Prayer Service For Diwali

PRAYER SERVICE FOR DIWALI Introduction Welcoming – The faithful is received with sandal paste. The priest is welcomed with an Arathi. Bhajan Celebrant: The people who walk in darkness have seen a dazzling brightness. A great light has dawned in the east, mocking the sun and the moon, putting the stars of heaven Christ the Lord. “In his light we see light”. Enter without pretensions into this joyful encounter with Him. May the eyes of the Father rest upon your eyes, the love of the Son throb in your heart and all its movements and the comradeship of the Spirit walk with you. All: Amen. Commentator: Myriad little lamps illumining millions of our homes proclaim the festival of lights. We rejoice with all the people of our land and bring to the altar our own little lamps. Indian tradition attributes the origin of Diwali to the coronation of Rama, as the king of Ayodhya. On that night, it is said, there was illumination all over the country. Another legend attributes the feast to the coronation of the good king Vikramaditya. According to another legend, the feast marks the destruction by Vishnu of the demon Naraka. All these traditions reveal an underlying theme: Diwali is rejoicing at the victory of good over the forces of evil, jnana over ajnana, sat over asat. Penitential Rite: The faithful accuse themselves of their being the cause of darkness. Commentator: As an expression of our deep sorrow for our infidelities to the covenant with the lord, yearning for full fellowship with him and others, and determined to make a total commitment of ourselves to the designs of the lord let us do the panchanga pranama. Celebrant: May the god of peace who brought from the dead our lord Jesus enable you to stand before him face to face. In his light, there is no darkness. Bask in its shadow it is brighter than sun. May its flames lick the hearth of your soul and purify it of dross and

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decay, equipping you with everything that is good through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory for ever and ever. All: Amen. Exchange the sign of peace. Commentator: In the beginning when god created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water. God commanded “let there be light and there was light.” God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from darkness and he named the light ‘day’ and the darkness night. Lord, it is night. A sea of darkness engulfs us. Terror, ignorance, unbelief, worries, poverty, sin and death. Destroy all powers of darkness. Let the light of your resurrection shine and let is be day. Bhajan Liturgy of the Word: Homage is paid to the Bible with double arathi.(pushpa and dhupa). Celebrant: Fountain of truth, knowledge and bliss, he who drinks of your stream will not thirst. May he who quickens the intellect and kindles the heart strengthen you with his power to proclaim the saving word. Commentator: As a sign of our openness to receive God’s word into our life. We shall keep our palms open and turned upwards resting on our knees. First reading: 1 Jn: 1/5-10. Bhajan Gospel: Mt: 5/14-16 or Jn: 8/12. Homily Prayer of the Faithful Celebrant: Jesus is the true light that enlightens every person. As we celebrate the Feast of Lights let us ask Jesus the light of life to penetrate our life. Response: Jesus our light, guide us. (Spontaneous prayers).

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Concluding Prayer: We praise and thank you God our Father for this day, the day in which we rejoice with our Hindu brethren and strengthen our relationship with them. You have illumned the universe with the sun and the moon and the stars and you have illumined our lives with the greatest of lights- Jesus Christ. Grant that each of us become bearers of Jesus and through us may Jesus be known to our non-christian brethren. This we ask you through Jesus your Son. Amen. Final Blessing Hymn

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