Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s and St Leo’s
Thursday 15 December 2011
Morning Prayer
The Beheading of John the Baptist
Hymn
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save, and give them vic’try o’er the grave.
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent
here; disperse the gloomy clouds of
night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight;
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, OIsrael.
O come, thou key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, OIsrael.
Together we pray:
O Giver of Peace,
you invite us to beat our swords into ploughshares
and our spears into pruning hooks.
Enable us to translate your message
into our daily living
and to be people of peace and generosity.
Grant this in the name of Jesus
who comes to be peace with us,
and lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Short reading Isaiah 45:8
Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the
clouds rain it down. Let the earth open for salvation to spring up. Let
deliverance, too, bud forth which I, the Lord, shall create.
Reflection
Harp Meditation
Responsory
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, OIsrael.
We stand for the Benedictus
Blest be the Lord the God of Israel,
who came to us; and brought us back from sin.
God raised for us a Saviour who is mighty;
his Saviour-Son from David’s house and line.
God promised this through holy men and women
who spoke for him down through the mists of time.
The Saviour comes to free us from our foes
from evil hands, from those who wish us ill.
So God’s great love for all his chosen people
is thus fulfilled; in these our present times.
God’s sacred oath his covenant most holy;
is called to mind, his promises made true.
Prayers and Intercessions
Christ is the wisdom and power of God and he delights to be with the children of men.
Trustingly let us call on him:
– Be close to us, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, you called us to your kingdom of light:
make us live our lives rightly, pleasing God in all things.
– Be close to us, Lord.
You stand among us, unrecognised by the world:
show your face to the whole human family.
– Be close to us, Lord.
You are closer to us than we are to ourselves:
keep strong in our hearts the trusting hope of salvation.
– Be close to us, Lord.
You are the spring from which holiness flows:
let us be holy and unstained on the day when you come again.
– Be close to us, Lord.
Our Father, who art in heaven . . . . . . .
Let us pray:
With sorrow, Lord, we acknowledge our weakness,
unworthy servants that we are.
Heal us and bring us joy
by the coming of your only Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and
may he lead us to eternal life. AMEN
Copyrights: O come, O come, Emmanuel. From the ‘Great O Antiphons’ (12th -13th c.),
tr J.M.Neale. Benedictus: words © Stephen E Smyth
