Tuesday, December 20th
Vigil (Matins) (Small
Hour) 4:45am, 25 min.
The Coming of the Light
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God. [The candle is lit.]
Centering Prayer (20 min.) or [Prayer Beads]
Dismissal/The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen. [The candle is extinguished.]
Early Morning (Lauds)
(Small Hour)
6:15am 20min.
The Coming of the Light
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God. [The candle is lit.]
Call to this Day as Worship
This is the day that the Lord has made!
Let us rejoice and be
glad in it!
Lord, I make this day a gift to Thee.
Help me live this day
to Your glory!
Lectio Divina
(“Divine/Sacred Reading”) is an ancient devotional practice (see Appendix D for
full information).
Listen with your heart
for what the Holy Spirit would say to you as you read. Traditionally, there are 4 “Moments:”
1. Lectio (Reading)
2. Meditatio (Reflecting)
3. Oratio (Responding)
4. Contemplatio (Resting)
The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen.
[The candle may be extinguished]
Morning (Prime-Terce) (Large Hour) 8am
30 min.
The Fourth “O Antiphon”
[The following may be read responsively;
OR Verse 5 “O come, thou Key of David…”
of O Come, O Come Emmanuel may be sung;
O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel,
who opens and no one
shuts, who shuts and no one opens:
Come, and bring forth from prison the captive
who sits in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
[The last line can be
sung together if desired:]
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
[The
candle is lit.]
Scripture with Reflection & Praise
Doxology [one of two options below, or other… may
be spoken together or sung]
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
OR
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Reflection [someone may share a brief reflection on a
scripture above, or ponder privately]
Gloria Patri [traditional or “modern” version… traditional; may be spoken
together or sung]
Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.
OR
[“modern;” spoken together]
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son,
and
to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is
now, and will be forever. Amen.
Prayer
Unison Prayer
God, we journey with
you, to Bethlehem’s stable
and a new-born King,
ears attuned to the
song of angels, eyes alert for Bethlehem’s star.
Forgive us if on our journey
we are distracted
by the tempting offers of this world.
Keep our hearts aflame
with the hope of Christmas,
and the promise of a Saviour. Amen.
(faithandworship.com)
Intercessions
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Together, let us pray
for…
…our family/friends/congregations.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…those who suffer and those in trouble.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the concerns of this community.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the world, its people, and its leaders.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the church universal: its leaders, its people, and its
mission.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the communion of saints.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[other intercessions,
suitable for the day or the hour, can be added to the list above]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[individual concerns
and joys may now be shared]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[when all are finished
sharing:]
We pray all these things
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Ignatian Exercises [Prayer Beads opt.]
[If you are observing
this time in community, a Spiritual Director can lead this time. If on your
own, you can seek out a Director or follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and
the words printed here. We recommend use of a Spiritual Director.]
Imaginatively Praying the Gospel
We will be asking, in prayer, to become participants in the
events of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry.
This is praying in a way that truly relies on our personal
& dynamic relationship with the Lord. We want to be doing the following
things:
1.
Listening – being inwardly still and
receptive.
2.
Disclosing – revealing ourselves, in
prayer, just as we are.
3.
Sharing – in deep connection with God
through Scripture and Prayer we are absorbing his word and sharing in events.
4.
Reflecting – upon a deepening experience
of both God and the Bible, becoming aware of just how he meets us.
5.
Giving – feely offering to others what we
receive.
To engage in the Imaginative Gospel Prayer/Meditation:
1.
Read the passage several times.
2.
Enter the Scene
3.
Ask God for what you desire (if you know;
ie, to meet him, feel his touch, etc.)
4.
Fill out the Scene: what are the details
(try to see them down to the smallest details), where are you or what is your
role?
5.
Talk with the characters in the Bible
story/scene, and especially with the Lord.
6.
There are 2 Absolute Rules to keep:
a.
Never moralize or judge yourself, and
b.
Always respond from the hearts, not the
head
7.
Attend to your feelings and reactions.
As we approach Christmas, we will use the imaginative prayer
detailed above to enter the events leading up to the Nativity.
The Lord’s Prayer & Kyrie
[traditional version –
The Lord’s Prayer]
Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our
daily bread.
And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
[The Kyrie – “Lord, have
mercy” – English:]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
[repeat as many times
as desired]
OR
[The Kyrie in Greek:]
Kyrie eleison. Christe
eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Dismissal/The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen.
[The candle may be
carried out or extinguished]
Noon (Sext) (Large Hour)
12:15pm 30 min.
The Fourth “O Antiphon”
[The following may be read responsively;
OR Verse 5 “O come, thou Key of David…”
of O Come, O Come Emmanuel may be sung;
O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel,
who opens and no one
shuts, who shuts and no one opens:
Come, and bring forth from prison the captive
who sits in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
[The last line can be
sung together if desired:]
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
[The
candle is lit.]
Scripture with Reflection & Praise
Doxology [one of two options below, or other… may
be spoken together or sung]
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
OR
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Reflection [someone may share a reflection on the
scriptures above, or silently reflect]
Gloria Patri [traditional or “modern” version… traditional; may be spoken
together or sung]
Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.
OR [“modern;” spoken together]
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.
Prayer
Unison Prayer
God, we journey with
you, to Bethlehem’s stable
and a new-born King,
ears attuned to the
song of angels, eyes alert for Bethlehem’s star.
Forgive us if on our journey
we are distracted
by the tempting offers of this world.
Keep our hearts aflame
with the hope of Christmas,
and the promise of a Saviour. Amen.
(faithandworship.com)
Intercessions
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Together, let us pray
for…
…our family/friends/congregations.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…those who suffer and those in trouble.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the concerns of this community.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the world, its people, and its leaders.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the church universal: its leaders, its people, and its
mission.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the communion of saints.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[other intercessions,
suitable for the day or the hour, can be added to the list above]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[individual concerns
and joys may now be shared]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[when all are finished
sharing:]
We pray all these things
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Examen [Prayer Beads opt.]
[If praying in
community, a leader equipped to do so may “direct” the following prayer
exercise. Otherwise, trust the Spirit & follow the directions on your own.]
[Ignatius recommended
praying an “Examen” prayer especially prior to sleeping, but also at the noon
hour. John Wesley used questions to prayerfully reflect, al la Ignatius’
Examen, and used them morning and night. We recommend a short-form Examen at
noon.]
Examen: Humility
(Tuesday Questions, John Wesley)
1. Have I despised any one’s advice?
2. Have I received contempt for things
indifferent, with meekness? For doing my duty, with joy?
3. Have I omitted justifying myself where the
glory of God was not concerned? Have I submitted to be thought in the wrong?
4. Have I, without some particular good in
view, mentioned the contempt I had met with?
Lord’s Prayer & Kyrie
[traditional version –
The Lord’s Prayer]
Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our
daily bread.
And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and
the glory, forever. Amen.
[The Kyrie – “Lord,
have mercy” – English:]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
[repeat as many times
as desired]
OR
[The Kyrie in Greek:] Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie
eleison.
Dismissal/The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen. [The candle may be carried out or extinguished]
Afternoon
(Nones) (Small
Hour) 4pm 10min.
Introduction
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the
faith.” [2
Timothy 4:7, ESV]
“I press on toward the
goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” [Phil. 3:14, ESV]
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin
which clings so closely, and let us run
with endurance the race that is set before
us.” [Heb. 12:1, ESV]
Welcoming Prayer
1.
Focus, feel and
sink into the feelings, emotions, thoughts, sensations and commentaries in your
body.
2.
Welcome God in the feelings, emotions,
thoughts, commentaries or sensations in your body by saying, “Welcome.”
3.
Let go by repeating the following
sentences:
·
“I let go of the desire for security, affection,
control.”
·
“I let go of the desire to change this
feeling/sensation.”
Kyrie
[The Kyrie – “Lord,
have mercy” – English:]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
[repeat as many times
as desired]
OR
[The Kyrie in Greek:]
Kyrie eleison. Christe
eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Evening
(Vespers) (Large
Hour) 5:30pm 30 min.
The Fourth “O Antiphon”
[The following may be read responsively;
OR Verse 5 “O come, thou Key of David…”
of O Come, O Come Emmanuel may be sung;
O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel,
who opens and no one
shuts, who shuts and no one opens:
Come, and bring forth from prison the captive
who sits in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
[The last line can be
sung together if desired:]
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
[The
candle is lit.]
Scripture with Reflection & Praise
Doxology [one of two options below, or other… may be spoken together
or sung]
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
OR
Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Reflection [someone may share a reflection on
scripture above, or reflect privately]
Gloria Patri [traditional or “modern” version… traditional; may be spoken
together or sung]
Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen. OR
[“modern;” spoken together]
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is
now, and will be forever. Amen.
Prayer
Unison Prayer
God, we journey with
you, to Bethlehem’s stable
and a new-born King,
ears attuned to the
song of angels,
eyes alert for
Bethlehem’s star.
Forgive us if on our
journey we are distracted
by the tempting offers of this world.
Keep our hearts aflame
with the hope of Christmas,
and the promise of a Saviour. Amen.
(faithandworship.com)
Intercessions
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Together, let us pray for…
…our family/friends/congregations.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…those who suffer and those in trouble.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the concerns of this community.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the world, its people, and its leaders.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the church universal: its leaders, its people, and its
mission.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
…the communion of saints.
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[other intercessions,
suitable for the day or the hour, can be added to the list above]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[individual concerns
and joys may now be shared]
Lord, in your mercy, receive our prayer.
[when all are finished
sharing:]
We pray all these things
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Examen (20 min.) or Centering Prayer (20 min.) or Prayer Beads
Examen:
Choose Life – Thibodeaux,
using Biblical meditation on Deut.
1. Gratitude – spend a few moments in gratitude,
thanking God for one or two of the blessings you received today.
2. Scripture – slowly and prayerfully read Deuteronomy
30:11-19.
3. Choice – looking back over the day, not
individual moments (don’t do specific analysis or dissection), how was the
overall movement of the day: Did you choose life or death? Pray with God,
giving thanks, asking for forgiveness, praying for healing.
4. Choose
Life
– prayerfully imagining tomorrow, ask yourself, “If I were to choose life
tomorrow, what would it feel like? What would my day look like?” This could be
about specifics, or general interior disposition. Pray about what it means to
choose life tomorrow.
5. Commitment – if called to do so, make a commitment
to God, asking him to help you be faithful to choosing life.
Lord’s Prayer & Kyrie
[traditional version –
The Lord’s Prayer]
Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our
daily bread.
And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
OR
[ecumenical text – The
Lord’s Prayer]
Our Father in heaven, hallowed
be your name,
your kingdom come, your
will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily
bread.
Forgive us our sins as
we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time
of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the
power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
[The Kyrie – “Lord,
have mercy” – English:]
Lord, have mercy. Christ,
have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
[repeat as many times
as desired]
OR
[The Kyrie in Greek:] Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie
eleison.
Dismissal/The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen.
[The
candle may be carried out or extinguished]
Family Bedtime (Hora Somni)
(Small
Hour)
8:00pm
[Appendix F has full
details, additional resources, etc. for this non-traditional Hour.]
Tuesday – Bible Story
Reading [Appendix F]
Night
(Compline) (Small Hour) 10:00pm
15 min.
The Coming of the Light
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God. [The candle is lit]
If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me,
and the light
around me turn to night,”
darkness is not dark to
you, O Lord;
the night is as bright as the day;
darkness and light to
you are both alike. [Psalm 139:10-11]
Examen (20
min.)
[If praying in
community, a leader equipped to do so may “direct” the following prayer
exercise.]
[We recommend an Examen
Prayer at either Vespers or at Compline, and Centering Prayer at the other. We
will provide the same one in both places… see Appendix E for more info.]
or Centering
Prayer
(20 min.)
[Keep silence in the
presence of God. Pick a word or phrase to inwardly return to when thoughts or
distractions interrupt your stillness. There is a wonderful “Centering Prayer”
app, and other resources to guide you in Appendix C.]
or Prayer
Beads
[Those who cannot do
Centering Prayer may use Prayer Beads or engage other forms of active yet
contemplative prayer during this time.]
[Appendix B offers guidance on using beads with prayer.]
Examen: Choose
Life – Thibodeaux,
using Biblical meditation on Deut.
1. Gratitude – spend a few moments in gratitude,
thanking God for one or two of the blessings you received today.
2. Scripture – slowly and prayerfully read Deuteronomy
30:11-19.
3. Choice – looking back over the day, not
individual moments (don’t do specific analysis or dissection), how was the
overall movement of the day: Did you choose life or death? Pray with God,
giving thanks, asking for forgiveness, praying for healing.
4. Choose
Life
– prayerfully imagining tomorrow, ask yourself, “If I were to choose life
tomorrow, what would it feel like? What would my day look like?” This could be
about specifics, or general interior disposition. Pray about what it means to
choose life tomorrow.
5. Commitment – if called to do so, make a commitment
to God, asking him to help you be faithful to choosing life.
Kyrie
[The Kyrie – “Lord,
have mercy” – English:]
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
[repeat as
desired]
OR
[The Kyrie in Greek:]
Kyrie eleison. Christe
eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Dismissal/The Light Goes Forth
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with us all! Amen.
[The candle may be
carried out or extinguished]
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