Leader: How good it is to thank our God, & to praise God’s name. We sing of your love at dawn, your faithfulness at dusk.
Your presence brings delight & the deeds you inspire joy. So we come together to pray,
All: in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit.
We will listen to the hymn, ‘Christ has no body now but yours’.
(Take This moment tr2).
(Refrain) Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes.
You are his body. (Refrain).
Christ has no body now but yours,
Please sing this psalm as indicated.
Cantors: Your faithful shall ring out their joy
As they enter your dwelling place, Lord
Side 1: Our God swore to David a firm promise
From which he will not withdraw:
Side 2: Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne.
Side 1: If your sons keep my covenant
And the decrees that I shall teach them,
Side 2: Their sons too, forever,
Shall sit upon your throne.
Side 1: For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He prefers her for his dwelling.
Side 2: Zion is my resting place for ever;
In her will I dwell, for I prefer her.
Side 1: In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
Side 2: His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon him my crown shall shine.
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: Your faithful shall ring out their joy
As they enter your dwelling place, Lord.
A contemporary interpretation of the second part of the psalm will be spoken by different people taking a verse each ad lib.
All: The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling place.
Yet more was promised to David that day, a descendant would
inherit the Covenant. Would we be shown a more lasting
beauty, gloriously embodying the divine & the human?
And yet – most wonderful paradox – the beauty of God
touched the outcast: nothing in the crucified to delight us,
only to faith’s eye is the glory revealed.
If the ugliest of scars can shine with new light, if you can
fashion new forms from the chaos, if poets can bring hope
from genocide’s ashes, we can rejoice once again in the beauty of God.
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: The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling place.
Reading: from St Bonaventure’s writings.
Christ is the Way; Christ is the door. By Christ we mount, by Christ we are bourne, for he is the ‘mercy-seat hidden from all ages’. A person should turn their face to the mercy-seat, should look at Christ hanging on the cross, should look with faith, hope, love, wonder, joy, appreciation, praise & jubilation: for thus will someone make their own personal ‘pasch’, that is their pass-over, with him. By the rod of the cross they pass over the Red Sea, they enter from the desert of Egypt to taste the hidden manna, they rest with Christ in the tomb as if dead to all that is without. Yet they hear, as far as is possible to one who is still on their journey, the words Christ spoke from the cross to the thief, ‘Today you shall be with me in paradise’.
Silent reflection.
Please say the Magnificat antiphon together & then listen to a version of the canticle composed by John Talbot
(Our Blessing Cup CD Tr.6)
All: This is the faithful and wise steward whom the Master placed over his household, to give them their measure of food at the proper time.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
And my spirit exalts in God my Saviour;
For he has looked with mercy on my lowliness,
And my name will be for ever exalted
For the mighty has done great things for me,
And his mercy will reach from age to age,
And holy, holy, holy is God’s name.
Holy, holy, holy is God’s name.
Holy, holy, holy is God’s name.
Intercessions:
Reader: Let us pray for all who work from within the Church to bring about God’s Kingdom…….(pause)………… In faith we pray,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray for all who teach theology as St Bonaventure did. May they be able to bring their students closer to God …….(pause)………… In faith we pray,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray for all who are part of the Franciscan family of religious – may their spirit be an inspiration to others. …….(pause)………… In faith
we pray,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today – we pray for those who will die tonight – & for those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow,
remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: Almighty God & Father, on this feast of St Bonaventure, enlighten our minds with the splendour of his teaching,
& help us to imitate his strong love of you. Through Christ our Lord,
All: Amen
Leader: The mercy of God, the love of Christ & the gathering in the Holy Spirit that is what we pray for
& what we wish for each other as we end our time of prayer.
All: Amen.