Cantica Gaudia

Season of Lent: Sunday Morning Prayer

Opening:  O God, Creator of Light, at the rising of your sun this morning, let the greatest of all light, your love, rise like the sun in our hearts.

Canticle: Seek the Lord where God wills to be found;
Call upon God when the Lord draws near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
And the evil ones their thoughts
And let them turn to the Lord, who will have compassion
And to our God, who will richly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor my ways your ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens
And return not again, but water the earth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth,
Seed for sowing and bread for eating,
So it my word that goes forth from my mouth,
It will not return to me empty;
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed,
And prosper in that for which I sent it.

Psalm: Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.
Those who fear you will be glad when they see me,
Because I trust in your word.
I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right
And that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
Let your loving-kindness be my comfort,
As you have promised to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me, that I may live,
For your law is my delight.
Let the arrogant be put to shame, for they wrong me with lies;
But I will meditate on your commandments.
Let those who fear you turn to me,
And also those who know your decrees.
Let my heart be sound in your statutes,
That I may not be put to shame.

Glory to God, who made us, who bears our pain, and who loves us. 
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.  Amen.

Reading: To create one must be able to respond.  Creativity is the ability to respond to all that goes on around us, to choose from the hundreds of possibilities of thought, feeling, action and reaction – and to put these together in a unique response, expression, or message that carries moment, passion, and meaning.  In this sense, loss of our creative milieu means finding ourselves limited to only one choice, divested of, suppressing, or censoring feelings and thoughts, not acting, not saying, doing or being.

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 for ever.  Amen.

Prayer:  Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: you know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Have compassion on our weakness and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not ask and for our blindness we cannot ask, grant us through your Son Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Collect: O God, the well-spring of life, pour into our hearts the living water of your grace, that refreshed by you, we may live this day in steadfast reliance on the strength you give; through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Going forth: Let us go peaceably, looking upon the hearts of others. Let us live in Christ's light, even in the darkest valley. Let us trust that he is able to open our eyes, enabling us to walk by faith in his name.