The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.
It is right and just.
It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
at all times to acclaim you, O Lord,
but on this night / on this day / in this time
above all
to laud you yet more gloriously,
when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.
For he is the true Lamb
who has taken away the sins of the world;
by dying, he has destroyed our death,
and by rising, restored our life!
By dying, he’s destroyed our death,
by rising, he restored our life!
By dying, he’s destroyed our death,
by rising, he restored our life!
Therefore, overcome with paschal joy,
every land, every people exults in your praise
and even the heavenly Powers,
with the angelic hosts,
sing, sing, the unending hymn of your glory,
as they acclaim:
Holy, holy, holy…

Towards you, Holy City,
towards you, our Saviour’s Land,
like pilgrims we are walking,
coming unto you.
We are your holy people,
today we walk together;
you come among us,
your love will guide us.
You are our way,
you are our hope,
you, brother of the poor.
Amen, alleluia!
Towards you, Holy City…
We are coming to your table,
we shall seal your Covenant,
we shall eat your body,
we’ll be washed by your blood.
We shall reign with you,
in your Holy City,
we shall drink your blood,
your faith shall save us.
Towards you, Holy City…

Down there beyond the river,
I chose your father Abraham,
and from an impotent old man
I multiplied your descendants.
Far be it from us to forsake
our God
who has worked marvels for us
before our very eyes.
A people enslaved
I rescued from Egypt
and with a mighty hand
I opened the Red Sea.
Far be it from us to forsake…
For years in the desert
I fed you with manna
and upon eagles’ wings
I took you beyond the mountains.
Far be it from us to forsake…
I gave you a land,
cities you did not build,
vineyards you did not plant,
springs of living water.
Far be it from us to forsake…

Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia!
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his love is everlasting.
He alone does great marvels.
Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia…
He made the heavens with wisdom,
for his love is everlasting.
He set the earth firmly on the waters. *
He created the great lights in the heavens,
for his love is everlasting,
the sun to rule the day and the moon the night. *
He struck down the first born of Egypt,
for his love is everlasting.
And he brought out his people, Israel.*
He opened a way through the sea,
for his love is everlasting.
And he led his people through the waters. *
He drowned Pharaoh and his army,
for his love is everlasting.
And he led his people through the desert. *
He gave us according to his promise,
for his love is everlasting,
a land flowing with milk and honey. *
He is with us in our anguish,
for his love is everlasting.
And he frees us from our oppressors. *
He provides for all living creatures,
for his love is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven. *
Give thanks to the Lord…

Beside the rivers of Babylon,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
On the willows we hung up our guitars,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
"Sing" – our enemies told us;
"sing" – our oppressors told us;
they wanted us to sing songs of joy.
How could we sing
the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
If I forget you Jerusalem,
may my right hand wither;
may my tongue cleave to my mouth
if I don’t remember you, Jerusalem,
above all my joys.
Lord, ask account of our enemies,
Lord, ask account of our oppressors,
when they say to each other:
"Raze it to its foundations."
Capital
of criminal Babylon!
Who could repay you the evil
you have done to us?
Who could crush your little ones against the rock?
Beside the rivers of Babylon,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.
On the willows we hung up our guitars,
remembering Jerusalem, we sat down to weep.

If today you listen to his voice,
do not harden your hearts.
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord,
acclaiming the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving,
acclaiming him with psalms and songs.
If today…
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods.
In his hands are the depths of the earth,
the sea belongs to him, so does the land.
If today…
Come let us bow low before him,
and kneel before the Lord
who made us.
For he is our God and we are his people;
the people that he pastures,
the flock that he guides.
If today…
If only, if only
you would listen to his voice today and not harden your hearts
as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert,
when your fathers tested me,
when they tried me
though they had seen my deeds.
For forty years I was wearied of that generation
and I said: "They are a people with a crooked heart,
they don't know my ways,
they shall not enter my rest."
If today…

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord,
let us acclaim the rock
of our salvation!
Let us come before him
and give him thanks,
let us acclaim him
with songs of joy!
Because a mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all other gods;
in his hands are the depths of the earth,
the heights of the mountains are his;
to him belongs the sea for he made it,
and the dry land shaped by his hands.
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord…
Come, let us bow low before him
and kneel before the God who made us;
he is the one who guides us in the desert.
Let us listen today to his voice;
let us not harden our hearts
as our fathers did before us.
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord…
In the desert your fathers tested me,
even though they had seen my deeds.
For forty years I was wearied
of that wicked generation;
then I took an oath in my anger:
"Never shall they enter my rest."
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord…

The children of Bethlehem
are playing in the square,
look, the kings are coming,
there are one and two and three:
"But where are you coming from,
with your horses and your camels,
but who are you, pray, who are you?
what is it that brings you here?"
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of gold and silver,
but at night I cannot sleep:
I saw a star, a star in the sky."
But at night he cannot sleep:
he saw a star, a star in the sky.
The children of Bethlehem…
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of flowers and of perfumes,
but at night I cannot sleep…
The children of Bethlehem…
"I’m coming from the Distant Orient,
from the land of the poor and the sick,
but at night I cannot sleep…
The children of Bethlehem…
…with incense, gold and myrrh…
"We’re coming from the Distant Orient,
we saw his star as it rose,
we’ve come all this way to adore
the King of the Jews who is born here."
They’ve come all this way to adore
the King of the Jews who is born here.
The children of Bethlehem
are looking at the sky;
"Look, the star is shining
right above Lord Jesus’ house.
Let’s go quickly all together
with the horses and the camels;
with the wise men we have found
where our Saviour Christ is born."

O God, you are my God,
I seek you from the dawn;
for you my soul is thirsting.
For you my soul is thirsting,
my flesh is longing for you
like a dry weary land,
like a dry weary land without water.
O God, you are my God...
Your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
O God, you are my God...
My soul clings to you,
your right hand holds me with strength;
on my bed I think of you,
on you I muse through the night.
O God, you are my God...
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
O God, you are my God…

The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light.
On those who walked in a land of darkness
a great light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase:
they rejoiced in your presence
as they rejoice at harvest time,
as they rejoice when they divide the spoils.
And dominion will be upon his shoulders,
and his name will be, and his name will be:
wonderful, wonderful counsellor,
mighty God, eternal Father;
Prince of peace,
Prince of peace.
The yoke that was weighing on the people,
the yoke that weighed on their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressors,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Every boot of the trampling warrior,
every garment soaked in blood
will be burnt and consumed by fire,
for a child is born for us,
a Son has been given to us.
And dominion will be upon his shoulders…

When Israel was a child, I loved him,
like a son, I called him out of Egypt,
but the more I called him,
the further he strayed from me.
He did not see that all my care was for him.
Israel, Israel
I taught Ephraim how to take his first steps,
I guided him straight, using reins of kindness,
To him I was like one
who holds a baby close to his cheek.
He did not see...
You will return to the land of Egypt,
the Assyrian king will destroy all your sons,
because my people
refused to convert.
He did not see...
O Ephraim, how could I abandon you,
my heart is moved at the thought of parting from you,
I will not destroy you,
for I am God, not man.
He did not see...
I will roar, and his sons will come from the sea,
swiftly flying, like a bird, out of Egypt
they will come back,
from Assyria like a dove.
He did not see...

O my people, o my people,
what harm have I done you,
what harm have I done you?
How have I offended you:
give me an answer,
how have I offended you?
I led you out of Egypt,
I led you out of Egypt,
yet you, you prepared the cross for me!
O my people…
I led you for forty years in the desert,
I fed you with manna
and led you to the Promised Land,
yet you, you prepared the cross for me!
O my people…
What could I have done for you
that I haven’t done?
To you I sang:
"My beloved vineyard,"
yet you, you became bitter!
Hagios Theós,
Sanctus Deus.
Hagios Íschyros,
Sanctus Fortis.
Hagios Athánatos,
eleison hemâs.
Sanctus Immortalis,
miserere nobis.
O my people…

Lord, listen to my prayer,
pay heed to my supplication.
You who are faithful,
you who are faithful, answer me;
in your justice, answer me.
Do not call your servant to judgement,
no one is just in your sight.
The enemy pursues me,
crushes my life to the ground.
You who are faithful…
To you I stretch out my hands,
like a parched land I stand before you.
Answer me soon, O Lord,
my spirit faints within me.
You who are faithful…
Let me know the way,
the path to walk.
Save me from my enemies,
I entrust myself to you, O Lord.
You who are faithful…
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me,
let your good spirit guide me on level ground.
You who are faithful,
you who are faithful, answer me;
in your justice, answer me.

I will take you from the nations,
I will gather you from every land,
I will pour upon you clean water,
I will purify you.
I will give you a new heart,
I will put within you a new spirit
I will take away from you your heart of stone,
and I will give you a heart of flesh.
I will take you…
I will put my spirit
within you
and I will make you live according to my word
you will be my people and I will be your God.
I will take you…

Do not get angry because of the wicked,
do not envy those who do evil,
for they shall wither like grass
and dry up like the green of the fields.
Trust in the Lord and do good,
live in your land and be loyal;
let the Lord be your delight
and he will grant you your heart’s desire.
Entrust yourself to the Lord and hope in him,
hope in him and he will act.
He will make your justice shine forth
and your faithfulness like the noonday sun.
Do not get angry…
Keep silent before the Lord and hope in him,
do not get angry about a man who prospers,
who makes his fortune by telling lies:
but trust in the Lord and hope in him.
Do not get angry…
Refrain from anger, forsake your rage,
do not get angry lest you do evil,
for those who do evil will be excluded
but he who hopes in the Lord shall inherit the land.
Wait a little longer, the wicked shall be no more,
look where he was, he is not there.
Instead the humble possess the land
and delight in peace, in great peace.
Do not get angry…

The Virgin Mary was betrothed to Joseph
when, before they came to live together,
she was found to be with child
through the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph, who was just,
did not want to repudiate her.
He decided to send her away in secret.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God, humble lamb,
you, who don’t resist evil,
Mother of Jesus and our Mother,
pray for us, pray for us!
And Mary gave birth to her son,
swaddled him and put him in a manger
because there was no room for them at the inn.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
Then Joseph woke up,
took with him the child and his mother,
and in the night fled to Egypt
because Herod was looking for the child
to kill him.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
A cry is heard in Ramah: "ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay"
– a cry and a great lamentation:
it is Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be consoled
because they are no more.
How bitter are the waters, Mary!
She-lamb of God…
And the angel of the Lord said to Joseph in Egypt:
"Get up and take with you the child and his mother
and go back to the land of Israel;
because from Egypt I have called my son."
She-lamb of God…