ANZAC DAY

MORNING PRAYER

Call to Worship

L:  My soul waits, silent for God, for God alone my hope.

     Alone my rock, my safety, my refuge, I stand secure.

All: Wait, my soul, silent for God, for God alone my hope.

L: God is my glory and safety, my stronghold, my haven.

    People give your hearts to God, trust always! God is our haven.

All: Wait, my soul, silent for God, for God alone my hope.

L: Strength and love are mine to give

    The Lord repays us all in the light of what we do.

All: Wait, my soul, silent for God, for God alone my hope.

Hymn

God of Day and God of Darkness

Show us Christ in one another, make us servants strong and true;

Give us all your love of justice so we do what you would do

Let us call all people holy, let us pledge our lives anew,

Make us one with all the lowly, let us all be one in you.

You shall be the path that guides us, you the light that in us burns;

Shining deep within all people, yours the love that we must learn.

For our hearts shall wander restless till they safe to you return.

Finding you in one another we shall all face your discern.

Praise to you in day and darkness, you are source and you our end.

Praise to you who love and nurture us as a father, mother, friend.

Grant us all a peaceful resting, let it mind and body mend,

So we rise refreshed tomorrow, hearts renewed to Kingdom tend.

                                  Marty Haughan

                                  1985GIA Publications Word of Life International

                                  All Rights Reserved. Used With Permission.

                                  Licence No 744E

Canticle                         

Lamentation 3: 23-24 25-28 40

Antiphon

The favours of God are not exhausted, every morning they are renewed.

Surely God's mercies are not over,

God's deeds of faithful love not exhausted,

Every morning they are renewed;

great is God's faithfulness!

God is all I have, I say to myself

and so I shall put my hope in God.

God is good to those who trust

to all who search for God.

It is good to wait in silence for God to save,

for God will not reject anyone forever.

It is good to sit in solitude and silence

when our heart weighs heavy.

Let us examine our path,

let us ponder it and return to God

Let us raise our hearts and hands to God in Heaven

For we who have sinned have been forgiven.

                                      Text adapted from The New Jerusalem Bible.

                                      1990 Darton Longman & Todd.

                                      Used with permission.

The favours of God are not exhausted, every morning they are renewed.

Reading: John 12, 23-28.

Responsory

L:  Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain.

All: Unless a grain of wheat..........

L:  But if it dies it yields a rich harvest

All: Unless a grain of wheat..........

L:  Glory to you Source of all being Eternal Word and Holy Spirit

All: Unless a grain of wheat..........

Canticle of Zechariah

Antiphon: If anyone serves me, my Father will honour them.

BENEDICTUS (Bernadette Farrell)

Blest be the Lord, the God of Israel

Who brings the dawn and darkest night dispels,

Who raises up a mighty saviour from the earth,

Of David's line, a son of royal birth.

The prophets tell a story just begun

Of vanquished foe and glorious victory won,

Of promise made to all who keep the law as guide:

God's faithful love and mercy will abide.

This is the oath once sworn to Abraham:

All shall be free to dwell upon the land,

Free now to praise, unharmed by the oppressor's rod

Holy and righteous in the sight of God.

And you, my child, this day you shall be called

The promised one, the prophet of our God,

For you will go before the Lord to clear the way,

And shepherd all into the light of day.

The tender love God promised from our birth

is soon to dawn upon this shadowed earth,

To shine on those whose sorrows seem to never cease,

To guide our feet into the path of peace.

All glory be to God, Creator blest,

To Jesus Christ, God's love made manifest,

And to the Holy Spirit, gentle comforter,

All glory be both now and evermore.

                                  Bernadette Farrell

                                  1993 OCP Publications Portland

                                  All Rights Reserved. Used With Permission.

                                  Licence No 774E

Intercessions

L: O Christ, you gave us the example that one can have no greater

    love than to lay down one's life for one's friend. We pray

All: Teach us to love one another as you have loved us.

L: Christ Jesus you inspired all people to speak fearlessly your gospel

    of love; give us the grace to stand up for our convictions in the face

    of adversity. We pray

All: Teach us to love one another as you have loved us.

L: You promised your followers a peace that the work cannot give;

    may nations learn that peace cannot be achieved through wars and

    acts of violence. We pray

All: Teach us to love one another as you have loved us.

L:  You have told us that the meek will inherit the earth; may there be

     true land reform in countries where ownershop is controlled by the

     rich and powerful. We pray

All: Teach us to love one another as you have loved us.

L:  Grant all those who have been killed by acts of violence; eternal

     peace and joy in your presence. We pray

All: Teach us to love one another as you have loved us.

Prayer

Let us Pray.

Lord our God, boundless provider,

source of peace that the world cannot give,

kindly hear our constant prayer

for those who bore witness to your own fidelity

by giving their lives for those they loved.

Resurrect them in our true homeland

and perfect that peace for which they longed and died.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Blessing

L:  May God bless us in God's mercy and make us always aware of God's saving wisdom.

All: Amen

L:  May God direct our steps toward God's own self and show us how to walk in charity and peace.

All: Amen