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For ideas on using this Liturgy click here
| Reader 1 | In the beginning, the universe was dark
and cold – and the Spirit hovered and brooded and whispered "Let there be life! |
| Reader 2 | In the beginning God said "Let there be light" |
| Reader 3 | In the beginning the Word was spoken and light and life came into being! |
| (large candle is lit) | |
| Reader 4 | In the beginning God looked at all that
had been made and saw that it was very good. |
| Reader 1 | In the beginning… |
| (getting softer) | |
| Reader 2 | In the beginning… |
| Reader 3 | In the beginning…. |
| Reader 4 | In the beginning… |
| Reader 1 | Soon after the beginning –
God handed the light to human beings - to Adam and to Eve |
| (God lights the candle held by A & E) | |
| Reader 2 | And they handed the light on to their
children to Cain who turned from the light – (Cain receives light but blows it out) and to Abel who lived and died in the light (Abel receives light) and to all their children (one more person!) |
| Reader 3 | And their children handed the light on
to their children – to Noah who lived when the world was turning dark (Noah receives light) The world was in grey with cloud and flood water – but God set a rainbow in the sky to remind them of the light. |
| Reader 4 | And Noah handed the light on to his children |
| Reader 1 | And they handed it on to their children |
| Reader 2 | who handed it on to their children |
| Reader 3 | who handed it on to their children … |
| Reader 4 | Until one night, God spoke to a man in
the dark of the desert, "Look at the stars – look at the stars. Look at the stars Abram. Take the light to a new homeland – Take the light – and take a new name You shall be Abraham and your wife shall be Sarah" |
| Reader 1 | Abraham took the light and gave it to Isaac |
| Reader 2 | Who gave it to Jacob |
| Reader 3 | Who gave it to Joseph |
| Reader 4 | Who gave it to the Hebrews who lived in Egypt |
| Reader 1 | But Egypt became a dark place for
God’s people – and God spoke to another man in the desert. The light became a burning bush and Moses approached and heard God’s voice |
| Reader 2 | "Take this light to my people
– Go – tell Pharaoh: Let God’s people go!" |
| Reader 3 | So Moses took the light to God’s
people and led them into the desert – where they wandered for forty years until God led them to the Promised Land |
| Reader 4 | And the light passed to Joshua –
to Deborah – to Gideon – and on and on until it passed to Samson who was blinded – but still trusted the light. |
| Reader 1 | The light passed to Ruth, the Moabite
– who handed it to Obed – who handed it to Jesse – who handed it to David |
| Reader 2 | And the light passed to Hannah – who gave it to Samuel who saw the light in David and named him king |
| Reader 3 | And David passed the light to Solomon and Solomon passed the light on to generations of kings |
| Reader 4 | But the Kingdom began to grow dark
– so God handed the light to the prophets: to Elijah and Elisha to Jeremiah and to Micah to Hosea and to Amos |
| Reader 1 | The people who walk in darkness have
seen a great light On those who lived in shadows – on them God’s light has shone. |
| Reader 2 | And the light burnt in the darkness of
Exile in the hope of rebuilding: through invasion and suffering the light did not go out. |
| Scripture Reading - A Reading - or several short passages from the Prophets could be inserted here. | |
| Reader 3 | Then an angel appeared to Mary and passed a new light to her… Creation held its breath |
| Reader 4 | And an angel appeared in a dream to
Joseph and passed a new light to him... Creation held its breath… |
| Reader 1 | And in the dark of a stable in the town
of Bethlehem a new light was given to the world: the one who was there in the beginning came into the world in him was life – and the life was the light of peoples. The Word became flesh and lived among us. |
| . | |
| Scripture reading
- A Gospel reading could be inserted here if desired
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| Reader 2 | The light shone in the darkness |
| Reader 3 | And the darkness did not overcome it |
| Reader 4 | For the Light and Life of the world was
destined to enter the darkest of darkness – and it seemed – for a while – as if the darkness had won… |
| Reader 1 | But in the darkest hours just before
sunrise darkness gave way to a new dawn an eternal dawn: eternal light shone upon the world |
| Reader 2 | The Light of the World returned to the Father |
| Reader 3 | But passed the light on to his disciples
– to Peter – to Mary – to the Twelve – |
| Reader 4 | And to the Three Thousand – who saw the light of the Spirit’s new coming and believed. |
| Reader 1 | And the light appeared to Saul and Saul became Paul and took the light to the nations – to Rome |
| Reader 2 | And some took the light into desert places |
| Reader 3 | And some to the east |
| Reader 4 | And some to the south |
| Reader 1 | And some to the north |
| Reader 2 | The light dwelt with Benedict and Scholastica |
| Reader 3 | The light went with Patrick – to Ireland – |
| Reader 4 | And came from Ireland to Iona with
Columba – and was passed to Aidan – to Hilda – to all the Celtic peoples |
| Reader 1 | And the light lived in the darkness of
the fall of Rome – It passed to Gregory – to Augustine – and small lights shone in the darkness of the Dark Ages |
| Reader 2 | The light passed on to Hildegard –
to Dominic – to Thomas – to Eckhart |
| Reader 3 | To Francis and to Clare whose lives glowed with the power of simplicity |
| Reader 4 | To Julian and Margery – whose lives were hidden until the world was ready |
| Reader 1 | To Ignatius – to Teresa who found God in the power of imagination |
| Reader 2 | But the light became divided and humans tried to possess it: to claim it as their own |
| Reader 3 | Yet the light was not defeated: |
| Reader 4 | The light passed to those who loved
God’s Word – who translated it – and placed it into the hands of believers. |
| Reader 1 | The light passed to those who sought to
understand God’s creation – and explored its wonders. |
| Reader 2 | The light passed to those who saw the
dignity of human beings and fought to bring justice to the poor – freedom to those who were slaves. |
| Reader 3 | The light travelled to new continents
– and passed to new peoples – to Rose and to Juan and to those who believe in the Americas |
| Reader 4 | to Paul Miki and to those who believe in the East |
| Reader 1 | to Charles Lwanga and to those who believe in Africa |
| Reader 2 | The light passed to Bernadette and Therese |
| Reader 3 | to Charles de Foucauld |
| Reader 4 | to Dietrich and to Maximillian |
| Reader 1 | to Martin Luther King and to Dorothy Day |
| Reader 1 | to Brother Roger and to Mother Teresa |
| Reader 2 | to us |
| Reader 3 | The light waits – |
| Reader 4 | Who will keep the light burning in our day? |
| Reader 1 | Who will take the light into the world? |
| Reader 2 | Who will carry the light into a new year – |
| a new century – | |
| a new Millennium? | |
| Readers | Who will carry the light – if we do not? |
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