The reciprocating valve actuation and control system includes a poppet valve moveable between a first and second position; a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid; a hydraulic actuator including an actuator piston coupled to the poppet valve and reciprocating between a first and second position responsive to flow of the pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator; an electrically operated valve controlling flow of the pressurized hydraulic fluid to the actuator; and an engine computer that generates electrical pulses to control the electrically operated valve. The electrically operated valve includes a linear latching motor, which includes a solenoid coil associated with a permanent magnet, wherein the coil is energized to create a central axial repelling magnetic field relative to the permanent magnet field, and to generate concentric repelling and attractive fields to produce secondary repelling and tertiary attractive forces on the permanent magnet.