Leader: Wherever love is, there is God.
All: What kind of love is God’s love?
Leader: God’s love forgives & forgives again. Gives & gives again.
All: We ask for God’s forgiveness & to continue to receive God’s gifts – for ourselves & for all in special need at this time.
The hymn is ‘Enfold me in your love’ from Fire of Love’ CD Tr 2
please join in the refrain at the end of each verse if you wish.
O hold me, enfold me in your love.
You are the light that is ever bright,
You fill my heart giving life,
You give the work I endeavour to do.
Meanings & purpose are blessings from you. (Refrain)
You are the beauty that fills my soul,
You by your wound make me whole,
You paid the price to redeem me from death;
Yours is the love that sustains every breath. (Refrain)
You still the storms & the fear of night,
You turn despair to delight,
You feel the anguish & share in my tears,
You give me hope from the depth of my fears. (Refrain)
You are the word full of life & truth,
You guide my feet from my youth;
You are my refuge, my firm cornerstone;
You I will worship & honour alone. (Refrain)
You have restored me & pardoned sin,
You give me strength from within,
You called me forth & my life you made new.
Love is the binding that holds me to you. (Refrain)
You are the way; the truth and life,
you keep me safe in the strife.
Yours is a love I cannot comprehend,
you guide the way to a life without end. (Refrain)
We will read the canticle as indicated.
Reader 1: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with
every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him
before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for
adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance
with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Reader 2:In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of
God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and
understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his
will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in
Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their
fulfillment-to bring unity to all things in heaven and on
earth under Christ.
We will listen to, or join in with, a musical version of the psalm.
(Light Divine Tr.8.)
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good – his love will last for ever.
Give thanks to him, the lord of lords – his love ……….
His wisdom made the heavens & earth – his love ……..
He has worked such marvellous deeds – his love …….
And ever, and ever, and ever.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good – his love ……
He who fixed the stars in the sky – his love …….
He made the sun to rule the day – his love ……
And set the waters upon the earth – his love ……
And ever, and ever, and ever.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good – his love …….
Give thanks to him who made the great lights – his love ……
He who made the heavens & earth – his love ….
And the moon & stars to rule the night – his love ……
And ever, and ever, and ever.
Reading: John O’Donohue on silence.
Silence is the sister of the Divine. Meister Eckhart said that there is nothing in the world that resembles God so much as silence. Silence is a great friend of the soul; it unveils the riches of solitude. It is very difficult to reach that quality of inner silence. You must make a space for it so that it may begin to work for you. In a certain sense you do not need the whole armoury & vocabulary of therapies, psychologies, or spiritual programmes. If you have a trust in, & an expectation of your own solitude, everything that you need to know will be revealed to you. Silence is the force that discloses hidden depth.
Pause for personal reflection.
We will sing the Magnificat to a traditional Scottish tune.
My soul is filled with joy as I sing to God my saviour;
He has looked upon his servant, he has visited his people.
Refrain: And holy is his name.
I am lowly as a child but I know from this day forward
That my name will be remembered for all will call me blessed.
Refrain as above.
I proclaim the power of God; he does marvels for his servants;
Though he scatters the proud-hearted & destroys the might of princes. Refrain as above.
To the hungry he gives food, sends the rich away empty.
In his mercy he is mindful of the people he has chosen.
Refrain as above.
In his love he now fulfils what he promised to our fathers;
I will praise the Lord, my saviour, everlasting is his mercy.
Full Refrain: And holy is his name, through all generations, everlasting is his mercy to the people he has chosen, & holy is his name.
Intercessions:
Reader: Knowing that our creator holds each person in love, let us pray: for those in various parts of the world who are in danger at this moment from war or terrorism, ….. silence ….. protect your people,
All: Keep them safe.
Reader: For the young & vulnerable who are sleeping rough tonight in cities throughout the world, ….. silence ….. protect your people,
All: Keep them safe.
Reader: For all children whose mental, physical or emotional health is endangered by abuse or neglect,….. silence ….. protect your people,
All: Keep them safe.
Reader: O Lord our God, we rejoice that whatever happens to us,
All: Nothing at all can separate us from your love.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today, & those who will die tonight…………….. We also remember those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow including………
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: Lord God, source of every grace, we honour the life of Saint Aloysius tonight. Grant through his intercession, that we may follow his example of a well lived life. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Leader: The blessing of God, the eternal goodwill of God, the
shalom of God, the wildness & the warmth of God,
be among & between us now & always.
All: Amen.