Leader: Another day is coming towards its close – we put
away the work of this day. We come before the
doors of the holy to seek & to knock. Open to us
the mystery of your presence.
All: We ask open to us the mystery of your presence.
Please listen to, or join in with, the hymn.
(You are Mine. Tr 8. We will rise again)
Like a shepherd I will feed you; I will gather you with care.
I will lead you and hold you close to my heart.
(Refrain) We will run & not grow weary, for our God will be our strength
and we will fly like the eagle, we will rise again.
I am strength to the weary; to the weak I am new life.
Though the young may grow weary, I will be their hope.
(Refrain)
Lift up your eyes,and see who made the stars.
I lead you, and I know you, I call you each by name.
(Refrain)
Fear not, I am with you; I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; uphold you with my hand. (Refrain)
Please sing this psalm as indicated.
Cantors: Happy the one
To whom the Lord imputes no guilt.
Side 1: Happy are those whose fault is taken away
Whose sin is covered.
Side 2: Happy those whose sin God does not count,
In whose spirit there is no guile.
Side 1: As long as I would not speak,
My bones wasted away with groaning all day long;
Side 2: For day & night your hand lay heavy upon me
My strength was dried up as by the summer’s heat.
Side 1: Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
And did not cover my guilt.
Side 2: I said ‘I confess my sins to you,’
And you took away the guilt of my sin.
Side 1: For this shall all the faithful pray to you in time of stress.
Though deep waters rise, they shall not reach them.
Side 2: You are my shelter; you will protect me from trouble
And surround me with songs of deliverance.
Side 1: I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
Side 2; Do not be senseless like horses & mules, their
tempers curbed only by bridle & bit,
Or they will not come near you.
Side1: Many are the sorrows of the wicked
But faithful love surrounds those who trust in you.
Side 2: Rejoice and be glad in God, you just;
Exult, all you upright of heart.
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: Happy the one
To whom the Lord imputes no guilt.
We will listen to, or join in with, the psalm. (S.the Ps 2.A.Tr 11)
Refrain. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
Restored me to life from those who sink into the grave. [Refrain ]
Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
Give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts but a moment; his favour all through life.
At night there are tears, but joy comes with the dawn. [Refrain]
The Lord listened and had pity. The Lord came to my help.
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing,
O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever. [Refrain]
Reading: From ‘Prayer’ – Edward Hays.
The gifts of prayer are precisely that: gifts. And while one is responsible to return tenfold for every gift received, that return does not imply a discussion or revelation of what you do in prayer nor what is done to you. Jesus is the arch-pilgrim, the pattern of those seeking to become one with God. And nowhere in all the pages of the gospels does he reveal the inside of his prayer life. We do not know what happened on the mountain tops or deserted places where he withdrew to be in intimate communion with his God. Rather we see in the words & actions of his life – in his compassionate behaviour, his harsh attitude towards narrow, legalistic observance of laws, his openness to outcasts & sinners, his delight in feasting & life – the results of his prayer. A true pilgrim best shares his or her prayer & spirituality with others by sharing the fruits of that inner journey.
Pause for reflection – silent or shared.
Please sing the Magnificat (Christ be Our Light Tr2.) after saying the antiphon.
All: The saints, who followed in the footsteps of Christ,
rejoice in heaven. They gave their life for the love of
Christ; therefore they will reign with him for ever.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.
My spirit sings to God, my saving God.
Who on this day above all others favoured me & raised me up,
A light for all to see.
Through me great deeds will God make manifest,
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love & mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know & praise God’s holy name.
God’s mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak & raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt,
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.
Soon will the poor & hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.
All glory be to God, Creator blest,
To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest,
And to the Holy Spirit, gentle comforter,
All glory be, both now & evermore.
All: The saints, who followed in the footsteps of Christ,
rejoice in heaven. They gave their life for the love of
Christ; therefore they will reign with him for ever.
Intercessions:
Reader: Let us pray for the people of Africa ………. silence
………. God of us all,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray that we, in the west, may discover the
best way to learn from, & to support, our African
sisters & brothers ……….silence………. God of us all,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray especially for those African countries
that are at war or where people are dying of hunger
or disease, ……….silence………. God of us all,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray in particular for our sisters, the
Daughters of the Resurrection in Africa, ……….
silence………. God of us all,
All: Hear our prayer.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight.
We remember also those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: God, parent of us all, we have honoured the memory
of Charles Lwanga & his companions, we ask for
some of the same courage so that we may give
witness to our faith in whatever ways present
themselves. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord
All: Amen.
All: With gratitude & faith, we conclude this day in your
name & we ask your blessing on the day, on ourselves
& on all whom we hold dear – a blessing of peace & of hope. Amen.