Sunday Morning, Week 2

 

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

Psalm 118

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

This is the day the Lord has made, alleluia.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his love endures forever.

Let the sons of Israel say:

‘His love endures forever.’

Let the sons of Aaron say:

‘His love endures forever.’

Let those who fear the Lord say:

‘His love endures forever.’

I called to the Lord in my distress;

he answered and freed me.

The Lord is at my side; I do not fear.

What can man do against me?

The Lord is at my side as my helper;

I shall look down on my foes.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in men;

it is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

The nations all encompassed me;

in the Lord’s name I crushed them.

They compassed me, compassed me about;

in the Lord’s name I crushed them.

They compassed me about like bees;

they blazed like a fire among thorns.

In the Lord’s name I crushed them.

I was hard-pressed and was falling,

but the Lord came to help me.

The Lord is my strength and my song;

he is my savior.

There are shouts of joy and victory

in the tents of the just.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;

his right hand raised me.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;

I shall not die, I shall live

and recount his deeds.

I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,

but not doomed to die.

Open to me the gates of holiness:

I will enter and give thanks.

This is the Lord’s own gate

where the just may enter.

I will thank you for you have answered

and you are my savior.

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,

a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord;

we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation;

O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

the Lord God is our light.

Go forward in procession with branches

even to the altar.

You are my God, I thank you.

My God, I praise you.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;

for his love endures forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle in the Fiery Furnace.   Daniel

Let all creatures praise the Lord

Blessed are you, Lord our God, in the firmament of heaven. You are worthy of praise for ever, alleluia.

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;

And blessed is your holy and glorious name,

praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,

praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Blessed are you who look into the depths

from your throne upon the cherubim,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,

praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,

praise and exalt him above all forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

 

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Worship God who is seated upon the throne; sing to him in praise: Amen, alleluia.

Praise God in his holy place,

praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his powerful deeds,

praise his surpassing greatness.

O praise him with sound of trumpet,

praise him with lute and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance,

praise him with strings and pipes.

O praise him with resounding cymbals,

praise him with clashing of cymbals.

Let everything that lives and that breathes

give praise to the Lord.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day:    www.usccb.org

 

Canticle of Zechariah

I will not leave you orphans; I am going but I will come back to you and your hearts will be glad. 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

All-holy Father, you brought your beloved Son Jesus from the darkness of death into the splendor of your glory,

bring us also into your marvelous light.

You have given us faith to save us,

may we live today by the faith of our baptism.

You command us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at your right hand,

do not let us be deceived by the allurements of sin.

May our life, hidden with Christ in you, our Father, shine before the world,

foreshadowing a new heaven and a new earth.

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God,

when our world lay in ruins,

you raised it up again through your Son’s Passion and Death.

Give us grace to rejoice in what he gained for us,

and bring us to everlasting joy.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Monday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 42

Longing for the Lord

When will I come to the end of my pilgrimage and enter the presence of God?

Like the deer that yearns

for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God,

the God of my life;

when can I enter and see

the face of God?

My tears have become my bread,

by night, by day,

as I hear it said all the day long:

‘Where is your God?’

These things will I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I would lead the rejoicing crowd

into the house of God,

amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,

the throng wild with joy.

Why are you cast down, my soul,

why groan within me?

Hope in God; I will praise him still,

my savior and my God.

My soul is cast down within me

as I think of you,

from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon,

from the Hill of Mizar.

Deep is calling on deep,

in the roar of waters;

your torrents and all your waves

swept over me.

By day the Lord will send

his loving kindness;

by night I will sing to him,

praise the God of my life.

I will say to God, my rock:

‘Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning

oppressed by the foe?’

With cries that pierce me to the heart,

my enemies revile me,

saying to me all the day long:

‘Where is your God?’

Why are you cast down, my soul,

why groan within me?

Hope in God; I will praise him still,

my savior and my God.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen

Canticle  Sirach 36

Prayer for God’s people

Lord, show us the radiance of your mercy.

Come to our aid, O God of the universe,

and put all the nations in dread of you!

Raise your hand against the heathen,

that they may realize your power.

As you have used us to show them your holiness,

so now use them to show us your glory.

Thus they will know, as we know,

that there is no God but you.

Give new signs and work new wonders;

show forth the splendor of your right hand and arm.

Gather all the tribes of Jacob,

that they may inherit the land as of old,

Show mercy to the people called by your name;

Israel, whom you named your first-born.

Take pity on your holy city,

Jerusalem, your dwelling place.

Fill Zion with your majesty,

your temple with your glory.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 19

Praise God the creator

The vaults of heaven ring with your praise, O Lord.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,

and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

and night unto night makes known the message.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard

yet their span extends through all the earth,

their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

There he has placed a tent for the sun;

it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent,

rejoices like a champion to run its course.

At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun;

to the furthest end of the sky is its course.

There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day: www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord, for he has visited us and freed us.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

 

Prayers and intercessions

Our Savior has made us a nation of priests to offer sacrifice to the Father. We call upon him in gratitude:

Christ, eternal priest, you conferred the holy priesthood on your people:

grant that we may offer all that we do to the Father.

In your goodness give us the fruits of your Spirit,

patience, kindness and gentleness.

May we love you, for you are love,

and may all we do praise you.

May we look for what benefits others, without counting the cost,

to help them on the way to salvation.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Almighty Lord and God,

protect us this day,

even as we begin it.

Do not let us turn aside to any sin,

but let our every thought, word and deed

aim at what will please you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Tuesday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 42 Longing for the temple

Lord, send forth your light and your truth.

Defend me, O God, and plead my cause

against a godless nation.

From deceitful and cunning men

rescue me, O God.

Since you, O God, are my stronghold,

why have you rejected me?

Why do I go mourning

oppressed by the foe?

O send forth your light and your truth;

let these be my guide.

Let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

And I will come to the altar of God,

the God of my joy.

My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,

O God, my God.

Why are you cast down my soul,

why groan within me?

Hope in God; I will praise him still,

my savior and my God.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

Canticle  Isaiah 38

Anguish of one dying and joy at restoration

Lord, keep us safe all the days of our life

Once I said,

“In the noontime of life I must depart!

To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned

for the rest of my years.”

I said, “I shall see the Lord no more

in the land of the living.

No longer shall I behold my fellow men

among those who dwell in the world.”

My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent,

is struck down and borne away from me;

you have folded up my life, like a weaver

who severs the last thread.

Day and night you give me over to torment;

I cry out until the dawn.

Like a lion he breaks all my bones;

day and night you give me over to torment.

Like a swallow I utter shrill cries;

I moan like a dove.

My eyes grow weak, gazing heaven-ward:

O Lord, I am in straits; be my surety!

You have preserved my life

from the pit of destruction,

When you cast behind your back

all my sins.

For it is not the nether world that gives you thanks,

nor death that praises you;

neither do those who go down into the pit

await your kindness.

The living, the living give you thanks,

as I do today.

Fathers declare to their sons,

O God, your faithfulness.

The Lord is our savior;

we shall sing to stringed instruments

in the house of the Lord

all the days of our life.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 65

A solemn thanksgiving

To you, O God, our praise is due in Zion.

To you our praise is due

in Sion, O God.

To you we pay our vows,

you who hear our prayer.

To you all flesh will come

with its burden of sin.

Too heavy for us, our offenses,

but you wipe them away.

Blessed is he whom you choose and call

to dwell in your courts.

We are filled with the blessings of your house,

of your holy temple.

You keep your pledge with wonders,

O God our savior,

the hope of all the earth

and of far distant isles.

You uphold the mountains with your strength,

you are girded with power.

You still the roaring of the seas,

(the roaring of their waves)

and the tumult of the peoples.

The ends of the earth stand in awe

at the sight of your wonders.

The lands of sunrise and sunset

you fill with your joy.

You care for the earth, give it water,

you fill it with riches.

Your river in heaven brims over

to provide its grain.

And thus you provide for the earth;

you drench its furrows;

you level it, soften it with showers;

you bless its growth.

You crown the year with your goodness.

Abundance flows in your steps,

in the pastures of the wilderness it flows.

The hills are girded with joy,

the meadows covered with flocks,

the valleys are decked with wheat.

They shout for joy, yes they sing.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day:  www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

We bless our Savior, who enlightens the world by his resurrection. We humbly beg him:

Lord Jesus, we honor your resurrection in our morning prayer;

the hope of your glory enlightens our day.

Accept, Lord, our prayers and petitions

as the first-fruits of our day.

Grant that we may grow today in your love,

and that all things may work together for our good and the good of all.

Make our light shine brightly before all,

that seeing our good works they may give glory to the Father.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

True Light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ,

as you enlighten all people for their salvation,

give us grace, we pray,

to herald your coming

by preparing the ways of justice and of peace.

Who live and reign with God the Father

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Wednesday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 77

Remember the works of the Lord

O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?

I cry aloud to God,

cry aloud to God that he may hear me.

In the day of my distress I sought the Lord.

My hands were raised at night without ceasing;

my soul refused to be consoled.

I remembered my God and I groaned.

I pondered and my spirit fainted.

You withheld sleep from my eyes.

I was troubled, I could not speak.

I thought of the days of long ago

and remembered the years long past.

At night I mused within my heart.

I pondered and my spirit questioned.

‘Will the Lord reject us forever?

Will he show us his favor no more?

Has his love vanished forever?

Has his promise come to an end?

Does God forget his mercy

or in anger withhold his compassion?’

I said: ‘This is what causes my grief;

that the way of the Most High has changed.’

I remember the deeds of the Lord,

I remember your wonders of old,

I muse on all your works

and ponder your mighty deeds.

Your ways, O God, are holy.

What god is great as our God?

You are the God who works wonders.

You showed your power among the peoples.

Your strong arm redeemed your people,

the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,

the waters saw you and trembled;

the depths were moved with terror.

The clouds poured down rain,

the skies sent forth their voice;

your arrows flashed to and fro.

Your thunder rolled round the sky,

your flashes lighted up the world.

The earth was moved and trembled

when your way led through the sea,

your path through the mighty waters

and no one saw your footprints.

You guided your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle of Hannah.                 

1 Samuel 2

The humble find joy in God

My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.

My heart exults in the Lord,

my horn is exalted in my God.

I have swallowed up my enemies;

I rejoice in my victory.

There is no Holy One like the Lord;

there is no Rock like our God.

Speak boastfully no longer,

nor let arrogance issue from your mouths.

For an all-knowing God is the Lord,

a God who judges deeds.

The bows of the mighty are broken,

while the tottering gird on strength.

The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,

while the hungry batten on spoil.

The barren wife bears seven sons,

while the mother of many languishes.

The Lord puts to death and gives life;

he casts down to the nether world;

he raises up again.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich,

he humbles, he also exalts.

He raises the needy from the dust;

from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,

to seat them with nobles

and make a glorious throne their heritage.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and he has set the world upon them.

He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall perish in the darkness.

For not by strength does man prevail;

the Lord’s foes shall be shattered.

The Most High in heaven thunders;

the Lord judges the ends of the earth.

Now may he give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

Psalm 97

The glory of God in his judgements

The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,

let all the coastlands be glad.

Cloud and darkness are his raiment;

his throne, justice and right.

A fire prepares his path;

it burns up his foes on every side.

His lightnings light up the world,

the earth trembles at the sight.

The mountains melt like wax

before the Lord of all the earth.

The skies proclaim his justice;

all peoples see his glory.

Let those who serve idols be ashamed,

those who boast of their worthless gods.

All you spirits, worship him.

Sion hears and is glad;

the people of Judah rejoice

because of your judgements, O Lord.

For you indeed are the Lord

most high above all the earth,

exalted far above all spirits.

The Lord loves those who hate evil;

he guards the souls of his saints;

he sets them free from the wicked.

Light shines forth for the just

and joy for the upright of heart.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;

give glory to his holy name.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day:  www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Let us serve the Lord in holiness all our days.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

 

 

Blessed be God our Savior, who promised to remain with his Church all days, until the end of the world. We give him thanks and call out:

Remain with us the whole day, Lord:

let your grace be a sun that never sets.

We dedicate this day to you as an offering:

do not let us offer anything that is evil.

May your gift of light pervade this whole day,

that we may be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

May the love of your Holy Spirit direct our hearts and our lips,

and may we always act in accordance with your will.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Shed your clear light on our hearts, Lord,

so that walking continually in the way of your commandments

we may never be deceived or misled.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Thursday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 80

Lord, tend your vine

Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,

you who lead Joseph’s flock,

shine forth from your cherubim throne

upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.

O Lord, rouse up your might,

O Lord, come to our help.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, how long

will you frown on your people’s plea?

You have fed them with tears for their bread,

an abundance of tears for their drink.

You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,

our enemies laugh us to scorn.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;

to plant it you drove out the nations.

Before it you cleared the ground;

it took root and spread through the land.

The mountains were covered with its shadow,

the cedars of God with its boughs.

It stretched out its branches to the sea,

to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

Then why have you broken down its walls?

It is plucked by all who pass by.

It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,

devoured by the beasts of the field.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,

look down from heaven and see.

Visit this vine and protect it,

the vine your right hand has planted.

Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.

May they perish at the frown of your face.

May your hand be on the man you have chosen,

the man you have given your strength.

And we shall never forsake you again;

give us life that we may call upon your name.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle.  Isaiah 12

Joy of God's ransomed people

The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.

I give you thanks, O Lord;

though you have been angry with me,

your anger has abated, and you have consoled me.

God indeed is my savior;

I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is the Lord,

and he has been my savior.

With joy you will draw water

at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day:

Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;

among the nations make known his deeds,

proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;

let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,

for great in your midst

is the Holy One of Israel!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 81

Renewal of the covenant

Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Ring out your joy to God our strength,

shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.

Raise a song and sound the timbrel,

the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;

blow the trumpet at the new moon,

when the moon is full, on our feast.

For this is Israel’s law,

a command of the God of Jacob.

He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,

when he went out against the land of Egypt.

A voice I did not know said to me:

‘I freed your shoulder from the burden;

your hands were freed from the load.

You called in distress and I saved you.

‘I answered, concealed in the storm cloud;

at the waters of Meribah I tested you.

Listen, my people, to my warning.

O Israel, if only you would heed!

‘Let there be no foreign god among you,

no worship of an alien god.

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you from the land of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

‘But my people did not heed my voice

and Israel would not obey,

so I left them in their stubbornness of heart

to follow their own designs.

‘O that my people would heed me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

At once I would subdue their foes,

turn my hand against their enemies.

‘The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet

and their subjection would last forever.

But Israel I would feed with finest wheat

and fill them with honey from the rock.’

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day: www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Give your people knowledge of salvation, Lord, and forgive us our sins.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

Blessed be God, our Father, who protects his children and never spurns their prayers. We humbly implore him:

We thank you, Lord, for enlightening us through your Son:

fill us with his light throughout the day.

Let your wisdom lead us today, Lord,

that we may walk in the newness of life.

May we bear hardship with courage for your name’s sake,

and be generous in serving you.

Direct our thoughts, feelings and actions this day:

help us to follow your providential guidance.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God, true Light and Creator of light,

by faithfully following all that is holy,

we may ever live in the splendor of your presence.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Friday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 51

God, have mercy on me

A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.

In your compassion blot out my offense.

O wash me more and more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

My offenses truly I know them;

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned;

what is evil in your sight I have done.

That you may be justified when you give sentence

and be without reproach when you judge,

O see, in guilt I was born,

a sinner was I conceived.

Indeed you love truth in the heart;

then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.

O purify me, then I shall be clean;

O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,

that the bones you have crushed may revive.

From my sins turn away your face

and blot out all my guilt.

A pure heart create for me, O God,

put a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

Give me again the joy of your help;

with a spirit of fervor sustain me,

that I may teach transgressors your ways

and sinners may return to you.

O rescue me, God, my helper,

and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.

O Lord, open my lips

and my mouth shall declare your praise.

For in sacrifice you take no delight,

burnt offering from me you would refuse,

my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.

A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.

In your goodness, show favor to Sion:

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,

holocausts offered on your altar.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle.  Habakkuk 3

The Lord is my strength

Even in your anger, Lord, you will remember compassion.

O Lord, I have heard your renown,

and feared, O Lord, your work.

In the course of the years revive it,

in the course of the years make it known;

in your wrath remember compassion!

God comes from Teman,

the Holy One from Mount Paran.

Covered are the heavens with his glory,

and with his praise the earth is filled.

His splendor spreads like the light;

rays shine forth from beside him,

where his power is concealed.

You come forth to save your people,

to save your anointed one.

You tread the sea with your steeds

amid the churning of the deep waters.

I hear, and my body trembles;

at the sound, my lips quiver.

Decay invades my bones,

my legs tremble beneath me.

I await the day of distress

that will come upon the people who attack us.

For though the fig tree blossom not

nor fruit be on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive fail

and the terraces produce no nourishment,

Though the flocks disappear from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet will I rejoice in the Lord

and exult in my saving God.

God, my Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet swift as those of hinds

and enables me to go upon the heights.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 147

God, the foundation of Jerusalem

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

Sion, praise your God!

He has strengthened the bars of your gates

he has blessed the children within you.

He established peace on your borders,

he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth

and swiftly runs his command.

He showers down snow white as wool,

he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.

The waters are frozen at his touch;

he sends forth his word and it melts them:

at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

He makes his word known to Jacob,

to Israel his laws and decrees.

He has not dealt thus with other nations;

he has not taught them his decrees.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day  www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Through the loving mercy of our God, the Rising Sun has come to visit us.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

We adore Christ, who offered himself to the Father through the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from the works of death. We adore him and call upon him with sincere hearts:

From your generosity we have received the beginning of this day:

grant us also the beginning of new life.

You created all things, and now you provide for their growth:

may we always see your handiwork in creation.

With your own blood, you ratified the new and eternal covenant:

may we remain faithful to that covenant.

On the cross, blood and water flowed from your side:

may this saving stream wash away our sins and gladden the City of God.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Almighty God,

in this morning prayer we offer you our praise,

grant that in your kingdom,

together with your saints,

we may praise you with even greater joy.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Saturday Morning, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 92

Praise God, the Creator

As morning breaks we sing of your mercy, Lord, and night will find us proclaiming your fidelity.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

and your truth in the watches of the night,

on the ten-stringed lyre and the lute,

with the murmuring sound of the harp.

Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad;

for the work of your hands I shout with joy.

O Lord, how great are your works!

How deep are your designs!

The foolish man cannot know this

and the fool cannot understand.

Though the wicked spring up like grass

and all who do evil thrive,

they are doomed to be eternally destroyed.

But you, Lord, are eternally on high.

See how your enemies perish;

all doers of evil are scattered.

To me you give the wild ox’s strength;

you anoint me with the purest oil.

My eyes looked in triumph on my foes;

my ears heard gladly of their fall.

The just will flourish like the palm-tree

and grow like a Lebanon cedar.

Planted in the house of the Lord

they will flourish in the courts of our God,

still bearing fruit when they are old,

still full of sap, still green,

to proclaim that the Lord is just.

In him, my rock, there is no wrong.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle. Deuteronomy 32

God's kindness to his people

Extol the greatness of our God.

Give ear, O heavens, while I speak;

let the earth hearken to the words of my mouth!

May my instruction soak in like the rain,

and my discourse permeate like the dew,

Like a downpour upon the grass,

like a shower upon the crops.

For I will sing the Lord’s renown.

Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!

The Rock – how faultless are his deeds,

how right all his ways!

A faithful God, without deceit,

how just and upright he is!

Yet basely has he been treated by his degenerate children,

a perverse and crooked race!

Is the Lord to be thus repaid by you,

O stupid and foolish people?

Is he not your father who created you?

Has he not made you and established you?

Think back on the days of old,

reflect on the years of age upon age.

Ask your father and he will inform you,

ask your elders and they will tell you:

When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,

when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,

he set up the boundaries of the peoples

after the number of the sons of God;

while the Lord’s own portion was Jacob,

his hereditary share was Israel.

He found them in a wilderness,

a wasteland of howling desert.

He shielded them and cared for them,

guarding them as the apple of his eye.

As an eagle incites its nestlings forth

by hovering over its brood,

so he spread his wings to receive them

and bore them up on his pinions.

The Lord alone was their leader,

no strange god was with him.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 8

The greatness of God, the dignity of humanity

How wonderful is your name, O Lord, in all creation.

How great is your name, O Lord our God,

through all the earth!

Your majesty is praised above the heavens;

on the lips of children and of babes

you have found praise to foil your enemy,

to silence the foe and the rebel.

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,

the moon and the stars which you arranged,

what is man that you should keep him in mind,

mortal man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god;

with glory and honor you crowned him,

gave him power over the works of your hand,

put all things under his feet.

All of them, sheep and cattle,

yes, even the savage beasts,

birds of the air, and fish

that make their way through the waters.

How great is your name, O Lord our God

through all the earth!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Readings from the day:  www.usccb.org

Canticle of Zechariah

Blessed by God who shows mercy

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions.

We praise Christ, asking to serve him and to be holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. We acclaim him:

You desired to experience everything we experience but sin,

have mercy on us, Lord Jesus.

You called us to love perfectly,

make us holy, Lord Jesus.

You commissioned us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world,

let your light shine on us, Lord Jesus.

You desired to serve, not to be served:

help us, Lord Jesus, to give humble service to you and to our neighbors.

You are in the form of God sharing in the splendor of the Father,

Lord Jesus, let us see the glory of your face.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God,

source and origin of our salvation,

make our lives here on earth proclaim your glory

to prepare for praising you without ceasing in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Evening Prayer, Sunday, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 110

The Messiah, King and Priest

God raised up Christ from the dead and gave him a place at his right hand in heaven, alleluia.

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:

‘Sit on my right:

your foes I will put beneath your feet.’

The Lord will wield from Sion

your scepter of power:

rule in the midst of all your foes.

A prince from the day of your birth

on the holy mountains;

from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.

‘You are a priest forever,

a priest like Melchizedek of old.’

The Master standing at your right hand

will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside

and therefore he shall lift up his head.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 115

Praise of the true God

You have been turned from faith in idols to the living God, alleluia.

 

Not to us, Lord, not to us,

but to your name give the glory

for the sake of your love and your truth,

lest the heathen say: ‘Where is their God?’

But our God is in the heavens;

he does whatever he wills.

Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

They have mouths but they cannot speak;

they have eyes but they cannot see;

they have ears but they cannot hear;

they have nostrils but they cannot smell.

With their hands they cannot feel;

with their feet they cannot walk.

(No sound comes from their throats.)

Their makers will come to be like them

and so will all who trust in them.

Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord;

he is their help and their shield.

Sons of Aaron, trust in the Lord;

he is their help and their shield.

You who fear him, trust in the Lord;

he is their help and their shield.

He remembers us, and he will bless us;

he will bless the sons of Israel.

(He will bless the sons of Aaron.)

The Lord will bless those who fear him,

the little no less than the great:

to you may the Lord grant increase,

to you and all your children.

May you be blessed by the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth.

The heavens belong to the Lord

but the earth he has given to men.

The dead shall not praise the Lord,

nor those who go down into the silence.

But we who live bless the Lord

now and forever. Amen.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle Ephesians 1

God our Savior

Praise God, all who serve him, great and small.

Praised be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has bestowed on us in Christ

every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him

before the world began

to be holy

and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us

to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,

such was his will and pleasure,

that all might praise the glorious favor

he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,

and our sins forgiven,

so immeasurably generous

is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom

to understand fully the mystery,

the plan he was pleased

to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out

in Christ, in the fullness of time,

to bring all things into one in him,

in the heavens and on earth.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Reading.  Hebrews 10, 12-14

Christ has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying.

Responsory

The Lord has truly risen, .

– The Lord has truly risen,

He has appeared to Simon.

– The Lord has truly risen,

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

God the Father raised Christ from the dead and exalted him at his right hand. Let us pray to the Father, saying:

Merciful Father, you lifted Jesus above the earth through the triumph of the cross,

may all things be lifted up in him.

Through your Son in glory send the Holy Spirit upon the Church,

that it may be the sacrament of unity for the whole human race.

You have brought a new family into being through water and the Holy Spirit,

keep them faithful to their baptism and bring them to everlasting life.

Through your exalted Son help those in distress, free those in captivity, heal the sick,

and by your blessings give joy to the world.

You nourished our deceased brothers and sisters with the body and blood of the risen Christ,

raise them up at the last day.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God,

since your grace has made us children of light,

let no false teaching darken our minds,

but grant that your light may shine within us

and we may always live in the light of your truth.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Monday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 45

The wedding of the King

Yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace.

My heart overflows with noble words.

To the king I must speak the song I have made,

my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the children of men

and graciousness is poured upon your lips:

because God has blessed you for evermore.

O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh;

in splendor and state, ride on in triumph

for the cause of truth and goodness and right.

Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand.

Your arrows are sharp, peoples fall beneath you.

The foes of the king fall down and lose heart.

Your throne, O God, shall endure forever.

A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.

Your love is for justice; your hatred for evil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness above other kings:

your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.

From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.

The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.

On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 45

The King's bride

The Bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him.

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:

forget your own people and your father’s house.

So will the king desire your beauty:

He is your lord, pay homage to him.

And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts,

the richest of the people shall seek your favor.

The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor,

her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.

She is led to the king with her maiden companions.

They are escorted amid gladness and joy;

they pass within the palace of the king.

Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers:

you will make them princes over all the earth.

May this song make your name for ever remembered.

May the peoples praise you from age to age.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle Ephesians 1

God our Savior

God planned in the fullness of time to restore all things in Christ.

Praised be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has bestowed on us in Christ

every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him

before the world began

to be holy

and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us

to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,

such was his will and pleasure,

that all might praise the glorious favor

he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,

and our sins forgiven,

so immeasurably generous

is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom

to understand fully the mystery,

the plan he was pleased

to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out

in Christ, in the fullness of time,

to bring all things into one in him,

in the heavens and on earth.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Reading 1 Thessalonians 2,13

We constantly thank God for you because as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

 Responsory

Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.

– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.

Let it rise in your presence like incense.

– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.

 

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Let my soul proclaim your greatness forever, O my God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

We praise Christ, who loves, nourishes and supports his Church. With faith we cry out to him:

Lord Jesus, grant that all be saved,

and come to knowledge of truth.

Preserve our holy father, Pope N., and N., our Bishop:

come with your power to help them.

 

Remember those who long for honest work,

so that they may lead a life of peaceful security.

Lord, be the refuge of the poor,

their help in distress.

We commend to your care all bishops, priests and deacons who have died:

may they sing your praises forever around your heavenly throne.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

All-powerful God,

since you have given us, your unworthy servants,

the strength to work throughout this day,

accept this evening sacrifice of praise

as we thank you for your gifts.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Tuesday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 49

The uselessness of riches

You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Hear this, all you peoples,

give heed, all who dwell in the world,

men both low and high,

rich and poor alike!

My lips will speak words of wisdom.

My heart is full of insight.

I will turn my mind to a parable,

with the harp I will solve my problem.

Why should I fear in evil days

the malice of the foes who surround me,

men who trust in their wealth,

and boast of the vastness of their riches?

For no one can buy his own ransom,

or pay a price to God for his life.

The ransom of his soul is beyond him.

He cannot buy life without end,

nor avoid coming to the grave.

He knows that wise and fools must both perish

and leave their wealth to others.

Their graves are their homes for ever,

their dwelling place from age to age,

though their names spread wide through the land.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom;

he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 49

Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, says the Lord.

This is the lot of those who trust in themselves,

who have others at their beck and call.

Like sheep they are driven to the grave,

where death shall be their shepherd

and the just shall become their rulers.

With the morning their outward show vanishes

and the grave becomes their home.

But God will ransom me from death

and take my soul to himself.

Then do not fear when a man grows rich,

when the glory of his house increases.

He takes nothing with him when he dies,

his glory does not follow him below.

Though he flattered himself while he lived:

‘Men will praise me for all my success,’

yet he will go to join his fathers,

who will never see the light any more.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom;

he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle Revelation 4,5

Redemption hymn

Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

O Lord our God, you are worthy

to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;

by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord

to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;

with your blood you purchased for God

men of every race and tongue,

of every people and nation.

You made them a kingdom,

and priests to serve our God,

and they shall reign on earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

to receive power and riches,

wisdom and strength,

honor and glory and praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 Reading:  Romans 3, 23-25

All have sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and all are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith.

Responsory

You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.

– You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.

I will find happiness at your right hand for ever.

– You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

 

Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and Holy is your name.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

We praise Christ, the shepherd and guardian of our souls, who loves and protects his people. Placing our hope in him, we cry out:

Eternal shepherd, protect our bishop N.,

and all the shepherds of your Church.

Look kindly on those who suffer persecution:

hasten to free them from all adversity.

Have mercy on the needy, Lord;

provide food for the hungry.

 

Enlighten all legislators

to enact laws in the spirit of wisdom and justice.

Come to the aid of our departed brothers and sisters, whom you have redeemed with your blood:

make them worthy to enter your wedding feast.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Yours is the day and yours is the night, Lord God:

let the Sun of Justice shine so steadily in our hearts

that we may come at length

to that light where you dwell eternally.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Wednesday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 62

Peace in God

Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.

In God alone is my soul at rest;

my help comes from him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

How long will you all attack one man

to break him down,

as though he were a tottering wall,

or a tumbling fence?

Their plan is only to destroy:

they take pleasure in lies.

With their mouth they utter blessing

but in their heart they curse.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;

for my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

In God is my safety and glory,

the rock of my strength.

Take refuge in God, all you people.

Trust him at all times.

Pour out your hearts before him

for God is our refuge.

Common folk are only a breath,

great men an illusion.

Placed in the scales, they rise;

they weigh less than a breath.

Do not put your trust in oppression

nor vain hopes on plunder.

Do not set your heart on riches

even when they increase.

For God has said only one thing:

only two do I know:

that to God alone belongs power

and to you, Lord, love;

and that you repay each man

according to his deeds.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 67

All peoples, praise the Lord

May God turn his face toward us and fill us with his blessings.

O God, be gracious and bless us

and let your face shed its light upon us.

So will your ways be known upon earth

and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and exult

for you rule the world with justice.

With fairness you rule the peoples,

you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has yielded its fruit

for God, our God, has blessed us.

May God still give us his blessing

till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle. Colossians 1

Christ, firstborn of all creation, firstborn from the dead

Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.

Let us give thanks to the Father

for having made you worthy

to share the lot of the saints

in light.

He rescued us

from the power of darkness

and brought us

into the kingdom of his beloved Son.

Through him we have redemption,

the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the first-born of all creatures.

In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,

things visible and invisible.

All were created through him;

all were created for him.

He is before all else that is.

In him everything continues in being.

It is he who is head of the body, the church;

he who is the beginning,

the first-born of the dead,

so that primacy may be his in everything.

It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him

and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,

both on earth and in the heavens,

making peace through the blood of his cross.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Reading 1 Peter 5, 5-7

Wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favor the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you.

Responsory

Guard us, Lord, as the apple of your eye.

– Guard us, Lord, as the apple of your eye.

Hide us in the shadow of your wings.

– Guard us, Lord, as the apple of your eye.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Guard us, Lord, as the apple of your eye.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Show us the power of your arm, Lord: put down the proud and exalt the lowly

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions.

We rejoice in our God, who takes great delight in bestowing benefits on his people. We fervently pray:

Eternal God, for whom a thousand years are like the passing day,

help us remember that life is like a flower which blossoms in the morning but withers in the evening.

Give your people manna to satisfy their hunger,

and living water to quench their thirst for all eternity.

Let your faithful seek and taste the things that are above,

and let them direct their work and their leisure to your glory.

Grant us good weather, Lord,

that we may reap the copious fruits of the earth.

Show the faithful departed the vision of your face,

let them rejoice in your presence.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God,

whose name is holy

and whose mercy is proclaimed in every generation,

receive your people’s prayer,

and let them sing your greatness with never-ending praise.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Thursday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 72

The Messiah's royal power

I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.

O God, give your judgement to the king,

to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

and your poor in right judgement.

May the mountains bring forth peace for the people

and the hills, justice.

May he defend the poor of the people

and save the children of the needy

and crush the oppressor.

He shall endure like the sun and the moon

from age to age.

He shall descend like rain on the meadow,

like raindrops on the earth.

In his days justice shall flourish

and peace till the moon fails.

He shall rule from sea to sea,

from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

Before him his enemies shall fall,

his foes lick the dust.

The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts

shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba

shall bring him gifts.

Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,

all nations shall serve him.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 72

The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.

For he shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor.

From oppression he will rescue their lives,

to him their blood is dear.

Long may he live,

may the gold of Sheba be given him.

They shall pray for him without ceasing

and bless him all the day.

May corn be abundant in the land

to the peaks of the mountains.

May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;

may men flourish in the cities

like grass on the earth.

May his name be blessed for ever

and endure like the sun.

Every tribe shall be blessed in him,

all nations bless his name.

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,

who alone works wonders,

ever blessed his glorious name.

Let his glory fill the earth.

Amen! Amen!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle Revelations 11

The judgement of God

Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.

We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,

who is and who was.

You have assumed your great power,

you have begun your reign.

The nations have raged in anger,

but then came your day of wrath

and the moment to judge the dead:

the time to reward your servants the prophets

and the holy ones who revere you,

the great and the small alike.

Now have salvation and power come,

the reign of our God and the authority

of his Anointed One,

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,

who night and day accused them before God.

They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

love for life did not deter them from death.

So rejoice, you heavens,

and you that dwell therein!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Reading. 1 Peter, 22-23

You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers and sisters, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart – your new birth was not from any mortal seed but from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God.

Responsory

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.

– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

The Lord has satisfied and filled with good things those who hungered for justice.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

Lift up your hearts to our Lord and Savior, who gives his people every spiritual blessing. In the spirit of devotion, we ask him:

Merciful God, strengthen N., our Pope, and N., our bishop:

keep them from harm.

Look favorably on our country, Lord;

free us from all evil.

Call men and women to serve in your church,

and to follow you more closely in chastity, poverty and obedience.

May the dead rest in eternal peace;

may their union with us be strengthened through the sharing of spiritual goods.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

We ask for your mercy, Lord,

as we offer you this evening praise.

Keep our hearts always engaged in meditating on your law,

and grant us the light and reward of eternal life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Friday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 116

Thanksgiving

Lord, keep my soul from death, never let me stumble.

I love the Lord for he has heard

the cry of my appeal;

for he turned his ear to me

in the day when I called him.

They surrounded me, the snares of death,

with the anguish of the tomb;

they caught me, sorrow and distress.

I called on the Lord’s name.

O Lord, my God, deliver me!

How gracious is the Lord, and just;

our God has compassion.

The Lord protects the simple hearts;

I was helpless so he saved me.

Turn back, my soul, to your rest

for the Lord has been good;

he has kept my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

and my feet from stumbling.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 

Psalm 121

The Lord guards his people

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains:

from where shall come my help?

My help shall come from the Lord

who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!

Let him sleep not, your guard.

No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,

Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;

at your right side he stands.

By day the sun shall not smite you

nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,

he will guard your soul.

The Lord will guard your going and coming

both now and forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle. Apocalypse 15

A hymn of adoration

King of all the ages, your ways are perfect and true.

Mighty and wonderful are your works,

Lord God Almighty!

Righteous and true are your ways,

O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor,

or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy,

all nations shall come

and worship in your presence.

Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

 Reading.  1 Corinthians 2, 7-10

The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. It is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him. These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

Responsory

Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.

– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.

In the body he was put to death; in the spirit he was raised to life.

– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Remember your mercy, O Lord; according to the promise you made to our fathers

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

Let us bless Christ, the compassionate and merciful Lord, who wipes away the tears of those who weep. Let us cry out to him in love and ask:

Lord Jesus, you console the humble:

be attentive to the tears of the poor.

Merciful God, hear the cries of the dying;

comfort them with your presence.

Make exiles aware of your providential care;

may they return to their home on earth and finally enter their home in heaven.

Be merciful to sinners who have fallen away from your love:

reconcile them to yourself and to your Church.

Save our brothers and sisters who have died;

let them share in the fullness of redemption.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Lord God,

the Cross reveals the mystery of your love:

a stumbling-block indeed for unbelief,

but the sign of your power and wisdom to us who believe.

Teach us so to remember your Son’s glorious Passion

that we may always believe and glory in his Cross.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Saturday Evening, Week 2

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 122

Jerusalem, the holy city

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

‘Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!’

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: ‘Peace upon you!’

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths

From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,

Lord, hear my voice!

O let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleading.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,

Lord, who would survive?

But with you is found forgiveness:

for this we revere you.

My soul is waiting for the Lord.

I count on his word.

My soul is longing for the Lord

more than watchman for daybreak.

Let the watchman count on daybreak

and Israel on the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy

and fullness of redemption,

Israel indeed he will redeem

from all its iniquity.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Canticle. Philippians 2

Christ, God's holy servant

Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

Though he was in the form of God,

Jesus did not deem equality with God

something to be grasped at.

Rather, he emptied himself

and took the form of a slave,

being born in the likeness of men.

He was known to be of human estate

and it was thus that he humbled himself,

obediently accepting even death,

death on a cross!

Because of this,

God highly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name

above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name

every knee must bend

in the heavens, on the earth,

and under the earth,

and every tongue proclaim

to the glory of God the Father:

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Reading: 2 Peter 1, 19-21

We have confirmation of what was said in prophecies; and you will be right to depend on prophecy and take it as a lamp for lighting a way through the dark until the dawn comes and the morning star rises in your minds. At the same time, we must be most careful to remember that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. Why? Because no prophecy ever came from man’s initiative. When men spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them.

Responsory

From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is the name of the Lord.

– From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is the name of the Lord.

High above the heavens is his glory.

– From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is the name of the Lord.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is the name of the Lord.

Canticle of Mary

My soul rejoices in the Lord

God fills the hungry with good things

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

for he has looked with favor 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

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Prayers and intercessions

 

Everyone who waits for the Lord finds joy. Now we pray to him:

Faithful witness, firstborn of the dead, you washed away our sins in your blood:

make us always remember your wonderful works.

You called us to be heralds of your good news:

make us strong and faithful messengers of your kingdom.

King of peace, send your Spirit on the leaders of the world:

turn their eyes towards the poor and suffering.

Protect and defend those discriminated against because of race, color, class, language or religion,

that they may have the rights and dignity that’s theirs.

May all who died in your love share in your happiness,

with Mary, our mother, and all your holy ones.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Be gracious, Lord, to us who serve you,

and in your kindness increase your gifts of grace within us:

so that, fervent in faith, hope and love,

we may be ever on the watch

and persevere in doing what you command.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.