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

Posted here with permission of the artist.

 

SERVICE OF PRAISE

O Rex Gentium et desideratus earum,

lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum;

Veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

 

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

 

We sing the appropriate verse from this well-known and beloved Advent Carol

O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all humankind;

O bid our sad divisions cease, and be for us our King of Peace.

 

O come, O Dayspring from on high And cheer us by your drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadow put to flight.

 

Rejoice! Rejoice!  Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

PSALMODY

 Those who wish may sing alternate verses with the cantor.

Antiphon

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. O Bethlehem, not the least in Judah, *from you will come the one to rule over Israel my people. V.  Joseph and Mary went up to register at the city of David, called Bethlehem.*from you will come the one to rule over Israel my people.

 

 

Canticle of Mary:    Luke 1:46-55

Antiphon:

O King of all Nations, and their deepest desire,

the cornerstone that binds “others” into one.

Come and save humankind, whom you fashioned out of clay.

 

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 and to the WORD

In the BREATH of Love!

As always before,

so now and evermore.  Amen

O King of all Nations, and their deepest desire,

the cornerstone that binds “others” into one.

Come and save humankind, whom you fashioned out of clay.

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 

You taught us to pray,

Our Dear Abba in  …

 

Closing Prayer & Blessing

Creator and Redeemer of all creation, you breathed your Eternal Word into the very humanity you created out of Earth’s precious clay. He worked among us like a cornerstone, uniting into one family those previously divided by the illusions of greed and pride. May his coming fulfill the deepest desire of our hearts so that we may be one in Christ and one with You in the power and glory of love, forever and ever.

 

May the  Holy ONE  who makes joy to rain down from the heavens

+ shower this Earth with justice and peace.  ~Amen.

 

Let us bless Adonai.

~Thanks be to God.

 

Those who wish may pray the Marian Antiphon for Advent.