Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit) The Collect of the Day

A Reading from Exodus (20:8-11)

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 19:1-4

The heavens declare the glory of God, * and the firmament shows his handiwork. One day tells its tale to another, * and one night imparts knowledge to another. Although they have no words or language, * and their voices are not heard,

Their sound has gone out into all lands, * and their message to the ends of the world.

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.

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1:18,22-25)

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Contemplative discussion of the readings

Silence

Holy Spirit, come to us. Kindle in us the fire of your love. Holy Spirit, come to us. Holy Spirit, come to us.

Prayers from the Taizé Community

Loving God, as evening falls and the light disappears: receive our prayer . . . Silence

You look upon us with compassion: receive our prayer . . . Silence You take upon yourself our burdens: fill us with your peace . . . Silence In silence we are led to you: sustain us by your Word . . . Silence

Your love is all we need: welcome us and all those you have entrusted to us . . . Silence

Kindle a new brightness in our night: may your light shine on us . . . Silence We offer our own intentions, silently or aloud.

All: Breath of the Spirit of God, you place faith within each one of us, faith which is such a simple trust in you that it is possible for all to receive it. Without us yet being able to see clearly, you enlighten within, O Christ, even in the opaque regions of our being. Amen.

I am sure I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Yes, I shall see the goodness of our God; hold firm, trust in the Lord.

The Peace