O Adonai...

O Adonai 

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, 
qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, 
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel, 

who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush

and gave him the law on Sinai: 

Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

  

a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, 11: 4-5 -

with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.


O Adonai:
Leading,
Appearing,
Lawgiving,
Redeeming....

You stretch out your arm to redeem:
no 'slacker' God -
no casual God -
but passionately,
energetically
calling us close.
God at full stretch:
reaching out,
reaching in,
moving in our lives.
Reclaiming,
reshaping,
remaking,
refining.
God appearing:
eternal, boundless -
breaking into finite time and space.
Becoming human:
sweating,
laughing,
sharing,
dying.
Lawgiver,
Righteous ruler:
voice of the voiceless,
liberator of the oppressed,
beacon of justice
shining hope into the world.
Faithful.
O Adonai.

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!