Leader: Life is a journey on many different roads
All: but God is always with us.
Leader: Sometimes we lift our faces to the sun
All: and God is with us.
Leader: But then there is the hard journey through pathways of pain & fears in dark places.
All: But God is with us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
So, we pray in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Please sit and join in the chant (sung 3 times):
Ubi Caritas et amor, ubi caritas Deus ibi est.
(Where there is love and loving kindness, God is there.)
Please sing this canticle & its antiphon as indicated:
Cantors: All things were created in him,
And he holds all things in being.
Side 1: With joy, give thanks to the father who has made you fit to have your share
Of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.
Side 2: He rescued us from the power of darkness & brought us
safe into the kingdom of his dear son,
By whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.
All: Let us give thanks
To the Father.
Side 1: Christ is the invisible likeness of the invisible God.
He is the first-born son, superior to all created things.
Side 2: For through him God created everything in heaven & on
earth, the seen & unseen things,
Including spiritual powers, lords, rulers & authorities.
All: Let us give thanks
To the Father.
Side 1: God created the whole universe,
Through him & for him.
Side 2: Christ existed before all things,
And in union with him, all things have their proper place.
All: Let us give thanks
To the Father.
Side 1: He is the head of his body, the Church;
He is the source of the body’s life.
Side 2: He is the first-born son who was raised from death,
In order that he alone might have the first place in all
All: Let us give thanks
To the Father.
Side 1: Through the son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself.
God made peace through his son’s death on the cross,
Side 2: And so brought back to himself all things
Both on earth & in heaven.
All: Let us give thanks
To the Father.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen.
All: All things were created in him,
And he holds all things in being.
Ps 138.Please listen to, or join in with track 10 from
‘Lord of Light’.
Refrain: Always aware of us, ever-present with us,
ceaselessly creating us, we respond in love.
We tremble & adore our God, mysterious &
faithful, mysterious & faithful.
Oh lord, you search me & you know me,
You know my resting & my rising.
All my thoughts you know from afar,
Such knowledge too wonderful for me.
Even before I speak, you know my words,
Behind & before you besiege me.
Your hand is ever laid upon me,
All my ways lie open to you.
Refrain.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your face?
If I climb to the heavens you are there;
If I lie in the grave you are there.
If I say to the darkness, hide me –
Let the light around me become night.
To you there is no darkness,
And the night is as clear as the day.
Refrain.
Reading: 1 John 2: 3-6
If we obey God’s commands, then we are sure that we know God. If someone says they know God, but does not obey God’s commands, such a person is a liar, & there is no truth in such a person. But whoever obeys God’s word is the one whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are really in union with God: whoever says that they remain in union with God should live just as Jesus Christ did.
Silent or shared spoken reflection ad lib
Please remain seated for the Magnificat which we will listen to after saying the antiphon together. (Fountain of Life – Margaret Rizza – Tr 1)
All: Show the power of your arm, Lord. Put down the proud and exalt the lowly.
Intercessions:
Reader: Let us ask God to send the Spirit into our hearts and our world as we pray …… pause …….. we sing:
All: (sung): We ask you, Lord, listen to our prayer, we ask
you, Lord, listen to our prayer.
Reader: We pray for all people throughout the world who are experiencing hunger and poverty tonight. Be with them, and show us ways of playing our part in putting an end to suffering. …… pause …….. we sing:
All: as above
Reader: We pray for our Church – our parish and the Church universal. May we work for unity, for truth and for all the values of the Gospel. …… pause …….. we sing:
All: as above
Reader: We pray for anyone experiencing temptation and trial in their life. Give us all the courage to do what we know to be right. …… pause …….. we sing:
All: as above
Reader: We pray for young people struggling to find their way in life. May the Spirit guide them into a life of truth, love & happiness. …… pause …….. we sing:
All: as above
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight; we also remember those people whose anniversary of death occurs tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father………..
Leader: Remember us, your people, Lord, and show us all your mercy. Send down your Spirit from Heaven more abundantly into our lives and our world. Enrich our poverty from your abundance and teach us to hear your voice more clearly. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. All: Amen.
We will conclude our time of prayer together with a sung Celtic blessing – Light in our Darkness CD – TR 6
The guarding of the God of Life be on you.
The guarding of the loving Christ be on you,
The guarding of the Holy Spirit be on you,
To aid & uphold you each day & night of your life.
The guarding of God, the guarding of Christ,
The guarding of the Holy Spirit, be upon you.