EASTER VESPERS Wednesday

resurrection Icon cropped

Come, you blessed of my Abba;

receive the kin-dom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world, alleluia.

SERVICE OF LIGHT

Greeting/Invocation

 We light the EASTER CANDLE and say or sing:

Christ our Light!

~Thanks be to God!

 

This is the day Adonai has made, alleluia!

~Let us rejoice and be happy today, alleluia!

 

HYMN FOR EASTER

ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

 

Upon the altar for the Cross His Body has redeemed our  loss;

And tasting of his life-red Blood We live as one with Him in God.

 

O truly worthy Sacrifice, through which the power of hell now dies,

And set a captive people free, Restoring life and liberty.

 

To you, once slain, again you live, All glory Love, Your people give;

All glory, as is ever meet, To Abba and the Paraclete.

Text: AD COENAM AGNI PROVIDI (7th century)  tr. J.M. Neale,, alt ; Tune:  PASCHAL LAMB L.M. 

SERVICE    OF THE WORD

Evening Psalmody

Antiphon (Old Roman Chant)

 Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

Psalm 111/112

Happy are those who love God

and delight in the whole of Torah!

Their children shall be blest,

strong and upright in the land.

 

The households of the just will flourish

their integrity stands firm forever.

A light shines from them for others

for they are generous, merciful and just.

 

The good lend freely to others

and conduct their affairs with honor.

They never waver from doing what is right

their justice is remembered forever.

 

They do not fear evil news

with strong hearts they trust in God.

Steadfast and without fear

they will watch the wicked crumble.

 

Open-handed they share with the poor;

their integrity stands firm forever.

this strength will bring them honor.

 

But hatred devours the wicked 

who grind their teeth and depart;

their hopes all turn to ashes.

 

Glory to the ONE and to the WORD

and to the BREATH of Love!

As always before, 

so now and evermore.  Amen

 Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

READING         Hebrews 7:24-27

Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself.

 Responsory

R.  This is the day Adonai has made * alleluia, alleluia!  V. Let us rejoice and be happy today *alleluia, alleluia!  V.  Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.

Gospel Canticle

Antiphon

“Were not our hearts burning within us,
while he opened up the Scriptures?” Alleluia, 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 Holy Breath of Love

As always before

So now and evermore. Amen

“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us and opened the Scriptures?” Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

SERVICE OF PRAYER

Litany of Intercession

By your resurrection, O Love,

you become the firstborn of the dead.

~Help us live the newness of your life.

 

By your resurrection

you seal the New Covenant.

~Breathe your Spirit into our hearts.

 

By your resurrection

you overcame hate among people.

~Help us live the new commandment of love.

 

By your resurrection

you were clothed with immortality.

~Help us put on the New Humanity,

re-created in the justice and holiness of truth.

 

By your resurrection

you sit at the right hand of Abba.

Help us discover from nature and all that is real

the path to your community of love.

 

By your resurrection

you restore the universe.

~Restore our communities of faith with your joy

so that our lives may be witnesses of your resurrection.

Prayer of Jesus

Our Dear Abba in heaven…

 

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 Risen Christ open our eyes and breathe into our hearts 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 God of Life who brought Jesus through death to new life+ bless us with Peace and Joy, Alleluia!  ~Amen, Alleluia!

Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia!    ~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

 

 

the-risen-christ-appears-to-his-mother-217-william-hart-mcnichols

Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for the Easter Season.

Regina Caeli laetare, alleluia!

Quia Quem meruisti portare, alleluia!

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia!

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia!

 

Rejoice and be glad or 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 myrr-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.