Cantica Gaudia

Ordinary Time, Late Summer: Friday Evening Prayer

Opening:  The reign of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed with half a hundredweight of flour till it was all leavened.

Canticle:  My soul rejoices in the Lord,
My spirit leaps before my God and savior,
Who favors his waiting servant.
Listen!
From now on, everyone will call me happy!
For the heavens did great things unto me,
Holy is his name
From this time and forever,
Mercy flows to those who fear him.
His strong arm spread,
He scatters the thoughts of arrogant hearts,
He snatches the powerful from high places
And lifts up the empty.
The hungry are fed delicious food
And the rich sent away with nothing.
His child Israel is clothed in forgiveness,
Just as he spoke to our fathers,
Abraham and his seed forever.

Psalm: Deal kindly with your servant that I may live
And living I shall keep your word.
Take the veil away from my eyes
That I may see the wonderful things of your law.
I am but a stranger on earth
Do not hide your commandments from me.
My soul is consumed with the longing
It has at all times for your judgments
You have rebuked the insolent
And cursed are those who stray from your commandments.
Turn from me their reproach and scorn
For I have kept your testimonies
Rulers sit plotting against me
But your servant will give thought to your statutes
For your testimonies are my delight,
And they are my counselors.

Glory to God, who made us, who bears our pain, and who loves us;
As it once was, is, and ever shall be.  Amen.

Reading: You are sitting in a wagon being drawn by a horse whose reins you hold.

There are two inside of you who can steer.

Those mostly never hand the reins to Me, so they go from place to place the best they can, though rarely happy.

And rarely does their whole body laugh feeling God's poke in the ribs.

If you feel tired, dear, my shoulder is soft, I'd be glad to steer a while.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, may Your name be sanctified; Your commandment stretches over heaven and earth, may Your compassion come upon earth as it is in heaven.  Forgive us our sin and wrongdoings, You the Lord of all good things; cause Your mercy to descend upon us, Your healing upon this sickness, and it will be healed.  Amen

Prayer: O God our Father, by whose mercy and might the world turns safely into darkness and returns again to light; we give into your hands our unfinished tasks, our unsolved problems, and our unfulfilled hopes, knowng that only that which you bless will prosper. To your great love and protection we commit each other and all those we love, knowing that you alone are our sure defender, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect: O God who gave us life to cherish and enjoy, and made us capable, in its service, of costly love and powerful commitment: help us choose life in all its abundance, not only for ourselves and our children, but for all our struggling world, for whom you were content to lay down your life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Going Forth: Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation in the church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.