Cantica Gaudia

Ordinary Time, Early Summer: Friday Compline

Confession: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Canticle: Sing out, my soul,
Sing of the holiness of God:
Who has delighted in a woman,
Lifted up the poor,
Satisfied the hungry,
Given voice to the silent,
Grounded the oppressor,
Blessed the full-bellied with emptiness,
And with the gift of tears
Those who have never wept;
Who has desired the darkness of the womb
And inhabited our flesh.
Sing of the longing of God,
Sing out, my soul.

Reading: Water is by nature soft, stone on the contrary hard. But when water drips continually on a stone, it hollows it out. So too, God's word is delicate and mild, our eart on the contrary hard. Yet whoever hears the Word of God frequently and reflects on it, makes space within her heart, so that it can enter in.

The Lord’s Prayer: Creator of all,
Alive in all things and greater than all things,
Your naming be held holy.
Your vision of our goodness be made manifest throughout the universe,
And your desires for us brought to fulfillment.
Give us that which is essential for our growth and work.
Offer forgiveness and healing to us as we forgive and heal those around us.
Protect us from unnecessary suffering and wasteful pain.
For all that is beautiful, strong and glorious has its roots in you
and expresses your will and your nature, which we share in, unendingly.  Amen.

Prayer: God our creator, our center, our friend, we thank you for our good life, for those who are dear to us, for our dead, and for all who have helped and influenced us. We thank you for the measure of freedom we have, and the extent to which we control our lives; and most of all we thank you for the faith that is in us, for our awareness of you and our hope in you. Keep us, we pray you, thankful and hopeful and useful until our lives shall end. Amen.

Going Forth:  Blessed be God, who strengthens us in love and in peace.