A Meditative Liturgy of Light for Candlemas
and the Glory of Your People Israel
READER 1 In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning.
Through Him all things came into being,
not one thing had its being but through Him.
What has come into being in Him was life,
life that was the Light for all people;
the Light that shines in the darkness
and darkness cannot overcome it.
LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
The Lord is my Light, my Light and salvation
In God I trust, in God I trust!
READER 2 In the beginning God created heaven and earth.
Now the earth was a formless void,
there was darkness over the deep
with the Spirit sweeping over the waters.
God said: ‘Let there be Light’ and there was Light!
God saw that the Light was good.
LIGHT SECOND CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
With You O Lord is life in all its fullness
and in Your Light we shall see true Light
READER 3 Arise, shine out Jerusalem, your Light has come,
the glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples
Above you the Lord now rises and above His glory appears.
The nations come to your Light, your dawning brightness.
No more will the sun give you daylight,
nor the moon shine upon you;
but the Lord will be your everlasting Light,
Your God will be your splendour.
LIGHT THIRD CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
Lord Jesus Christ, Your Light shines within us.
Let not my doubts and my darkness speak to me!
Lord Jesus Christ, Your Light shines within us.
Let my heart always welcome Your Love
READER 4 Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light,
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a Light has dawned!
For a son is born for us, a son is given to us
and this is his name: ‘Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace’;
to extend his dominion in a boundless peace!
And they will hammer their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation,
no longer will they learn war anymore!
….
A virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son,
whom she will call ‘Immanuel’ a name that means
‘God is with us!’
LIGHT FOURTH CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
The Kingdom of God is justice and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit! Come, Lord,
and open in us the gates of Your Kingdom.
READER 5 The Word was was the real Light that gives Light to all;
He was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through Him.
The Word was made flesh and lived among us,
and we saw HIs glory, the glory that He has from the Father
as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Indeed from His fullness we have all received,
grace heaped upon grace!
No-one has ever seen God; it is the only Son,
who is closest to the Father’s heart,
who has made Him known!
LIGHT FIFTH CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
O the Word of my Lord, deep within my being
O the Word of my Lord, you have filled my mind!
READER 6 I am the Light of the world; anyone who follows me
will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light of Life
… Walk always as children of the Light…
You are the Light of the world. A city built on a hill top cannot be hidden. No-one lights a lamp to put it under a tub;
they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone
in the house. In the same way, your Light must shine in people’s sight, so that seeing your good works,
they may give praise to your Father in heaven.
LIGHT SIXTH CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
Christe Lux mundi,
qui sequitur te habebit, Lumen Vitae, Lumen Vitae
READER 7 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. I saw the holy city,
the New Jerusalem, dressed as a bride for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice call from the throne:
Look, here God lives among humanity. He will make
His home among them; they will be His people,
He will be their God, God-with-them!
There will be no more death!
Look, I am making all creation new!
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End!
And the City of God did not need sun or moon for Light;
since the radiant glory of God, and the Lamb was the lighted torch and the nations will come to its Light!
and bride and the Lamb say: ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come Soon!’
LIGHT SEVENTH CANDLE AND PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
ALL SING CHANT TWICE:
Come Lord Jesus, … Maranatha…
BLESSING OF CANDLES AND PROCESSION OF LIGHT TO MASS IN THE LADY CHAPEL
