Pray With Us

 

 

 

 

We put ourselves in the presence of God as we listen to some music.

(Jacqueline du Pre. 2.5. Song without Words).

 

 

 

 

 

Leader:   Spirit of Wisdom & Love, come, warm our hearts & minds,

All:          And refresh us.

Leader:   Come, Spirit of God,

All:          Bind us together, wounded healers, in common love & purpose.

Leader:  Come, Spirit of God,

All:         Strengthen us to hold the Christ-light in the darkest of places.

Leader:   Come, Spirit of God.

 

Please join in the hymn which we will sing twice – ‘me’ the 1st time & ‘us’ the 2nd:

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me/us,

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me/us,

Use me/us, melt me/us, mould me/us, fill me/us,

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me/us,

 

Please say this canticle & its antiphon as indicated:

 

All:          His majesty covers the heavens, the earth is filled with his praise!

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:         His majesty covers the heavens, the earth is filled with his praise!

 

Ps 138. Please listen to, or join in with, Tr 10 ‘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: Pope Francis – Let us Dream.

Millions of people ask themselves & each other where they might find God in a time of crisis.  What comes to my mind is ‘overflow’.  I am thinking of great rivers that gently swell so gradually that you hardly notice them, but then the moment comes, & they burst their banks & pour forth.  In our society, God’s mercy breaks forth at such ‘overflow moments’, bursting out, breaking the traditional confines that have kept so many people from what they deserve, shaking up our habits & our thinking.  The ‘overflow’ is to be found in the suffering that the crisis has revealed & the creative ways in which so many people can & do respond.

 

Pause for reflection.

 

Please sing the Magnificat as indicated.

Cantors:   The saints will dwell in the kingdom of Heaven;

Their peace will last for ever.

Side 1:      My being proclaims your greatness,

And my spirit finds joy in you, God my Saviour,

Side 2:     For you have looked upon me, your servant, in my lowliness;

                 All ages to come shall call me blessed.

Side 1:     God, you who are mighty, have done great things for me.

Holy is your name.

Side 2:    Your mercy is from age to age

                Towards those who fear you.

Side 1:     You have shown might with your arm

And confused the proud in their inmost thoughts.

Side 2:    You have deposed the mighty from their thrones

                And raised the lowly to high places.

Side 1:     The hungry you have given every good thing,

While the rich you have sent away empty.

Side 2:    You have upheld Israel, your servant,

                Ever mindful of your mercy-

Side 1:     Even as you promised our ancestors;

Promised Abraham, Sarah & their descendants for ever.

All:          Give praise to the Father Almighty,

To his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;

                To the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

          Both now and for ever, Amen.

All:          The saints will dwell in the kingdom of Heaven;

                Their peace will last for ever.

 

Intercessions:

Reader:   Martyrdom comes in many forms.  May we be ready to respond generously to the form in which it comes to us …… silence …….. we pray,

All:          We praise you, Christ the Lord.

Reader:   We pray for those in our world today who die on account of their religious beliefs.  We give thanks for our religious freedom.  ……silence……..we pray,

All:         We praise you, Christ the Lord.

Reader:  We pray for the people now living in Dunmow.  Consciously or unconsciously, may they be inspired by Anne Line to live good lives. …… silence ……..we pray,

All:        We praise you, Christ the Lord.

Reader:  We pray for all people who stand out for what is right and who suffer exclusion or ridicule because of what they believe. ……silence……..we pray,

All:        We praise you, Christ the Lord.

Reader:  We pray for our leaders – in the Church and in the state – that they may be more prophetic & raise louder voices for justice and right. ……silence……..we pray,

All:         We praise you, Christ the Lord.

Reader:  We pray for people who have died today – for those who will die tonight – & for those whose anniversaries of death occur tomorrow, remembering especially……………..

 

Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.

 

Leader begins the Our Father….

 

Leader:  Father of compassion, your son & his apostles were

              supported in their work by women who were

outstanding in hospitality, courage & faithfulness.  We

celebrate these same gifts in St Anne Line & we recall

her generosity even to death.  May her example

inspire & encourage us to continue her ministry

of service. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.

All:       Amen.

 

We will end with a sung blessing.(Heavenly Peace. Tr 16).

 

 

The peace of Christ be with you,

The love of Christ enfold you,

The joy of Christ inspire you;

The strength of Christ uphold you,

And the beauty of Christ be within you,

All the days of your life.

Amen.