;
The violent are dazed and cannot lift a hand,
In the face of such love, horse and rider are stunned.
You alone command such reverence and awe–
who can remain defiant in the face of such power!
Your verdict sounds from heaven:
our Earth trembles and then is very still,
when you arise to judge and give the command:
“liberate the oppressed and defend the poor.”
When compassion moves you to action
even the warlike stand in awe.
Let all who make vows to Adonai keep them;
let all offer gifts to the One who is awesome,
who takes away the breath of tyrants,
and stuns those who claim to rule on earth.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love,
as always before,
so now and evermore, Amen.
Jesus was given up for our sins
and he rose for our justification: Alleluia, Alleluia!
READING ACTs 11: 24-26
Then [Barnabas] went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
Responsory
R. Go into all the world and preach the Gospel of joy* alleluia, alleluia!
V. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.*alleluia, alleluia!
V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
“I am the Shepherd of the sheep;
I am the way, the Truth and the Life.
I am the Good Shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me. Alleluia!
Canticle of Mary
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 the Word
And to the Breath of Love
As always before
So now and evermore. Amen
“I am the Shepherd of the sheep;
I am the way, the Truth and the Life.
I am the Good Shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me.” Alleluia!
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
O Good Shepherd, the Holy Spirit raised you from the dead and made you the Source of life; ~ make all things new and fill them with your Risen Life.
O Good Shepherd, you are Savior of the world and Shepherd of the new creation; ~raise our hearts and minds to the lifestyle and love-style of the Kin-dom of God.
O Good Shepherd, you are always present where two or three are gathered in your name;
~through your Holy Spirit, guide all communities of faith to the fullness and unity of truth.
O Good Shepherd, you are the Strength of the Sick and the Comfort of the dying; ~send your healing to the sick and use us to be your presence to the dying and those who care for them.
O Good Shepherd, you are the Light that never fails and the Peace that surpasses all understanding; ~ as this day draws to a close may the glory of your resurrection shine on all those who have died and all those who grieve their passing.
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 the way to the freedom, flourishing and fullness of life which your love offers to us and all of your creation. May the Good Shepherd call and lead us through the gate of self-emptying love and compassion into the pastures of abundant life now and forever. Amen
Blessing
May the God of Life who brought Jesus through death to resurrection+ bless us with Peace and Joy, Alleluia! ~Amen, Alleluia!
Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia! ~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for the Easter Season.
O Queen of heaven, Be joyful, alleluia!
For He whom you rejoiced to bear for us, alleluia!
Has arisen, as he promised, alleluia!
Pray now for us to our God, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia!
For our Love is truly risen, Alleluia!
Let us pray.
Holy, Immortal and Mighty God, you have brought joy to the world by raising Jesus from the dead. By the prayers of Mary his Mother, and of all the myrrh-bearing women,
raise us up with Jesus and bring us to the fullness of life. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ, our Risen Love. Amen.