Holy One, open our lips:
and we shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to God, Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
PSALMODY
OPENING
O come, O come, thou virgin child:
the creatures, those both tame and wild,
the weak and pow’rful coax along
and change their trembling into song.
Rejoice! Rejoice! The vuln’rable
shall make us all insep’rable
From Psalm 131, In Te, Domine, Speravi
In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; let me never be |put to shame; *
deliver me |in your righteousness.
Incline your |ear to me; * make haste to de-|liver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to |keep me safe, *
for you are my crag |and my stronghold;
for the sake |of your name, *
lead |me and guide me.
Take me out of the net that they have secretly |set for me, *
for you are my tow-|er of strength.
Into your hands I com-|mend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O |God of truth.
I will rejoice and be glad because |of your mercy; *
for you have seen my affliction; you know |my distress.
You have not shut me up in the power |of the enemy; *
you have set my feet in an |open place.
Love the Lord, all you who |worship God; *
the Lord protects the faithful,
but repays to the full those |who act haughtily.
Be strong and let your |heart take courage, *
all you who wait |for the Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Closing
Reading – Baruch 4.36-37
Look towards the east, O Jerusalem,
and see the joy that is coming to you from God.
Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away;
they are coming, gathered from east and west,
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing in the glory of God.
SILENCE
Responsory
There is a longing, deep within us,
to be with you, O God.
We are expectant
of your coming to walk the earth.
BENEDICTUS
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,* and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
On this day, lift into the blessing of God’s compassionate gaze:
those who are in labour,
all who rejoice in the gift of children;
all who delight in God’s Word. Amen.
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Collect
Gracious God,
may our hearts leap for joy
in the silence of the approaching night,
as your living Word becomes a human being,
speaking to us through flesh and blood,
through our neighbours, our enemies, and our friends. Amen.
Blessing
As we go from this place,
help us to remember that we are cradled in your loving hand,
developing alongside our brother, Jesus
and gifted with life by your Holy breath. Amen.
St Ternans Banchory 