Advent Vespers The Presentation Light for the World St. John the Baptist, Dixie December 19 th, 2018
The congregation s candles are lit. Please light your neighbour s. The priest then lights the candles of Hope, Peace, Joy & Love singing Prelude Music Light and love in Je sus Thanks be to God! - Christ our Lord! All: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary And she conceived by the Holy Spirit. Behold, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me, according to your Word. The Word was made flesh, And dwelt among us. Let us pray together, Pour into our hearts, your grace, O God. that we, to whom the Incarnation of your Son, has been made known, by the message of an angel, may, by his Cross and Passion, be brought to the fullness of his Resurrection. We pray, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen. Hymn: #16 - O LIGHT, WHOSE SPLENDOUR THRILLS All Sing O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens With radiance brighter than the sun, Pure gleam of God's unending glory, O Jesus, blest anointed One. As twilight hovers near at sunset, And lamps are lit, and children nod, In evening hymns we lift our voices To Father, Spirit, Son: one God.
In all life's brilliant, timeless moments, Let faithful voices sing Your praise. O Son of God, our life-bestower, Whose glory lightens endless days. The Blessing of the Light Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.. Re - joice! Re - joice! Em - man - u-el shall come to thee, O Is - ra - el. Please kneel Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe, creator of light and darkness. In this advent season, when the sun s light is swallowed up by the growing darkness of night, you renew your promise to reveal among us the splendor of your glory, made visible to us in Jesus Christ your Son. Kindled in the midst of your people Israel Your Son was proclaimed a Light to the Gentiles a light that would reveal your glory and love to every nation on earth. Strengthen us in our doubts and give us the grace of Mary s faith to do your will, that with her we may ever sing your praises, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading Malachi 3: 1-3 Reader: A Reading from the Prophet Malachi Please be seated See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner s fire and like fullers soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. The reader concludes saying, Reader: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Hymn: #157 (Tune #141) - RISE UP AND SHINE! All sing Rise up and shine! Your light has come; God's glory breaks like dawn. For though the earth be cloaked in night and gloom shrouds everyone, yet over you the Lord will rise, with glory gleaming clear, till nations turn to seek your light and humbled kings draw near. Fling wide your gates, both day and night; no more keep watch or guard. You will be called God's holy hill, the city of the Lord. No sound of strife will plague your land, nor harm besiege your ways; "Salvation" will you name your walls, and all your portals "Praise." No more will you implore the sun to shed by day its light, nor will you need the changeful moon to glisten through the night. Your glory then will be your God, whose light will never cease. Rise up and shine! Your light has come to give you joy and peace.
Please be seated Second Reading: Luke 2: 22-35 Reader: A Reading from the Gospel of Luke When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord ), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. And the child s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too. The reader concludes saying, Reader: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. A minute of silence is observed in which we ponder God s word. Reflection Fr. Daniel Brereton Musical Offering ADVENT CANDLELIGHT CAROL Traditional Burgundian Carol, Sung by the Choir Arranged by Anna Laura Page and Jean Anne Shafferman
Drop down, ye hea - vens from a - bove, Advent Proses Drop down, ye hea - vens from a - bove, and let the skies pour down right eous - and let the skies pour - ness. down right-eous - ness. All sing Cantor: Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity forever: thy holy cities are a wilderness, Sion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation: our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee. All sing the Antiphon Cantor: We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing, and we all do fade as a leaf: and our iniquities, like the wind have taken us away; thou hast hid thy face from us: and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. All sing the Antiphon Cantor: Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know me and believe me: I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour: and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. All sing the Antiphon Cantor: Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, my salvation shall not tarry: I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions: Fear not, for I will save thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer. All sing the Antiphon The Prayers Please kneel or be seated God of glory, who guided Simeon to recognize the Messiah, in a newborn infant, open our eyes to see your presence with us, between us and working among us. All: You are a light to enlighten the nations.
Fill us with the hope, peace, joy and love of Christ s coming, that we may be renewed in strength and become your holy people, serving your Kingdom in this world. All: You are the glory of your people Israel. Confront our perplexed and confused anxiety, and ease our minds with the promise of your faithfulness. Strengthen us to carry out our service to others in righteousness and trust. All: Let our souls be pierced by the suffering of our world. With Mary, we receive your light into our hearts. With Joseph, we make a place for your light in our homes. With Simeon, we proclaim your light to the world. All: Our eyes have seen your salvation: Our Lord Jesus. The Light of Joy Dear friends, at the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, Simeon recognized the infant Jesus as the Saviour God had promised. He warned Mary that sorrow would pierce her heart but that Jesus would be a light to all nations. I invite you therefore in the name of the Lord, to take a moment of silence, to ask the Lord to shine his light into the sorrowful and hurting places of our world and to use you as a means of sharing that light, perhaps praying in your heart: Lord, let your servant go in peace, you word has been fulfilled. All come forward and light their taper from the Love candle. Concluding Prayer All: Please kneel or be seated Come, O God of Love, and make within us your dwelling place and home. May our darkness be dispelled by your light, and our fears dispelled by your peace; revealed to us in the Word made Flesh. This we ask in the name of the Light in our darkness, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gathering all our cares into one, let us pray, All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Hymn: #148 - SEE AMID THE WINTER S SNOW All sing See amid the winter's snow, born for us on earth below, See the tender Lamb appears, promised from eternal years. Hail thou ever blessed morn! Hail redemption s happy dawn! Sing through all Jerusalem, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Sacred infant, all divine, what a tender love was thine, Thus to come from highest bliss down to such a world as this. Refrain Teach, O teach us, Holy Child, by Thy Face so meek and mild, Teach us to resemble Thee, in Thy Sweet humility! Refrain Dismissal Go with love and let Christ s light shine in the darkness. Thanks be to God.