Leader: We are here in strength & in weakness; in joy & sorrow;
in energy & weariness; in hope & in fear;
in faith & in doubt; in richness & in poverty:
All: We offer ourselves to God for renewal, for re-creation; for prayer.
Please join in the hymn: Be Still:
Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here:
Come bow before Him now, with reverence and fear:
In Him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground;
Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned;
How awesome is the sight – our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.
Be still for the power of the Lord is moving in this place:
He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace.
No work too hard for him. In faith receive from him.
Be still for the power of the Lord is moving in this place:
Please sit & sing this psalm as indicated.
Cantors: Your faithful shall ring out their joy
As they enter your dwelling place, Lord.
Cantors: O God remember David,
And all the many hardships he endured,
All: The oath he swore to the Lord,
His vow to the mighty one of Jacob.
Cantors: I will not enter my house
Or go to the bed where I rest.
All: I will give no sleep to my eyes;
To my eyelids I will give no slumber
Cantors: Until I find a place for God:
A dwelling for the mighty one of Israel.
All: At Ephrata we heard of the ark;
We found it in the plains of Yearim.
Cantors: Let us go to the place of God’s dwelling;
Let us worship at the Lord’s footstool.
All: Arise, Lord, and come to the place of your rest,
You and the ark of your strength.
Cantors: Your priests shall be clothed with justice;
Your faithful shall shout their joy.
All: For the sake of David your anointed,
Do not reject your anointed.
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.
The Canticle from Revelation will be spoken taking a verse each
All: The Lord will give him power and honour and empire and all peoples will serve him.
We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty who are & who were, that you have taken your great power and begun to reign.
The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great.
Now the salvation & the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, For the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day & night before our God.
And they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they loved not their lives even unto death. Rejoice then O Heaven, and you that dwell therein.
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 will give him power and honour and empire and all peoples will serve him.
Reading: Jas 3: 17-18
The wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it makes for peace and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good. There is no trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers when they work for peace sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
After a few moments of silent reflection, we are invited to respond aloud to the reading – maybe with an insight, or just the repetition of a single word or phrase that is important for you, maybe relating the text or part of it to something that has happened during the day or recently.
Please stand to sing the Magnificat (Scottish Folk Melody) after saying the antiphon together.
All: O holy Doctor, Saint Thomas, light of the Church, lover of the law of God, pray for us to the Son of God.
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: And holy is his name.
I proclaim the power of God; he does marvels for his servants;
Though he scatters the proud-hearted & destroys the might of princes.
Refrain: And holy is his name.
To the hungry he gives food, sends the rich away empty.
In his mercy he is mindful of the people he has chosen.
Refrain: And holy is his name.
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: We thank you for the wisdom and insight of scholars especially St Thomas – and we ask you to bless those people who dedicate their lives to deepening our understanding of your Word ……….pause ………listening, we pray,
All: Lord, show us your ways.
Reader: We ask your blessing on all the members of this Church who are earnestly seeking to find you through prayer, study and
reflection on your Word ………. pause ………listening, we pray,
All: Lord, show us your ways.
Reader: We pray too for those people who are not able to access your Word fully; for people who are disabled, unable to read, blind or deaf, unevangelised.………. pause ………listening, we pray,
All: Lord, show us your ways
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight. We also remember in prayer those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, especially: …………
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any intentions they have.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: Lord our God, since it was by your gift that Thomas became so great a saint and theologian, give us grace to understand his teaching and follow his way of life. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
All: Amen.
May the Lord 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 his mercy may he give us
a safe lodging & a holy rest, & peace at the last.
Leader: And may Almighty God bless us – the Father Son and Holy Spirit
All: Amen
For a few moments at the conclusion of our prayer, let us reflect on our day as we listen to some music. (Volutes d’ete Tr 3)