One Bread, One Body

<< Friday, September 7, 2007 >>

Colossians 1:15-20

Psalm 100

Luke 5:33-39

IN THE FAST LANE

"When the days come that the Groom is removed from their midst, they will surely fast in those days." —Luke 5:35

Jesus said that after His ascension His followers would surely fast. Today, Friday, is the traditional fast day for Christians. Are you fasting today? On what day or days have you fasted this week? Do you fast completely, eat only one meal for the day, or just have bread and water? Do you feast on prayer and God's word when you fast from food? Do you experience solidarity with the world's poor and starving when you fast?

Jesus calls us to fast in a new way which is so powerful that it is incompatible with the old lifestyle of the world. Fasting in Jesus' name can cause an explosion (Lk 5:37), inaugurate a ministry (Lk 4:2ff), raise up leaders (Acts 14:23), defeat the devil (Mt 17:21, NAB), or begin a mission of world evangelism (Acts 13:3). Because New Testament fasting is so powerful, it's a privilege to be chosen by the Lord to fast. Fasting is one of our best opportunities to serve the Lord, change human hearts, build the Church, and reconcile a broken world. Ask the Lord for the privilege of fasting more.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for fasting even more than I thank You for food.

Promise: "It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in Him and, by means of Him, to reconcile everything in His person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of His cross." —Col 1:19-20

Praise: Stephen not only fasts on Fridays but for fifteen years has spent an hour in adoration every Friday.

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 87 (88)
The prayer of one gravely ill
I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night.
Lord God, my saviour, I have cried out to you by day and by night. Let my prayer come before you: turn your ear to my request. For my soul is full of evils, my life has come close to its end. I am counted with those who go down to the pit: I am left without help. I am one of the dead, like the murdered who sleep in their tombs, who lie there forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrust me down into the pit, to the gloom and the shadow of death. Your anger weighs heavy upon me; you have drowned me under your waves. You have taken my friends away from me: you have made me hateful in their sight, I am shut in, I may not go out. My eyes are weak from my sufferings. I have called to you, Lord, all the day; I have stretched out my hands to you. Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders? Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you? In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness? Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost? Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of oblivion? And so I have called out to you, Lord, and in the morning my prayer will come before you. With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am poor; from my youth I have been dying; I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion. Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me: they have flowed round me like water, they have besieged me all the day long. You have taken my friends and those close to me: all I have left is shadows. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night.

Reading	(Jeremiah 14:9)
You, Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by your name; therefore do not abandon us, Lord, our God.

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Prayer
Let us pray. Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here

For Kosovo churches better hurry, unfortunately.