Friday 3 January 2020
3 January
or The Most Holy Name of Jesus
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
From lands that see the sun arise,
To earth’s remotest boundaries,
The Virgin-born today we sing,
The Son of Mary, Christ the King.
Blest Author of this earthly frame,
To take a servant’s form he came,
That, liberating flesh by flesh,
Whom he had made might live afresh.
In that chaste parent’s holy womb,
Celestial grace hath found its home:
And she, as earthly bride unknown,
Yet calls that Offspring blest her own.
That Son, that royal Son she bore,
Whom Gabriel’s voice had told before;
Whom, in his Mother yet concealed,
The Infant Baptist had revealed.
All honour, laud and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
________
Psalm 34 (35)
The Lord, a saviour in time of persecution
“They united in making plans to arrest Jesus by treachery and have him put to death” (Mt 26:3,4).
O Lord, arise to help me.
O Lórd, plead my cáuse against my fóes; *
fight thóse who fight mé.
Táke up your búckler and shíeld; *
aríse to hélp me.
O Lórd, sáy to my sóul: *
‘Í am your salvátion.’
But my sóul shall be jóyful in the Lórd *
and rejóice in his salvátion.
My whóle béing will sáy: *
‘Lórd, whó is like yóu
who réscue the wéak from the stróng *
and the póor from the oppréssor?’
Lýing wítnesses aríse *
and accúse me unjústly.
They repáy me évil for góod; *
my sóul is forlórn.
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 Lord, arise to help me.
________
Psalm 34 (35)
Lord, plead my cause; defend me with your strength.
When they were síck I wént into móurning, *
afflícted with fásting.
My práyer was éver on my líps, *
as for a bróther, a fríend.
I wént as though móurning a móther, *
bówed down with gríef.
Now that Í am in tróuble they gáther, *
they gáther and móck me.
They táke me by surpríse and stríke me *
and téar me to píeces.
They provóke me with móckery on móckery *
and gnásh their téeth.
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.
Lord, plead my cause; defend me with your strength.
________
Psalm 34 (35)
My tongue shall speak of your justice, all day long.
O Lórd, how lóng will you look ón? *
Cóme to my réscue!
Save my lífe from these ráging béasts, *
my sóul from these líons.
I will thánk you in the gréat assémbly, *
amid the thróng I will práise you.
Do not lét my lýing fóes *
rejóice over mé.
Do not lét those who háte me unjústly *
wink éyes at each óther.
O Lórd, you have séen, do not be sílent, *
do not stánd afar óff!
Awáke, stír to my defénce, *
to my cáuse, O Gód!
Let there be jóy for thóse who love my cáuse. *
Let them sáy without énd:
‘Gréat is the Lórd who delíghts *
in the péace of his sérvant.’
Then my tóngue shall spéak of your jústice, *
all day lóng of your práise.
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 tongue shall speak of your justice, all day long.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, you rescue the poor from their oppressors, and you rose to the aid of your beloved Son against those who unjustly sought his life. Look on your Church as we journey to you, that the poor and weak may recognize the help you provide and proclaim your saving acts.
________
℣. The Son of God has come, and has given us understanding.
℟. So that we know the true God.
________
First Reading
Colossians 3:5-16
The new life of man
You must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; all this is the sort of behaviour that makes God angry. And it is the way in which you used to live when you were surrounded by people doing the same thing, but now you, of all people, must give all these things up: getting angry, being bad-tempered, spitefulness, abusive language and dirty talk; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator; and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised or the uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free man. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God.
Responsory
Gal 3:27-28
℟. Baptized into union with Christ, we have taken upon ourselves the qualities of Christ himself:* we are all one in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
℣. There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, between men and women:* we are all one in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
________
Second Reading
From a treatise on John by St Augustine
The twin commandments of love
The Lord himself came, the Teacher of love, full of love, shortening the word upon the earth, as it was foretold that he would do. He showed that from the two precepts of love depend the whole of the Law and the prophets.
What are these two commandments? Join me, my brethren, in recollecting them. They ought to be thoroughly familiar to you and not just come into your mind when we recite them: they ought never to be blotted out from your hearts. Always and everywhere, bear in mind that you must love God and your neighbour, love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as you would love yourself.
We must always ponder these words, meditate them, hold them in our minds, practise them and bring them to fruition. As far as teaching is concerned, the love of God comes first; but as far as doing is concerned, the love of our neighbour comes first. Whoever sets out to teach you these two commandments of love must not commend your neighbour to you first, and then God, but God first and then your neighbour. You, on the other hand, do not yet see God, but loving your neighbour will bring you that sight. By loving your neighbour you purify your eyes so that they are ready to see God, as John clearly says: If you do not love your brother, whom you see, how can you love God, whom you do not see?
You are told “Love God”. If you say to me “Show me whom I should love”, what can I say except what John says? No man has ever seen God. But you must not think yourself wholly unsuited to seeing God: God is love, says John, and whoever dwells in love dwells in God. So love whoever is nearest to you and look inside you to see where that love is coming from: thus, as far as you are capable, you will see God.
So start to love your neighbour. Share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless pauper into your house. Clothe the naked, and do not despise the servants of your kin.
What will you get from doing all this? Your light will break forth like the dawn. Your light is your God, your dawn, because he will come to you to end the night of this world — he who, himself, neither rises nor sets but is eternal.
By loving your neighbour, by having care for your neighbour, you are travelling on a journey. Where are you journeying, except to the Lord God, whom we must love with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind? We have not yet reached the Lord, but our neighbour is with us already. So support your neighbour, who is travelling with you, so that you may reach him with whom you long to dwell.
Responsory
℟. God first loved us and sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.* Since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.
℣. We have known God’s love for us, and have put our faith in him.* Since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.
________
Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me
“You must be made new in mind and spirit, and put on the new nature of God’s creating” (Eph 4:23,24).
Lord, you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice offered on your altar.
Have mércy on me, Gód, in your kíndness. *
In your compássion blot óut my offénce.
O wásh me more and móre from my gúilt *
and cléanse me fróm my sín.
My offénces trúly I knów them; *
my sín is álways befóre me.
Against yóu, you alóne, have I sínned; *
what is évil in your síght I have dóne.
That you may be jústified whén you give séntence *
and be withóut repróach when you júdge,
O sée, in gúilt I was bórn, *
a sínner was Í concéived.
Indéed you love trúth in the héart; *
then in the sécret of my héart teach me wísdom.
O púrify me, thén I shall be cléan; *
O wásh me, I shall be whíter than snów.
Make me héar rejóicing and gládness, *
that the bónes you have crúshed may revíve.
From my síns turn awáy your fáce *
and blót out áll my gúilt.
A púre heart creáte for me, O Gód, *
put a stéadfast spírit withín me.
Do not cást me awáy from your présence, *
nor depríve me of your hóly spírit.
Give me agáin the jóy of your hélp; *
with a spírit of férvour sustáin me,
that I may téach transgréssors your wáys *
and sínners may retúrn to yóu.
O réscue me, Gód, my hélper, *
and my tóngue shall ríng out your góodness.
O Lórd, ópen my líps *
and my móuth shall decláre your práise.
For in sácrifice you táke no delíght, *
burnt óffering from mé you would refúse,
my sácrifice, a cóntrite spírit. *
A húmbled, contrite héart you will not spúrn.
In your góodness, show fávour to Síon: *
rebúild the wálls of Jerúsalem.
Thén you will be pléased with lawful sácrifice, *
hólocausts óffered on your áltar.
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.
Lord, you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice offered on your altar.
Psalm-prayer
Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.
________
Canticle
Isaiah 45
All peoples, turn to the Lord
“Every knee must bow at the name of Jesus” (Phil 2:10).
All the descendants of Israel shall glory in victory through the Lord.
Truly, God of Israel, the Saviour, *
you are a God who lies hidden.
They will be put to shame and disgraced, *
all who resist you.
They will take themselves off in dismay, *
the makers of idols.
But Israel is saved by the Lord, *
saved for evermore.
You will never be ashamed or disgraced *
through endless ages.
For this is the word of the Lord, *
the creator of heaven,
the God who made earth and shaped it, *
he who made it firm.
He did not create it in vain, *
he made it to be lived in.
‘I am the Lord, there is no other. *
I have not spoken in secret, in some dark place,
I have not said to Jacob’s sons *
“Search for me in vain.”
I am the Lord, I speak the truth, *
I proclaim what is right.
Assemble, all of you, draw near *
you who have escaped from the nations.
They know nothing, who carry around *
their idols made of wood
and keep on praying to a god *
that cannot save them.
State your case and bring your proofs, *
consult among yourselves.
Who proclaimed this beforehand, *
who foretold it long ago?
Was it not I, the Lord? *
There is no god but me,
a God of justice, a saviour. *
There is none but me.
Turn to me and be saved, *
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, there is no other; *
by myself I swear it.
It is truth that goes forth from my mouth, *
a word beyond recall.
To me every knee shall bow, *
every tongue shall swear.
They will say: “In the Lord alone *
are victory and power.
And to him will come in dismay *
all who have resisted.
Through the Lord will come victory and glory *
for all Israel’s sons.”’
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.
All the descendants of Israel shall glory in victory through the Lord.
________
Psalm 99 (100)
Enter the Temple with joy
“The Lord calls all those he has redeemed to sing a hymn of victory” (St Athanasius).
Come before the Lord, singing for joy.
Cry out with jóy to the Lórd, all the éarth. †
Sérve the Lórd with gládness. *
Come befóre him, sínging for jóy.
Know that hé, the Lórd, is Gód. †
He máde us, we belóng to hím, *
we are his péople, the shéep of his flóck.
Gó within his gátes, giving thánks. †
Enter his cóurts with sóngs of práise. *
Give thánks to him and bléss his náme.
Indéed, how góod is the Lórd, †
etérnal his mérciful lóve. *
He is fáithful from áge to áge.
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.
Come before the Lord, singing for joy.
Psalm-prayer
With joy and gladness we cry out to you, Lord, and ask you: open our hearts to sing your praises and announce your goodness and truth.
Or:
God, devoted to us as a Father, you created us as a sign of your power and elected us your people to show your goodness. Accept the thanks your children offer that all men may enter your courts praising you in song.
________
Short Reading
Isaiah 62:11-12
Say to the daughter of Zion: Look, your saviour comes, the prize of his victory with him, his trophies before him. They shall be called ‘The Holy People’, ‘The Lord’s Redeemed.’
________
Short Responsory
The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
He has revealed his saving power.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
The Word was made flesh, and he lived among us, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace, alleluia.
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.
The Word was made flesh, and he lived among us, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace, alleluia.
________
Prayers and intercessions
In joy let us pray to our Redeemer, the Son of God, who became man to renew our human nature.
– Immanuel, be with us now.
Jesus, Splendour of the Father, Son of the Virgin Mary,
brighten this day by your presence among us.
– Immanuel, be with us now.
Jesus, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
put us on the path to holiness, be our guide.
– Immanuel, be with us now.
Jesus, all-powerful, obedient and humble,
inspire all men to pour out their lives in the service of others.
– Immanuel, be with us now.
Jesus, father of the poor, our way and our life,
grant to your Church the spirit of detachment from earthly things.
– Immanuel, be with us now.
________
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,
your Son’s manhood, born of the Virgin,
was a new creation, untainted by our sinful condition.
Renew us, then, in Christ
and cleanse us from all trace of sin.
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.