Eikon of the Blessed Pregnancy

Meditation for reflection and prayer

The SpiritOf the

Most HighWill

OvershadowYou.

The Spiritof the

Most Highwill

overshadowYou.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.He has mercy on those who fear him, from generation to generation.He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit,Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.He has filled the hungry with good thingsand sent the rich away empty.He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, to remember his promise of mercy,The promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

TheKingdom of God

Is near

Let it be to me

according to your

word.

God, you called us to love you more than our material goods, our relationships, our reputation, our opinions.

But we preferred our status quo. Forgive us & help us.

God, you called us to love others as ourselves, to seek the good of others, to seek peace with others, to build relationships of mutual respect and helping

But we preferred apathy, self-sufficiency or idolising others.Forgive us & help us.

God, you called us to walk you way, take on your concerns, to seek first your kingdom, to find our life in losing our life,

But we preferred "my way", the concerns of our peers & the media, the dreams of advertising.Forgive us & help us.

God, you now call us to receive our forgiveness and to make a new start with you, and we respond:

I am your servant, may it be to me as you have said.

Words of assurance are said

We are the body of Christall: God's Spirit is with us

Let's lift up our hearts:all: We lift them to God.

Let us give thanks to our Godall: It is right to give thanks and praise

Blessed are youGod: Beginning and End.You work all thingsto be one,So that at the Lastyou will be all in alland all shall be well.

ALL: You reach outto commune with us

through every particle of creation....

We bless you for Jesuswhose return will seal

the communionof earth and heaven:

When we were still far off,you met us in Christ,

and brought us home.ALL: dying and living,

he declared your love,gave us grace

and opened the gate of glory....

We praise you for Christ's redeeming death;for suffering in his own body

the sufferings of creation.From his broken-ness blossoms forth

the New Creation unbound from sin and death.ALL: In Christ we know ourselves

beloved of you, that all things will work for

the good....

Release your Spirit,brood over us

and over these gifts of your creation,as we eat and drink

unite us in the body of Christ,remake us alive to You.

All: As bread and wineare made one with us,

may we become one with you;living our prayer and praying our life.

...

As we proclaim his deathand celebrate his rising in glory,

send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this winemay be to us the body and blood of your dear Son.

ALL: As we eat and drink these holy giftsmake us one in Christ, our risen Lord.

Around this table we comewith angels and atoms, stars and saints,

earth and sky and sea.We offer our sacrifice of praise

and join with the eternal song of heaven.

All: Holy, holy, holy,is the Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come,hosanna in the highest.

© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000

On the night he was betrayed,Jesus took bread & wine,

gave thanks, broke the bread,& shared it saying;

“This is my body, broken for you”Afterwards, he shared the cup, saying:“This is my blood of the new covenant”

We do this in memory of him;we break this bread

to share in the body of ChristALL:Though we are many,

we are one bodybecause we all share

in one bread

Come not because you mustbut because you may...and you are called.

EcceAncillaDomini

I amthe Lord’s Servant

EcceAncillaDomini I am

the Lord’s Servant

Together we say:

God of waters and Spirit,We are your servants, yet you call us friends and grace us in the heart of our beings with your lovesome presence.Overshadow us with your creative Spirit.Help us to birth the good things you have created us for in Christ Jesus. Amen

Go blessed ...