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(c) 2010, Linda Witte Henke (www.lindahenke.com). All rights reserved.

Posted here with permission of the artist.

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem,

fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

Service of Light

Greeting/Invocation

 We light three 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

During these final days of Advent, we sing the appropriate verse from this well-known and beloved Advent Carol

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

See now approaching the greatest Prophet, one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.

Psalm 1

If you would be happy and blest:

Walk hand in hand with goodness,

Be a companion of virtue,

Sit in the seat of truth.

Delight in the study of Torah–

Ponder both day and night.

 

Then, like a tree that is planted

Beside a flowing stream,

You will bear fruit in due season

Your leaves will never fade,

All that you do will prosper

With plenty of life to share.

 

This is not true for the wicked,

Like chaff they are blown by the wind;

Turning from the Heart of Love,

They will know suffering and pain;

Wisdom guards the way of the upright,

The way of foolishness leads to doom.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

And to the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

 See now approaching the greatest Prophet, one at last to restore Jerusalem, Alleluia.

 

 

READING:  I Thessalonians 5:23-24

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness and preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The One who calls us is trustworthy and will therefore do what has been promised.

 

Silent Reflection

 

Responsory  

R. Rejoice, O highly favored daughter!  * Adonai is with you.

V. God’s blessing is on you above all women, and this blessing is on the fruit of your womb.   * Adonai is with you.

 

Canticle of Mary          Luke 1:46-55

 

O Wisdom, you have come forth, the living word of the Most High, embracing all creation from beginning to end, gently yet mightily: Come to teach us your way of prudence.

 

It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.

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 through the WORD

In the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

 O Wisdom, you have come forth, the living word of the Most High, embracing all creation from beginning to end, gently yet mightily: Come to teach us your ways of prudence.

 

SERVICE OF PRAYER

Litany

We humbly pray to the one who rescues us from the darkness of sin

and in faith we cry out:  ~ Come Lord Jesus

 

Gather together all the people of the Earth and

establish with them your everlasting covenant. ~Come Lord Jesus.

 

Lamb of God you came of old to take away the sin of the world;

purge us today from the dregs of our guilt. ~ Come Lord Jesus

 

You came to recover what was lost; come again in your mercy.  ~Come Lord Jesus.

 

Our faith seeks you out; let us find everlasting joy with you

when you come again. ~Come Lord Jesus.

 

You taught us to pray…

Our Father …

 

Final Prayer and Blessing

Creator and Redeemer of humankind, you sent your Holy Wisdom to take flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  May your Wisdom and prudence guide our every choice and action as we prepare our hearts, our homes and our lives to welcome him.  We ask this through the same Incarnate Word who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  Amen.

 

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 the world with peace.   ~And give thanks to God.

 

All may make the sign of the Cross as we say:

May the peace of the Holy ONE+ which surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and our minds in Jesus, our Emmanuel.

 

Let us bless the world with peace. ~And give thanks 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!

 

The angel of the Lord brought the message to Mary. ~ And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

 

Let us pray.  We ask, O Lord, that we who have been privileged to receive the Good News of the Incarnation of Christ, you Son, may be prepared through his passion and cross to approach also the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.