Pray With Us

Leader:            Come, Lord Jesus: you too were weary when day was done;

                & you met your friends at eventide.

All:            Come, Lord Jesus.

Leader:           Come, Lord Jesus: when evenings drew on, you too enjoyed

                prayer and companionship at the close of the day.

All:            Come, Lord Jesus.

Leader:           Come, Lord Jesus: you kindled faith when lamps were low.

                You opened the Scriptures and shed your light as darkness fell.

All:            Come, Lord Jesus.

 

At the end of the week, we may like to call to mind any situation

or concern of which we have been conscious during

the week, & ask God to take it close to his heart

during this time of prayer.

 

We will listen to the hymn.

(Here am I, Lord – Sacred Weave Tr 4)

 

 

Here am I, Lord, I’ve come to do your will.

Here am I, Lord, in your presence, I am still.

 

Please say the psalm & its antiphon as indicated.

 

All:  God is great; our God is high above all Gods.

Reader:     Praise the name of our God, praise God, servants of the Lord,

                 who stand in God’s house, in the courts of the house

                 of our God. Praise our good God.  Sing a psalm to our loving

                 God’s name.  For God has chosen Jacob & Israel for his own

                 possession. For I know God is great, that our God is high above

                 all Gods.  God does whatever he wills, in heaven, on earth, in

                 the seas. God summons clouds from the ends of the earth,

                 makes lightning produce the rain; from his treasuries God sends forth the wind.

All: Glory be to the Father, & to the Son, & to the Holy Spirit as it

     was in the beginning, is now & ever shall be, world without end, amen.

All:         God is great; our God is high above all Gods.

 

Please sing the 2nd part of the psalm, a contemporary paraphase.

 

Cantors: Sons of Israel, bless our God!

             Sing a psalm to God’s name for God is loving.

Side 1:         Fortunate they are who have houses to dwell in,

                    Whose roots reach far in the ground of the past.

Side 2:      Blessed are those with a language of their own,

              Through which they can hear your marvellous works.

Side 1:          Inheritors as we are of an ancient story,

                     We find our place in a greater world.

 Side 2:     Through art & music we are consoled & inspired,

              Through the touch of our neighbours we know we belong.

 Side 1:         Let us live from the point of need: need of the poor, the outcast, the friendless,

                    The hurt child who lives in us all, the needy who bring us the gift of your presence.

All:  Glory be to the Father & to the Son,

      And to the Holy Spirit,

      As it was in the beginning, is now & ever shall be,

      World without end, amen.

All:            Sons of Israel, bless our God! 

                Sing a psalm to God’s name for God is loving.

 

 Reading:      John O’Donohue.

There is a quiet light that shines in every heart.  It is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to seek possibility, & our hearts to love life.  Without this subtle quickening our days would be empty & wearisome, & no horizon would ever awaken our longing.  Our passion for life is quietly sustained from somewhere in us that is wedded to the energy & excitement of life.  This shy inner light is what enables us to recognise & receive our very presence here as blessing.  We enter the world as strangers who all at once become heirs to a harvest of memory, spirit & dream that has long preceded us & will now enfold, nourish, & sustain us.  The gift of the world is our first blessing.

 

Silent reflection.

 

We will now listen to the Magnificat of Friendship & its antiphon.

 

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

Reader:    My soul flowers in the light of your love, my God, & my

                spirit sings ‘Alleluia’ in the reality of your joyful presence

                because you have chosen my kinswoman & me

with the summons of your eyes.

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

Reader:   Yes, we are known now & for all time.  We are known as women,

               blessed, holy is your name. The tenderness of your hand rests

               on us as we journey in your way. Your power in my life has led me

               into the embrace of loving arms.

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

Reader:   You have exposed my lonely pride that I might turn my head to

               your nurturing breast.  You have revealed the hollowness of

               achievements & have opened in my heart a space filled with

               simple, loving moments.  My hunger you have satisfied,

my excess you have ignored.

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

Reader:   You are my help as I remember your tender love for me, for we

               have touched each other – you & I – & we have made promises. I

               remember your tenderness for all you have begun in me & in

               those with whom I walk & I respond with all that I am becoming

               in this hour & in all times to come.

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

All:          Glory be to the Father and to the Son, & to the Holy

          Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,

          world without end, Amen.

All: God has come to help us; God has remembered his mercy.

 

Intercessions:

Reader:     We commend to you, tonight, Lord, our world …………..  silence ……… we pray,

All:        Loving Creator, put new hearts within us all.

Reader:     You promise peace to your people; help us to play our part in the fulfilment of your promise in our time …………..  silence ……… we pray,

All:        Loving Creator, put new hearts within us all.

Reader:     For all those who serve & lead our nation: mark out for them the path to justice & peace …………..  silence ……… we pray,

All:        Loving Creator, put new hearts within us all.

Reader:     Be strength for people who are sad, & healing for those who are sick; help us to speak your words of encouragement to all who suffer …………..  silence ……… we pray,

All:        Loving Creator, put new hearts within us all.

Reader:     For those bringing up children, we ask your guidance.  May they, & we, be able to pass on your values …………..  silence ……… we pray,

All:        Loving Creator, put new hearts within us all.

Reader:     We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight.  We also remember in prayer people whose anniversaries of death occur tomorrow especially …….     May they rest in peace.

Pause for people to add any further intentions.

 

Leader: begins the Our Father……………..

Leader:             Holy Father & Lord, you willed that Christ your

                  Son would live amongst us, die & rise again.

                         May this strengthen us & enable us to be the

                         presence of Christ in the world.  We make our

                         prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and

                         reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God

                         forever and ever. Amen.

Leader:   May our loving God support us all the day long till

                 the shades lengthen & the evening comes, & the

                 busy world is hushed & the fever of life is over, &

                 our work is done.  Then, in God’s mercy, we pray that

                 God will give us a safe lodging & a holy rest, & peace

                 at the last, Amen.