The Prayers

Saturday Morning Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Leader: Adonai, + open my lips.

All: And my mouth will sing your praise.
Blessed be our saving God,
Creator, Christ, and Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

HYMN

Pilgrim on your journey at the break of day,
Follow the sun’s rising as heaven lights your way.
Pilgrim, know your pathway deep within your heart,
May you find the wisdom to help you journey far.

Refrain: May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is your peace, God is your hope, God is your light.
May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is the Way, God is the truth, God is the life.

Pilgrim in your footsteps may you tread with care,
Reach your destination, find comfort there.
Pilgrim in your praying, may you heed the call,
Come, now all you weary, God is your rest, your all.

Refrain: May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is your peace, God is your hope, God is your light.
May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is the Way, God is the truth, God is the life.

Pilgrim in your darkness may you find your light,
In strangers who are trav’lers, find the face of Christ.
Pilgrim, in your resting may you find your peace,
Weary from your trav’ling, know Christ’s blessed peace.

Refrain: May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is your peace, God is your hope, God is your light.
May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is the Way, God is the truth, God is the life.

PSALM 84

℣ Leader: Blessed are they who find strength in you. Blessed are they who trust in you!

℣: How lovely your dwelling place, O God, Sabaoth. I yearn and I pine for your courts, my God; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

℟: Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for her young near your altar, O God, Sabaoth, my king and my God.

℣: Blessed are they who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise. Blessed are they who find strength in you, whose hearts are set on the pilgrim’s path.

℟: When they pass through the valley of tears, they make it a place of springs, as early rain brings blessings. They go from height to height, to see the God of gods in Zion.

℣: Adonai, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God, see the face of your anointed.

℟: Better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. Better to stand before your house than to dwell among the wicked.

℣: For God is our sun and shield, giving us grace and honor; no good gift is withheld from those who walk in God’s ways. O God, Sabaoth, blessed are they who trust in you!

All: Blessed be our saving God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT CANTICLE (Isaiah 2: 2-5)

Leader: God will judge between the nations; never again will they train for war.

℣: In coming days the mountain of God’s dwelling will be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills; all nations will stream toward it.

℟: And many peoples will walk and say, “Come, let us climb the mountain of God, to the house of the God of our ancestors, that we may be taught God’s ways and walk on paths that are holy.” Instruction will go forth from Zion; the word of God from Jerusalem.

℣: God will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, never again will they train for war.

℟: O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of our God.

All: Blessed be our saving God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

READING (Romans 5: 1-5)

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ, through whom we have entered into this life of grace. We exult in our hope of sharing in the glory of God, and not only that, we even exult in our sufferings, knowing that out of suffering can come endurance, and from endurance, character, and from character, hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Contemplative pause.
What word or phrase touches your heart?

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Leader: Guide us, O God, in the ways of peace.

℣: + Blessed be the God of Israel, who has visited this people and redeemed them, who has raised up for us a powerful savior from the house of God’s servant David.

℟: So God promised through the holy prophets from of old: salvation from our enemies and freedom from the hold of all who hate us to show faithful love to our ancestors and to remember the holy covenant.

℣: This was the oath sworn to Abraham and Sarah: to rescue us from enemy hands and set us free from fear, so that we might worship in God’s presence in holiness and justice all our days.

℟: And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Christ to prepare the way, to lead people to knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sin.

℣: Through the tender mercy of our God the dawn from on high will illumine us, revealing light to those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, guiding our feet into the way of peace.

All: Praise, glory, and wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, and strength, be to our God most holy, now and forever. Amen.

INTERCESSIONS

Leader: To God, whose steadfast love is the foundation of our hope, we pray:

All: Strengthen us to be pilgrims of hope.

Leader: O God, from all sides you hear the cries of the poor and oppressed.

All: Grant them endurance and hope that does not disappoint.

Leader: O God, in contemplation and prayer we meet you.

All: Pour your love into our hearts that we may reveal your presence to others.

PRAYER

God of all consolation, we place our trust in you. Deliver us from all anxiety and from the fears that threaten hope. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, forever and ever. Amen.

BLESSING

May God Creator bless us, may God Redeemer heal us, and may God the Holy Spirit fill us with light.

SIGN OF PEACE

Saturday Evening Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Leader: Light of Christ.

All: Thanks be to God.
Blessed be our saving God,
Creator, Christ, and Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

HYMN

Pilgrim on your journey at the break of day,
Follow the sun’s rising as heaven lights your way.
Pilgrim, know your pathway deep within your heart,
May you find the wisdom to help you journey far.

Refrain: May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is your peace, God is your hope, God is your light.
May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is the Way, God is the truth, God is the life.

Pilgrim in your footsteps may you tread with care,
Reach your destination, find comfort there.
Pilgrim in your praying, may you heed the call,
Come, now all you weary, God is your rest, your all.

Refrain: May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is your peace, God is your hope, God is your light.
May God guide you, may God guide you;
God is the Way, God is the truth, God is the life.

PSALM 122

℣ Leader: Christ’s peace be to you. Alleluia!

℣: I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go up to the house of our God.” And now, Jerusalem, our feet are standing within your gates.

℟: Jerusalem, a strong and compact city; it is here that the tribes go up. It was decreed that Israel give thanks to God’s name, for here were set the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.

℣: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you abide in peace. May peace be within your walls, and may peace abide within your homes.”

℟: For the sake of my family and friends I say, “Peace be to you.” For the sake of the house of our God, I will seek your good.

All: Blessed be our saving God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

PSALM 130

Leader: O God, your power to redeem is sure. Alleluia!

℣: Out of the depths I call to you, O God; Adonai, hear my voice! Turn your ear; attend to my prayer.

℟: If you, O God, would count our sins, Adonai, who could survive? But you are forgiving, and so we bow in awe.

℣: My soul waits for God, waits for the word of God. My soul keeps watch for Adonai, more than sentinels watch for dawn, more than sentinels watch for dawn.

℟: Let Israel hope in God, whose love is steadfast, whose power to redeem is sure. God will redeem Israel from all their sins.

All: Blessed be our saving God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

READING (Spes non confundit, sec. 7-8)

In addition to finding hope in God’s grace, we are also called to discover hope in the signs of the times that the Lord gives us. As the Second Vatican Council observed: “In every age, the Church has the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel…”

CANTICLE OF MARY

Leader: God brings down the powerful from their thrones, and lifts the afflicted.

℣: + My being proclaims the greatness of God; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

℟: Who has looked lovingly on me in my affliction. From this day all generations will call me blessed.

℣: For God, wonderful in power, has done great things for me.

℟: Holy God’s name! Whose mercy from generation to generation is to those who stand in awe.

℣: The strong arm of God scatters the arrogant of heart, brings down the powerful from their thrones and lifts the afflicted.

℟: Those who hunger are filled with good things; the rich are sent away empty.

℣: God rescues servant Israel, remembering the mercy promised to our ancestors Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants evermore.

All: Praise, glory, and wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, and strength, be to our God most holy, now and forever. Amen.

INTERCESSIONS

Leader: To God, who watches over us with steadfast love, we pray:

All: Answer our prayer, O God.

Leader: Enlighten and strengthen us to be prophetic witnesses to your reign of justice and peace, we pray:

All: Answer our prayer, O God.

Leader: Turn the hearts of world leaders away from the idol of war and into the path of peace, we pray:

All: Answer our prayer, O God.

PRAYER

God of pardon and peace, we ask that we may grow in the spirit of nonviolence and resist the evil that holds the world bound. Grant us the courage to render to you alone the deepest loyalty of our hearts. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING

May God Creator bless us, may God Redeemer heal us, and may God the Holy Spirit fill us with light.

SIGN OF PEACE

Sunday Morning Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Leader: Adonai, + open my lips.

All: And my mouth will sing your praise.
Blessed be our saving God,
Creator, Christ, and Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

HYMN

PSALM 148

Leader: God gives strength to the people and glory to the faithful.

℣: Praise God! Give praise from the heavens; Give praise in the heights. Give praise, all angels; give praise, all hosts of heaven.

℟: Give praise, sun and moon; give praise, all shining stars. Give praise, highest heavens and waters above the heavens.

℣: Let them praise the name of our God, the Creator who called them forth, who set each in place forever and ever.

℟: Praise God from the earth all creatures of the deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, blowing winds that obey God’s word.

℣: Mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, creatures wild and tame, you that crawl and you with wings,

℟: Rulers of the earth and every nation, princes and judges, young men and maidens, elders and youth together,

℣: Let all praise the name of our God; this name alone is exalted, covering heaven and earth in splendor. God gives strength to the people and glory to the faithful, Israel and all who are near. Alleluia.

All: Blessed be our saving God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

READING (Romans 14:13, 17, 19)

My sisters and brothers, let us not judge one another; nor hinder another in the way of holiness. In the reign of God there is justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So then let us pursue the ways of peace and mutual upbuilding.

Contemplative pause.
What word or phrase touches your heart?

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Leader: Guide us, O God, in the ways of peace.

℣: + Blessed be the God of Israel, who has visited this people and redeemed them, who has raised up for us a powerful savior from the house of God’s servant David.

℣: This was the oath sworn to Abraham and Sarah: to rescue us from enemy hands and set us free from fear, so that we might worship in God’s presence in holiness and justice all our days.

℟: And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Christ to prepare the way, to lead people to knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sin.

℣: Through the tender mercy of our God the dawn from on high will illumine us, revealing light to those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, guiding our feet into the way of peace.

All: Praise, glory, and wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, and strength, be to our God most holy, now and forever. Amen.