Opening Sentences — Psalm 51:15 & Lamentations 3:22-23
Hymn — All the World Like a Bell
Psalms
Psalm 42The prayer of an exile
2 Like the deer that yearns*
for runníng streams,
so my soul is yearning*
for yóu, my God.
3 My soul is thirsting for God,*
the God of my´ life;
when can I enter and see*
the fáce of God?
4 My tears have become my bread,*
by night, by´ day,
as I hear it said all the day long:*
“Where ís your God?”
5 These things will I remember*
as I pour out my´ soul:
how I would lead the rejoicing crowd*
into the house of God,*
amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,*
the throng wíld with joy.
6 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
7 My soul is cast down within me*
as I think óf you,
from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon,*
from the híll of Mizar.
8 Deep is calling on deep,*
in the roar óf waters;
your torrents and all your waves*
swept óver me.
9 By day the LORD will send forth*
lovíng kindness;
by night I will sing to the LORD,*
praise the God óf my life.
10 I will say to God, my rock:*
“Why have you fórgotten me?
Why do I go mourning*
oppressed by´ the foe?”
11 With cries that pierce me to the heart,*
my enemies révile me,
saying to me all the day long:*
“Where ís your God?”
12 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
Praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come*
at the end óf the ages.
Silent Reflection
for runníng streams,
so my soul is yearning*
for yóu, my God.
3 My soul is thirsting for God,*
the God of my´ life;
when can I enter and see*
the fáce of God?
4 My tears have become my bread,*
by night, by´ day,
as I hear it said all the day long:*
“Where ís your God?”
5 These things will I remember*
as I pour out my´ soul:
how I would lead the rejoicing crowd*
into the house of God,*
amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,*
the throng wíld with joy.
6 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
7 My soul is cast down within me*
as I think óf you,
from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon,*
from the híll of Mizar.
8 Deep is calling on deep,*
in the roar óf waters;
your torrents and all your waves*
swept óver me.
9 By day the LORD will send forth*
lovíng kindness;
by night I will sing to the LORD,*
praise the God óf my life.
10 I will say to God, my rock:*
“Why have you fórgotten me?
Why do I go mourning*
oppressed by´ the foe?”
11 With cries that pierce me to the heart,*
my enemies révile me,
saying to me all the day long:*
“Where ís your God?”
12 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
Praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come*
at the end óf the ages.
Silent Reflection
43 Longing for God’s dwelling place
1 Defend me, O God, and plead my cause*
against a godléss nation.
From a deceitful and cunning people*
rescue mé, O God.
2 Since you, O God, are my stronghold,*
why have you réjected me?
Why do I go mourning*
oppressed by´ the foe?
3 O send forth your light and your truth;*
let these be my´ guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,*
to the place whére you dwell.
4 And I will come to your altar, O God,*
the God of my´ joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,*
O Gód, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
Praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come*
at the end óf the ages.
Silent Reflection
against a godléss nation.
From a deceitful and cunning people*
rescue mé, O God.
2 Since you, O God, are my stronghold,*
why have you réjected me?
Why do I go mourning*
oppressed by´ the foe?
3 O send forth your light and your truth;*
let these be my´ guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,*
to the place whére you dwell.
4 And I will come to your altar, O God,*
the God of my´ joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,*
O Gód, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, my soul,*
why groan wíthin me?
Hope in God; I will praise yet again,*
my saviour ánd my God.
Praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come*
at the end óf the ages.
Silent Reflection
Scripture Reading — Genesis 1:9-13
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Canticle - The Song of Zechariah — Benedictus
Through your holy prophets, you promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our forebears,
and to remember your holy covenant.
[Refrain]
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship you without fear,
holy and righteous before you,
all the days of our life.
[Refrain]
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
to give God’s people the knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender
compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall
break upon us, to shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[Refrain]
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our forebears,
and to remember your holy covenant.
[Refrain]
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship you without fear,
holy and righteous before you,
all the days of our life.
[Refrain]
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
to give God’s people the knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender
compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall
break upon us, to shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[Refrain]
Prayer to Consecrate the Day
Lord God, you are the bread of life: in whom we have the assurance of our daily bread. It belongs to the great wonders of our existence that all creation looks to you for its food in due season and you, in mercy, satisfy the desires of every living thing.
And yet, even as we marvel before your generous provender, we acknowledge, as did your first disciples, that your claim to be the bread of life is a hard truth to accept. Truth be told, we often lack sufficient trust that you will provide our daily bread and so we gather in a frenzy all we can reach. Our greed is simply the natural consequence of our anxiety. We know your warnings about trying to gather too much, but we feel a compulsion to gather more and more. We suspect that your creation is a zero-sum game — that you have no more gifts to give — and so we justify both our greed and our parsimonious attitude toward those in need.
Save us Lord from this failure to trust you which fuels the greed which is killing us. Bring to full fruitfulness in us the virtues of hope and generosity. In your mercy, save us from the temptation to serve two masters. Feed our confidence in your capacity to provide everything needed for an abundant life. Win us to the vision of your ever-generative and fruitful creation which bestows its largess without resentment.
May our generosity mirror your generosity. May our hope remind us that we are status viatoris — so that we live today as those who know we are on the way to somewhere important, and that we have not yet arrived.
On this day you created the dry land and plants of every kind. As we enjoy the breads made from your many plants may we be reminded that you are the bread of life, and that we do not live by the bread of this world alone, but by every Word from the mouth of God. We praise you for that Word become flesh dwelling among us full of grace and truth and offer our prayers in the name of the one who is the bread of life. Amen.
And yet, even as we marvel before your generous provender, we acknowledge, as did your first disciples, that your claim to be the bread of life is a hard truth to accept. Truth be told, we often lack sufficient trust that you will provide our daily bread and so we gather in a frenzy all we can reach. Our greed is simply the natural consequence of our anxiety. We know your warnings about trying to gather too much, but we feel a compulsion to gather more and more. We suspect that your creation is a zero-sum game — that you have no more gifts to give — and so we justify both our greed and our parsimonious attitude toward those in need.
Save us Lord from this failure to trust you which fuels the greed which is killing us. Bring to full fruitfulness in us the virtues of hope and generosity. In your mercy, save us from the temptation to serve two masters. Feed our confidence in your capacity to provide everything needed for an abundant life. Win us to the vision of your ever-generative and fruitful creation which bestows its largess without resentment.
May our generosity mirror your generosity. May our hope remind us that we are status viatoris — so that we live today as those who know we are on the way to somewhere important, and that we have not yet arrived.
On this day you created the dry land and plants of every kind. As we enjoy the breads made from your many plants may we be reminded that you are the bread of life, and that we do not live by the bread of this world alone, but by every Word from the mouth of God. We praise you for that Word become flesh dwelling among us full of grace and truth and offer our prayers in the name of the one who is the bread of life. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Dismissal
[Luke 6:27-36]
Leader: Love your enemies; be kind to those who dislike you; be a blessing to those who speak ill of you; and pray for those who mistreat you. Give to everyone who begs from you — for if you love only those who love you, what does that say about you? Even the depraved will be kind to those from whom they expect to receive the same. Let your love reflect the love of the Father who is merciful.
People: Praise be to God!
Leader: Give and it will be given to you; a full complement, pressed down, shaken together, spilling over into your lap.
People: Amen.
A sign of peace is exchanged as we depart.
Leader: Love your enemies; be kind to those who dislike you; be a blessing to those who speak ill of you; and pray for those who mistreat you. Give to everyone who begs from you — for if you love only those who love you, what does that say about you? Even the depraved will be kind to those from whom they expect to receive the same. Let your love reflect the love of the Father who is merciful.
People: Praise be to God!
Leader: Give and it will be given to you; a full complement, pressed down, shaken together, spilling over into your lap.
People: Amen.
A sign of peace is exchanged as we depart.