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Advent 3rd Week

CALL TO PRAYER

Advent 3rd Week Candle
LEADER:O sing a new song! Sing to God, all the earth!

ALL: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice, let the sea roar, and all that fills it!

LEADER: Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy before God, for God comes to rule the earth. God will judge the world with righteousness,

ALL: And the peoples with truth.

Hymn: Rejoice with Joyful Song (Light in the Darkness)

Rejoice, rejoice with joyful song
God will come to save us,
Be strong, fear not, here is our God,
Rejoice with joyful song
 
The desert and hills parched by the sun
Shall burst forth in bloom at the
Coming of the Lord.
 
The eyes of the blind shall be opened
The ears of the deaf will be cleared
The lame will leap like a deer running running free
And the silent tongue will sing.
 
Like travelers lost on a journey
Exiles in a distant land
God will open the way before us
And lead us home again.

Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 Ant. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel! Glory ...

Psalm 84 Ant. The desert and the land will exult;
they shall bloom with an abundance of flowers for God, Emmanuel, is coming

O God, you once favored your land and revived the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the guilt of your people and covered all their sins.
You averted your rage and calmed the heat of your anger.

Revive us now, God, our helper!
Put an end to your grievance against us.
Will you be angry with us forever!

Will you not restore again our life
that your people may rejoice in you?
Let us see, O God your mercy and
give us your saving help.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace--
peace for people and God’s friends and
for those who turn to God in their hearts.
His help is near for those who fear him and
his glory will dwell in our land.


Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.

The Lord will make us prosper and
our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him and
peace shall follow his steps. Glory…



READING: Zep 3:14-18a

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.

RESPONSE: Come to Set Us Free (Bernadette Farrell)

Come to set us free, come to make us your own.
Come to show the way to our people, your chosen.
Open our lives to the light of your promise.
Come to our hearts with healing, come to our minds with power,
come to us and bring us your life.
You are light which shines in darkness, Morning Star which never sets.
Open our eyes which only dimly see, the truth which sets us free. Come…

You are hope which brings us courage, you are strength which never fails.
Open our minds to ways we do not know, but where your Spirit grows.
Come

You are promise of salvation, you are God in human form.
Bring to the world of emptiness and fear the Word we long to hear. Come…

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

ANT. YOU COME, O JESUS, WITHOUT DELAY. YOU WILL REVEAL THINGS KEPT HIDDEN AND SHOW YOURSELF TO ALL, ALLELUIA!

LEADER: Praise the Lord, the God of Israel who has come to save us!
Our God has given us a mighty Savior from the family of David his servant!

ALL: Long ago God promised by the words of his holy prophets to save us from our enemies and from everyone who hates us. God said he would be kind to our people and keep his sacred promise.

LEADER: God told our ancestor, Abraham, that he would rescue us from all our enemies. Then we could serve him without fear by being holy and good for the rest of our lives.

ALL: You my son, will be a prophet of God. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. You will tell his people they can be saved when their sins are forgiven.

LEADER: God’s love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky. On us who live in the dark shadow of death, this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace. GLORY…

INTERCESSIONS

LEADER: Let us pray to our gracious God who wants to dwell among us.
That all those who cannot see the way ahead may be redeemed, we pray.

ALL: Come, Lord Jesus.

That those who have become hardened in their prejudices or who are filled with hatred, may be healed, we pray:
Come, Lord Jesus.

That those whose hearts have ceased to trust others may be set free, we pray:
Come, Lord Jesus.

That those who are oppressed and crushed by war and violence may have hope, we pray:
Come, Lord Jesus.

That those who look for strength in weapons and violence be saved.
Come, Lord Jesus.

OUR FATHER…

PRAYER: O God, the perfect joy, you are the source of the happiness of heaven and earth, yet you cried like an infant child and rested in the arms of Mary. We praise you and ask that you come to us and all whom we pray for and minister to in a special way this season. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

MARIAN PRAYER:

ALL:
Holy Mary, mother and companion, in your friendship and care for us, fly to our side and stand close with us. Hear the cries of your sisters and brothers throughout the world. Gently move us all to a courageous faith and help us by your example to surrender our lives to Christ, Jesus, the Word. AMEN.