John 13:1-15, 34-35; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Exodus 12:1-14
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This night the Church celebrates Her LORD’s merciful deliverance. For the LORD has delivered His people, the LORD has delivered His creation, from the bondage of sin, death, and corruption. Rejoice now, all you heavenly choirs of angels! Rejoice now, all creation! Sound forth, trumpet of salvation, and proclaim the triumph of our King! Benedicite, omnia opera – All you works of the LORD, bless the LORD!
O Creation, the LORD has called you out of nothingness to life and grace, bless the LORD! The LORD spoke His creative Word and you were created, bless the LORD! O Father, our Creator; O Son, the Father’s creative Word; O Spirit of Divine Love, Lord and giver of Life; all creation praises and glorifies You, Most Holy Trinity, now and forever.
O crown of the LORD’s creation whom the LORD so loved, despite your rebellion, that He did call you to repentance before sending the cleansing flood, saving righteous Noah and his sons, eight souls in all, bless the LORD. To whom the LORD promised He would provide an ark of salvation from his Seed through whom all the world would be saved from sin and death, bless the LORD. All God’s people, bless the LORD! Bless the LORD for His merciful deliverance!
O children of Israel, delivered from slavery and captivity in the prison house of Egypt, lead safely through the killing waters by cloud and fire, bless the LORD! You baptized of the LORD, delivered through death to life in Holy Baptism, bless the LORD! For this merciful washing we give you thanks and praise now and forevermore!
O once lifeless bones, now enlivened by the living Word and Spirit, bless the LORD! O bones, whom daily are raised from the death of sin by the Word and Spirit, bless the LORD! O resting bones who will be raised by the Word and Spirit at the trumpet call on the Last Day, bless the LORD! Praise be to the Father whose Words alone speak eternal life. Praise be to the Son, the word of God who defeated death by His innocent death. Praise be to the Spirit, the breath of God who is able even to bring life out death. Praise the Holy Trinity all you works of the LORD.
O chosen ones, chosen by God’s grace and divine election, not by your works or blood descent, but counted righteous by grace through faith in Christ, bless the LORD. O nations, grafted into the True Vine by the same grace, adopted sons and daughters and spiritual descendants of Abraham, bless the LORD.
O reluctant and hard-hearted Jonah, who, knowing God’s grace and mercy and the power of His Word, would not prophesy to the Ninevites but fled from the LORD; who, nevertheless, served the LORD’s will, being swallowed by the great fish, staying there three days in prayer, prefiguring our Lord’s three day sojourn in the heart of the earth; delivered out of the fish alive to proclaim the grace and mercy of the LORD, bless the LORD for His merciful deliverance.
O children of God, tried in the fiery furnace of temptation, bless the LORD, for He is present with you. He has suffered Satan’s worst for you and has overcome, now He gives you His strength that you might persevere. He has claimed you, named you, and sealed you as His own in Holy Baptism so that nothing can separate you from the Father’s love in Jesus His Son, bless the LORD.
This night the Church celebrates Her LORD’s merciful deliverance. For the LORD has delivered His people, the LORD has delivered His creation, from the bondage of sin, death, and corruption. Rejoice now, all you heavenly choirs of angels! Rejoice now, all creation! Sound forth, trumpet of salvation, and proclaim the triumph of our King! Benedicite, omnia opera – All you works of the LORD, bless the LORD!
Christ, the Word of God, has brought forth Creation out of nothing, bless the LORD.
Christ, the Ark of Salvation, has gathered us into His Body unto salvation, bless the LORD.
Christ, the New Moses, has lead His people out of bondage to sin and death into the Promised Land of heaven, bless the LORD.
Christ, the Word of God, has proclaimed life and has sent forth His Spirit of Life to enliven those dead in sin, bless the LORD.
Christ, the New Jonah, has spent three days in the heart of the earth and has been raised to proclaim victory over death and the grave, bless the LORD.
Christ, protector of the faithful, is our strength in temptation and our comfort in the face of danger and death, bless the LORD.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
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