Saturday 23 November 2019
Saturday of week 33 in Ordinary Time
or Saint Clement I, Pope, Martyr
or Saint Columbanus, Abbot and Missionary
or Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, Martyr
or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Office of Readings
(combined with Lauds)
This is the Office of Readings joined to another Hour, as described in §99 of the General Instruction. To see the Office of Readings on its own, use the menu button on the right.
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
________
Hymn
It were my soul’s desire
To see the face of God;
It were my soul’s desire
To rest in his abode.
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
Deep waves of cleansing sighs,
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
From earthly cares to rise.
It were my soul’s desire
To imitate my King,
It were my soul’s desire
His endless praise to sing.
It were my soul’s desire,
When heaven’s gate is won,
To find my soul’s desire,
Clear shining like the sun.
This still my soul’s desire,
Whatever life afford,
To gain my soul’s desire
And see thy face, O Lord.
________
Psalm 130 (131)
Childlike trust in God
“Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29).
Whoever humbles himself like a little child will be greater in the kingdom of heaven.
O Lórd, my héart is not próud *
nor háughty my éyes.
I have not góne after thíngs too gréat *
nor márvels beyónd me.
Trúly I have sét my sóul *
in sílence and péace.
A weaned chíld on its móther’s bréast, *
even só is my sóul.
O Ísrael, hópe in the Lórd *
both nów and for éver.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Whoever humbles himself like a little child will be greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, you declared that whoever receives a little child in your name receives you, and you promised your kingdom to those who are like children. Never let pride reign in our hearts, but may the Father’s compassion reward and embrace all who willingly bear your gentle yoke.
________
Psalm 131 (132)
God's promise to the house of David
“The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father” (Lk 1:32).
With an honest heart I have offered up all things joyfully, O my God.
O Lórd, remémber Dávid *
and áll the many hárdships he endúred,
the óath he swóre to the Lórd, *
his vów to the Stróng One of Jácob.
‘I will not énter the hóuse where I líve *
nor gó to the béd where I rést.
I will gíve no sléep to my éyes, *
to my éyelids I will gíve no slúmber
till I fínd a pláce for the Lórd, *
a dwélling for the Stróng One of Jácob.’
At Éphrata we héard of the árk; *
we fóund it in the pláins of Yéarim.
‘Let us gó to the pláce of his dwélling; *
let us gó to knéel at his fóotstool.’
Go up, Lórd, to the pláce of your rést, *
yóu and the árk of your stréngth.
Your príests shall be clóthed with hóliness; *
your fáithful shall ríng out their jóy.
For the sáke of Dávid your sérvant *
dó not rejéct your anóinted.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
With an honest heart I have offered up all things joyfully, O my God.
________
Psalm 131 (132)
The Lord swore an oath to David and he will not go back on his word; he made his kingdom firm for ever.
The Lórd swore an óath to Dávid; *
he wíll not go báck on his wórd:
‘A són, the frúit of your bódy, *
will I sét upón your thróne.
‘If they kéep my cóvenant in trúth *
and my láws that Í have táught them,
their sóns álso shall rúle *
on your thróne from áge to áge.’
For the Lórd has chósen Síon; *
he has desíred it fór his dwélling:
‘Thís is my résting-place for éver; *
hére have I chósen to líve.
‘I will gréatly bléss her próduce, *
I will fíll her póor with bréad.
I will clóthe her príests with salvátion *
and her fáithful shall ríng out their jóy.
‘Thére David’s stóck will flówer; *
I will prepáre a lámp for my anóinted.
I will cóver his énemies with sháme *
but on hím my crówn shall shíne.’
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord swore an oath to David and he will not go back on his word; he made his kingdom firm for ever.
Psalm-prayer
You are our King, Lord God. Help us to find a place for you in our hearts. Clothe your priests with saving power, fill the needy with bread, and let your holiness shine on us all.
Or:
You have chosen the new Zion as your dwelling place, Lord God, the Church as your place of rest. You have kindled in her a lamp that will burn brightly for ever before Christ your Anointed One. Make our hearts your tabernacle, clothe your priests with justice, your faithful with holiness and give bread to the poor. May all rejoice with you in heaven.
________
℣. Come, consider the works of the Lord.
℟. He has done wonderful deeds on the earth.
________
First Reading
Zechariah 14:1-21
The tribulation of Jerusalem and her glory on the Last Day
See, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoils taken from you will be divided among you. The Lord will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for battle. The city will be taken, the houses plundered, the women ravished. Half the city will go into captivity, but the remnant of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will take the field; he will fight against these nations as he fights in the day of battle. On that day, his feet will rest on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem from the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge gorge; half the Mount will recede northwards, the other half southwards. And the Vale of Hinnom will be filled up from Goah to Jasol; it will be blocked as it was by the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. The Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
When that day comes, there will be no more cold, no more frost. It will be a day of wonder – the Lord knows it – with no alternation of day and night; in the evening it will be light. When that day comes, running waters will issue from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea, half of them to the western sea; they will flow summer and winter. And the Lord will be king of the whole world. When that day comes, the Lord will be unique and his name unique. The entire country will be transformed into plain, from Geba to Rimmon in the Negeb. And Jerusalem will be raised higher, though still in the same place; from the Gate of Benjamin to the site of the First Gate, that is to say to the Gate of the Corner and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepress, people will make their homes. The ban will be lifted; Jerusalem will be safe to live in.
And this is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations who have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh will moulder while they are still standing on their feet; their eyes will rot in their sockets; their tongues will rot in their mouths. And such will be the plague on the horses and mules, camels and donkeys, and all the animals to be found in that camp. When that day comes, a great terror will fall on them from the Lord; each man will grab his neighbour’s hand and they will hit out at each other. Even Judah will fight against Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be heaped together: gold, silver, clothing, in vast quantity.
All who survive of all the nations that have marched against Jerusalem will go up year by year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles. Should one of the races of the world fail to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, there will be no rain for that one. Should the race of Egypt fail to go up and pay its visit, on it will fall the plague which the Lord will inflict on each one of those nations that fail to go up to keep the feast of Tabernacles. Such shall be the punishment for Egypt and for all the nations that fail to go up to keep the feast of Tabernacles. When that day comes, the horse bells will be inscribed with the words, ‘Sacred to the Lord’, and in the Temple of the Lord the very cooking pots will be as fine as the sprinkling bowls at the altar. And every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall become sacred to the Lord of Hosts; all who want to offer sacrifice will come and help themselves from them for their cooking; there will be no more traders in the Temple of the Lord of Hosts, when that day comes.
Responsory
Zc 14:8a,13:1;Jn19:34
℟. When that day comes, water shall flow out from Jerusalem and a fountain shall spring up for the house of David,* to wash away all sin.
℣. One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a lance, and immediately blood and water flowed out,* to wash away all sin.
________
Second Reading
A conference of St Thomas Aquinas
When your glory is seen, I shall be satisfied
It is fitting that the end of all our desires, namely eternal life coincides with the words at the end of the creed, “Life everlasting. Amen.”
The first point about eternal life is that man is united with God. For God himself is the reward and end of all our labours: I am your protector and your supreme reward. This union consists in seeing perfectly: At present we see through a glass, darkly; but then we shall see face to face.
Next it consists in perfect praise, according to the words of the prophet: Joy and happiness will be found in it, thanksgiving and words of praise.
It also consists in the complete satisfaction of desire, for there the blessed will be given more than they wanted or hoped for. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfil his longing, nor can any creature satisfy man’s desire. Only God satisfies, he infinitely exceeds all other pleasures. That is why man can rest in nothing but God. As Augustine says: You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our heart can find no rest until it rests in you.
Since in their heavenly home the saints will possess God completely, obviously their longing will be satisfied, and their glory will be even greater. That is why the Lord says: Enter into the joy of your Lord. Augustine adds: The fullness of joy will not enter into those who rejoice, but those who rejoice will enter into joy. I shall be satisfied when your glory is seen, and again: He who satisfies your desire with good things.
Whatever is delightful is there in superabundance. If delights are sought, there is supreme and most perfect delight. It is said of God, the supreme good: Boundless delights are in your right hand.
Again, eternal life consists of the joyous community of all the blessed, a community of supreme delight, since everyone will share all that is good with all the blessed. Everyone will love everyone else as himself, and therefore will rejoice in another’s good as in his own. So it follows that the happiness and joy of each grows in proportion to the joy of all.
Responsory
℟. In my justice I shall see your face, O Lord.* When I awake, I shall be filled with a vision of glory.
℣. Now I have only glimpses of knowledge; when the time of fulfilment comes, I shall know God as he has known me.* When I awake, I shall be filled with a vision of glory.
________
Psalm 118 (119): 145-152
Meditating the word of the Lord in the Law
“When anyone obeys what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him” (1 John 2:5)
My eyes watch for you before dawn.
I cáll with all my héart; Lord, héar me, *
I will kéep your commánds.
I cáll upón you, sáve me *
and Í will do your wíll.
I ríse before dáwn and cry for hélp, *
I hópe in your wórd.
My éyes wátch through the níght *
to pónder your prómise.
In your lóve hear my vóice, O Lórd; *
give me lífe by your decrées.
Those who hárm me unjústly draw néar; *
they are fár from your láw.
But yóu, O Lórd, are clóse, *
your commánds are trúth.
Lóng have I knówn that your wíll *
is estáblished for éver.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
My eyes watch for you before dawn.
Psalm-prayer
Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts.
________
Canticle
Exodus 15
Hymn of victory after crossing the Red Sea
“Those who overcame the beast sang the hymn of Moses, the Servant of God” (cf. Rev 15:2-3).
The Lord is my strength, I will sing his praise: he is my salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, glorious his triumph! *
Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation. †
This is my God and I extol him, *
my father’s God and I give him praise.
The Lord is a warrior! *
‘The Lord’ is his name.
The chariots of Pharaoh he hurled into the sea.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled high; *
the moving waters stood up like a dam.
The deeps turned solid in the midst of the sea.
The enemy said: ‘I will pursue and overtake them, †
I will divide the plunder, I shall have my will. *
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with your breath, the sea closed over them. *
They went down like lead into the mighty waters.
Who is like you among the gods, O Lord, †
who is like you, so glorious in holiness, *
spreading fear through your deeds, you who do marvels?
You stretched forth your hand, *
the earth engulfed them;
your love has guided the people you redeemed, *
your power has led them to your holy dwelling-place.
You will lead them and plant them on your mountain, †
the place, O Lord, where you have made your home, *
the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have made.
The Lord will reign *
for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord is my strength, I will sing his praise: he is my salvation.
________
Psalm 116 (117)
Praise of the merciful Lord
“I ask the nations to give praise to God for his mercy” (Rom 15:8,9).
O praise the Lord, all you nations. †
O práise the Lórd, all you nátions, *
accláim him all you péoples!
Stróng is his lóve for ús; *
he is fáithful for éver.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
O praise the Lord, all you nations.
Psalm-prayer
God our Father, may all nations and peoples praise you. May Jesus, who is called faithful and true and who lives with you eternally, possess our hearts for ever.
Or:
Lord God, everything you have promised has been done to show your faithfulness; and you have revealed your kindness to all peoples. Gather all nations into your Church that in all the various tongues of this world one hymn of praise may be offered you.
________
Short Reading
2 Peter 1:10-11
Brothers, you have been called and chosen: work all the harder to justify it. If you do all these things there is no danger that you will ever fall away. In this way you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
________
Short Responsory
I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
You are all I have in the land of the living.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Bléssed be the Lórd, the Gód of Ísrael! *
He has vísited his péople and redéemed them.
He has raised úp for ús a mighty sáviour *
in the hóuse of Dávid his sérvant,
as he prómised by the líps of holy mén, *
thóse who were his próphets from of óld.
A sáviour who would frée us from our fóes, *
from the hánds of áll who háte us.
So his lóve for our fáthers is fulfílled *
and his hóly covenant remémbered.
He swóre to Ábraham our fáther to gránt us, *
that frée from féar, and sáved from the hánds of our fóes,
we might sérve him in hóliness and jústice *
all the dáys of our lífe in his présence.
As for yóu, little chíld, *
you shall be cálled a próphet of Gód, the Most Hígh.
You shall go ahéad of the Lórd *
to prépare his wáys befóre him,
To make knówn to his péople their salvátion *
through forgíveness of áll their síns,
the loving-kíndness of the héart of our Gód *
who vísits us like the dáwn from on hígh.
He will give líght to those in dárkness, †
those who dwéll in the shádow of déath, *
and gúide us into the wáy of péace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Christ became man to make us sons of God and he intercedes for us before God our Father. Let us thank him for his loving mercy, and pray:
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
You have enlightened us in baptism:
we consecrate our day to you.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Fill us with praise of you today:
may we take your word with us wherever we may go.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Teach us to respond to your word like Mary our Mother:
may your word be fruitful in us.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Give us courage when things go wrong:
strengthen us with faith in you, with hope in your promises and with love of your will.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
________
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.
________
Let the splendour of the Resurrection
light up our hearts and minds, Lord,
scattering the shadow of death
and bringing us to the radiance of eternity.
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.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.