Closing Hymn: Let The Valleys Be Raised Dan Schutte LET EARTH RECEIVE This booklet was developed by Marie Ann Ellmer, RSM, and Marie Michele Donnelly, RSM, of the Merion Regional Community. 20 1
Friday Evening Prayer Prepare the way of our God Make straight the pathway to the Savior The glory of God shall be revealed And all people shall see it together. I rejoice heartily in my God In my God is the joy of my soul. Glory to you, light of the earth, your justice and mercy enfold us. Hymn: Right: For God My Soul Waits in Silence (Marty Haugen: Only You O God) I have dipped the vessel of my heart into this silent hour; it has filled with love. (Tagore CLXX ) To You O Love, I lift up my soul: O Heart within my heart, In you I place my trust. Let me not feel unworthy; let not fear rule over me. Yes! Let all who open their hearts Savor you and bless the earth. Response: When we are blinded and unable to see Christ in ourselves, in creation or in others, we pray For those who live in the darkness of war, addiction, poverty, imprisonment or unemployment, especially (mention names) we pray When we are blinded by commercialism, greed, and isolation; unable to see our identity as mercy, we pray Enable us to see with your caring eyes and to respond to those in need during this Advent season, especially the sick and their caretakers, the dying and the bereaved, (especially at this time ) we pray Presider: God of light, we await your coming with gratitude and hope. Incline our hearts to the many ways you approach us in this season. We ask this through Jesus, our Redeemer and Friend. Amen. Holy, Holy (sung) Left: Compel me to know your ways O Love; Instruct me upon your paths. Lead me in your truth And teach me, For through you will I know wholeness; I shall reflect your light both day and night. Memorial Acclamation (sung) Amen (sung) Lamb of God (sung) Communion Hymn: My Soul Is Longing Monica Brown 2 19
Opening Hymn Responsorial Psalm Sunday Liturgy O Come Emmanuel O come, Thou Day-spring from on High And cheer us by thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death s dark shadow put to flight Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Desire of Nations, bind in one the hearts of all human kind; Bid thou our dad divisions cease, And be thyself our Prince of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Right: Left: Ant: I know of your mercy, Compassionate One and of your steadfast love. You have been with me from the beginning. Forgive the many times I have walked away from you choosing to walk alone. With your steadfast love, once again Companion me along your way. You are gracious and just O Spirit of Truth, happy to guide those who miss their way. You enjoy teaching all who are open, all who choose to live in truth. Your paths are loving and sure, O Holy One, For those who give witness to you through their lives. (Ps 25 Nan Merrill, Psalms For Praying) Glory to you, light of the earth, your justice and mercy enfold us. I have dipped the vessel of my heart into this silent hour; it has filled with love. (Tagore CLXX ) Reading: Phil 4: 4-7 Alleluia Intercessions (sung) Presider: With trust in the Coming Savior, we bring our needs before our loving God: The response to our petitions is: Lead us in your light. When church leaders and politicians are in the darkness of confusion and selfishness, we pray 18 Response: Intercessions Left: Quiet Reflection Night falls and the coming Christ draws near. Let us entrust our concerns for ourselves, our families and friends and our world into God s provident hands. (Mention any situation that you would like this community to hold in prayer for the weekend.) 3
Response: Come, Emmanuel! Closing Hymn: Christ Circle Round Us Dan Schutte v. 1,2,3,6 Our Father Our Mother Let us pray together: O God, we join our voices with the procession of all our loves ones and those through the centuries who have waited for you. Give us insight to use this time of waiting in a way the brings direction and light to our world. Remind us, time and time again, that you are on the way with us. Help us recognize you in the faces we see each day. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our companion on the way. Amen. 4 17
Intercessions You are here now in this seeming emptiness of waiting, remembering your intent, according to the promise made in the beginning of time, remembering your intent to reach through the work of my life that your fullness may be known now, in our time. (From Miryam of Nazareth) The Lord of all creation comes to your heart and mine. Saturday Morning Prayer Call to Worship Now is the time of watching and waiting The time of pregnant expectation of new life. Response: With all our hearts we desire you O God. We search for you in the daily happening of our lives and pray to be ever awake and aware of your presence; In times of blindness and uncertainty, give us courage to search for truth. God of hope, hear our prayer. In times of storm and despair, help us recognize your light. In this time of terrorism and violence, lead us to your peace. In times of illness and anxiety, may we know you as our healer. In times of selfishness and greed, may we be moved to generosity. In times of dullness and boredom, infuse us with your creative energy. 16 Now is the season of unfolding. The dark winter season when hope is waiting to be born. Let us come before God with receptive and willing spirits. May our souls magnify the name of God and may our spirits rejoice in God our Savior! Rejoice! God comes to bring life and hope. Amen. 5
Opening Hymn: Waiting In Silence Landry The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again: the lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb. Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nation? Did you know that your baby boy was heaven s perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you re holding is the great I AM! (Mark Lowry, Buddy Greene) Quiet Reflection Magnificat of Waiting For the Fullness of Time The lame will leap; the dumb will speak. You save and deliver us. My soul reflects quietly on your fullness, and my spirit grows stronger in the hope of your promise, because you have filled me with the knowing that you are alive within me. Yes, day by day, through the course of time, my awareness of the call to blessed fulfillment increases, for you have done great things in me. Holy is this time, and patience is your gift to all who nurture the seed of your love. You have deflected my fervent thrust, toward ironclad goals, and have spread before me your vision of fragile simplicity. 6 My longing to be a healing and reconciling person to your people is affirmed within the daily comings and goings of my life, my illusions of my own wholeness are mercifully revealed. 15
Show to us also, your highly favored children, how to guard our hearts from noise and hurry s whirl, so that we might hear your voice calling to our hearts to create an empty space that might be pregnant with heaven s fire. Quiet me within, clothe my body in peacefulness, that you Word once again may take fleshthis time within meonce it did in holy Mary, long Advent days ago. (Edward Hays, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim ) The Lord of all creation comes to your heart and mine. Reading: Isaiah 29: 17-19 Hymn: Mary, Did You Know? Mary did you know that your boy would someday walk on water? Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you. Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kissed your little boy, then you kissed the face of God. Reader 1 0 God, in times past we looked for you in heavenly heights. We listened for you in howling winds. But now we know that you will be found among us. And you will be seen not in the glitter of a mall but in a shelter for the homeless. You will be heard not in the pitch of a commercial but in the whimper of a child. You will come not clothed in the comforts of the privileged but swaddled in the needs of the neglected. (Pause) All sing: 0 Come, 0 Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel, To you shall come Emmanuel. Reader 2 Eternal God, who in Jesus Christ awakens our hope for a new heaven and a new earth, we approach you with troubled but expectant hearts. We are troubled by conflicts within, yet reassured by your promise of salvation for those who trust you. We are troubled by conflicts without, yet encouraged by your pledge of peace for those who follow you. Take from us, 0 God, the fear that we are not your people, and make us messengers of the hope for peace on earth. (Pause) 14 7
All sing: 0 Come, 0 Wisdom from on high, who order all things mightly; To us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel, To you shall come Emmanuel. Call to Prayer Sunday Morning Prayer Mindful of God s presence, calming us, and delivering us: We read, 0 Savior, of the people's surprise when you were born in Bethlehem. They had expected a display of power, but were confronted by a picture of humility. They had looked for a mighty ruler, but were greeted by a lowly baby. Chasten our expectation of this Christmas with the realism of that first Christmas, so that when you come to us, surprise shall give way, now, as then to recognition, and we shall hail you as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting One, Prince of Peace." All sing: (Pause) 0 Come, 0 Day spring 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! O Israel, To you shall come Emmanuel. Reading: Jeremiah 33: 14 16 Quiet Reflection Psalm of an Advent Ear We lift our hearts in grateful trust. Beholding God, beholding us this day; gazing at us with tenderness: We open our hearts in sincere hope. Confident that our God comes now to save us. We pray with hearts of love. Glory to you, three in One; your merciful light is coming. The Lord of all creation comes to your heart and mine. With prayerful please and Advent songs of longing, we await the birth of God s Anointed One. Come O gift of heaven s harmony, and attune my third ear, the ear of my heart, so that I may hear just as Mary, faithful woman of Israel heard. O God, the time is short, these days are too few as we prepare for the feast of the birth of Mary s Son. Busy days, crowded to the brim, with long lists of gifts to buy and things that must be done. 8 13
Prayer Blessing Hymn Lord now you may let your servant go in peace; our world has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations and glory of your people Israel Glory to you, three in One, your mercy endures forever. In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord. O God, visit this dwelling and surround us in safety. Let not evil harm us or fear rob us of restful slumber. May your angels guard us in peace until the dawn when we will rise to sing your praise. This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. Peace be to this house. Amen. Peace be to this land. Amen. Peace be to all the peoples of the earth. Amen. Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae: Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad to clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae. Ad to suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia, ergo, Advacata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O Clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. 12 Intercessions We read in Philippians, If there is anything you need, pray for it. In response to these words, let us offer our prayers for the needs of our brothers and sisters: Response: Come, Christ Jesus For the People of God, the Church: that they may lead in being the voice of the voiceless, especially to millions of immigrants in this country, we pray: For political leaders: that they may strive to rid the world of all kinds of divisions: race, status or class, nationality, sex, and religion, we pray: For those working at the borders and port of entry: that they may never abuse their power, but may be true keepers of peace and justice, we pray: For those who are suffering from depression as a result of deportation and expulsion from this country or those who are grieving the loss of a beloved who has died crossing the borders; that Emmanuel may turn their sorrows into joy, we pray: For all Christians: that they may have courage to always call for justice, fairness and peace, we pray: Let us pray in the words our Savior gave us: Our Father, our Mother Closing Prayer Loving God, we eagerly enter this day of retreat, as we eagerly enter (continue) our celebration of Advent. Bring into this day, all who suffer, especially refugees. Incline our hearts to desire your coming, we ask this in name of our friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen 9
Saturday Night Prayer Psalm 34 In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord. O God as night approaches and all the earth grows still We lift our hearts to you in grateful trust. Glory to you three in one Come Sweet Love John Peterson Come Sweet love In silence and in words Come in wonder Come in beauty And in fear See listen to the whisper Love awaits us! Love awaits us! Open up the doors of tenderness Love is come! In your face I see Rivers to move me Encircled in your arms I know caverns I have not been. As one who has grown silent Tenderness bowed in Rising now in silence and song Alights its rest in you. Let then this be said: May we joy in this unfolding May we breathe in the fragrances here Tremble sweet tenderness. Right: Left: O come, bless our God, all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless our God through the night. May our God bless you from Zion, God who made both heaven and earth. Glory to you, three in One, your mercy endures forever, Psalm Prayer In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord. All your servants praise and thank you God Be our light as night descends. We lift up to you the works or our hands, grant us your generous blessing. Reading: Isaiah 9: 1-3 Reflection Gospel Canticle Protect us God while we are awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in peace. 10 11