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Arch Bishop Micheal Ralph Vendegna S.O.S.M.A.

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Thursday 26 December 2019

    Saint Stephen, the first Martyr - Feast


    Midday Prayer (Sext)


    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.


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    Hymn

    Lord God and Maker of all things,
    Creation is upheld by you.
    While all must change and know decay,
    You are unchanging, always new.

    You are man’s solace and his shield,
    His Rock secure on which to build.
    You are the spirit’s tranquil home,
    In you alone is hope fulfilled.

    To God the Father and the Son
    And Holy Spirit render praise:
    Blest Trinity, from age to age
    The strength of all our living days.

    Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

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    COMPLEMENTARY PSALMS

    Here are the complementary psalms. Your current settings have the psalms of the day at Mid-Morning Prayer (Terce).


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    Psalm 122 (123)
    The Lord guards his people


    “The two blind men cried out, ‘Lord, have pity on us, Son of David’” (Mt 20:30).

    Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

    To yóu have I lífted up my éyes, *
        you who dwéll in the héavens;
    my éyes, like the éyes of sláves *
        on the hánd of their lórds.

    Líke the éyes of a sérvant *
        on the hánd of her místress,
    so our éyes are on the Lórd our Gód *
        till he shów us his mércy.

    Have mércy on us, Lórd, have mércy. *
        We are fílled with contémpt.
    Indéed all too fúll is our sóul †
        with the scórn of the rích, *
        with the próud man’s disdáin.

    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.


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    Psalm 123 (124)
    Our help is in the name of the Lord


    “The Lord said to Paul, ‘Do not fear; for I am with you’” (Acts 18:9,10).

    ‘If the Lórd had not béen on our síde,’ *
        this is Ísrael’s sóng.
    ‘If the Lórd had not béen on our síde *
        when mén rose up agáinst us,
    thén would they have swállowed us alíve *
        when their ánger was kíndled.

    ‘Thén would the wáters have engúlfed us, *
        the tórrent gone óver us;
    óver our héad would have swépt *
        the ráging wáters.’

    Bléssed be the Lórd who did not gíve us *
        a préy to their téeth!
    Our lífe, like a bírd, has escáped *
        from the snáre of the fówler.

    Indéed the snáre has been bróken *
        and wé have escáped.
    Our hélp is in the náme of the Lórd, *
        who made héaven and éarth.

    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.


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    Psalm 124 (125)
    The Lord guards his people


    “Peace to the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16).

    Thóse who put their trúst in the Lórd †
        are like Mount Síon, that cánnot be sháken, *
        that stánds for éver.

    Jerúsalem! The móuntains surróund her, †
        so the Lórd surróunds his péople *
        both nów and for éver.

    For the scéptre of the wícked shall not rést *
        over the lánd of the júst
    for féar that the hánds of the júst *
        should túrn to évil.

    Do góod, Lord, to thóse who are góod, *
        to the úpright of héart;
    but the cróoked and thóse who do évil, *
        dríve them awáy!
    On Ísrael, 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.

    Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.


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    Short Reading
    James 1:12

    Happy the man who stands firm when trials come. He has proved himself, and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him.


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    ℣. I have placed my trust in the Lord.
    ℟. I will not fear what man can do.


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    Let us pray.

    Give us grace, Lord, to practise what we worship.
    Teach us to love our enemies
        as we keep the feast of Saint Stephen,
        who prayed even for the men who stoned him to death.
    Through Christ our Lord.
    Amen.


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    Let us praise the Lord.
    – Thanks be to God.


    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.