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(c) 2010, Linda Witte Henke (www.lindahenke.com). All rights reserved.
O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.
SERVICE OF LIGHT
Greeting/Invocation
We light four candles on the Advent Wreath, and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Thanks be to God!
Let your face shine on us, O God;
~And we shall be saved.
ADVENT EVENING HYMN
O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
O come O Flow’r of Jesse’s stem, From every foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow’r to save, And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe.
O come, O Wisdom from on high, Who orders all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1
Sound the trumpet in Zion, for the day of Adonai is near.
Behold, God is coming to save us! Alleluia, alleluia!
Psalm 109/110
Adonai, to the One who will reign:
“Come and be My companion;
We will undo selfishness and sin.”
The Spirit will bring from Zion
The power and strength to save:
Love changing foes into friends.
Precious from the day of your birth
on the holy mountain;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Promise holds true forever:
Your ministry is Loving-Kindness–
A priest like Melchizedek of old.
Companions of the Most High are ready
To liberate all who suffer from evil.
The One who calls us to justice
Invites us to join in the struggle:
Enlightening all who are unaware of the truth.
Drink from streams of Living Water,
Lift up your head and celebrate the feast.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before, so now and evermore. Amen
Sound the trumpet in Zion, for the day of Adonai is near.
Behold, God is coming to save us! Alleluia, alleluia!
Antiphon 2
Behold, the Desire of all nations shall come,
and the house of the Lord shall be filled with glory, alleluia.
Psalm 144/145a
I will give you glory, O Sovereign God!
I will bless your Name forever.
I will bless you day after day
and praise your Name forever.
Adonai is great, and worthy of praise!
Such greatness can never be measured!
Age to age proclaims your works,
recounts all your mighty deeds,
tells of your splendor and glory
and all of your wonderful works.
They reveal your awesome power,
and tell of your marvelous deeds.
they recall your abundant goodness,
joyfully sing and ring out your justice!
Adonai is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is Adonai to all
Compassionate to every creature.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Behold, the Desire of all nations shall come,
and the house of the Lord shall be filled with glory, alleluia.
Antiphon 3
The rugged land shall be made a plain; the rough country a broad valley.
Come, O Lord, do not delay, alleluia!
Psalm 144/145b
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
Let them make known to all
your might and your glorious reign.
Your dominion lasts forever
your rule for all generations.
You are faithful in all your words
and loving in all your deeds.
You support those who have fallen
and raise all those who are bowed down.
The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due season.
You open wide your hand
to feed all living things.
Most just in all your ways
most loving in every deed.
You are near to all who call
who cry out from their hearts.
You grant them their desires,
hear their cry and save them.
You protect and keep alive
All who strive to love.
Let me sing the praise of my Love
let all creatures bless the holy Name,
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
The rugged land shall be made a plain; the rough country a broad valley.
Come, O Lord, do not delay, alleluia!
READING James 5: 7-9
Be patient, my brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmers await the precious yield of the soil; they look forward to it patiently while the soil receives the winter and the spring rains, you too, must be patient. Steady your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Behold! The judge stands at the gate!
Silent Reflection
Responsory
R. Do not weep city of Jerusalem, for Adonai is grieved over you;
*and God will take away all your troubles.
V. See, Adonai is coming: the Holy One with a mighty arm
*and God will take away all your troubles.
V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55
O Adonai, and leader of the house of Israel ,
you appeared to Moses in the fire of the flaming bush
and gave him the Law on Mount Sinai!
Come to gather us in your welcoming embrace.
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
My heart + is radiant with Adonai,
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
O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel:
what you open no one closes, when you close, no one can open.
Come and free from their prison chains those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death!
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany
Let us call on the Beloved, the happiness of all who wait for God’s Reign:
~ Come, O Love, do not delay.
Let the day come when any who suffer will find your compassion.
Let the day come when all poverty will find your riches.
Let the day come when all who mourn will find your consoling touch.
Let the day come when our many paths will find your welcoming embrace.
Let the day come when our work repairing the Earth, will find your new creation.
Let the day come when our hope and joy will find fulfillment in your presence.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Dear Abba in Heaven …
Final Prayer and Blessing
Creator and Redeemer of humankind, your eternal Word took flesh in the house and family of David. His justice is the key which unlocks the chains of racism, sexism, and classism; his truth is the key which unlocks the prisons of arrogance, ignorance, and fear; his compassion is the key that leads to freedom, flourishing and the fullness of life. May the celebration of his birth in just a few days, close and lock the door to selfishness and sin that we may join him and your Holy Spirit in renewing the face of the Earth; For
you live and reign in the power of justice and love, one God forever and ever. Amen.
All may make the sign of the Cross as we say:
May the One who makes peace to rain down from the heights,
+ shower us and all on Earth with wisdom and compassion. Amen.
Let us bless Adonai ~Thanks be to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for Advent.
Marian Antiphon
Loving Mother of our Savior, holding open heaven’s only hope, Star for steerage in this vastness, rise to help us, save the sinking. Nature’s greatest Wonder: you have borne your own true Maker, giving human life to him. Virgin ever, before and after, that Good News from Gabriel, Word of Life for living, tell it now: mercy to all people!