Saturday 4 January 2020
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
on 4 January
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
All hail the power of Jesus’ name;
Let Angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
To crown him Lord of all.
Crown him, ye Martyrs of your God,
Who from his altar call;
Praise him whose way of pain ye trod,
And crown him Lord of all.
Hail him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call;
The God Incarnate, Man Divine,
And crown him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue
To him their hearts enthral,
Lift high the universal song,
And crown him Lord of all.
________
Psalm 104 (105)
The Lord is faithful to his promises
“The Apostles tell the peoples of the wonderful deeds God wrought in his coming to us” (St Athanasius).
Sing to the Lord; tell all his wonderful works.
Give thánks to the Lórd, tell his náme, *
make knówn his déeds among the péoples.
O síng to him, síng his práise; *
téll all his wónderful wórks!
Be próud of his hóly náme, *
let the héarts that seek the Lórd rejóice.
Consíder the Lórd and his stréngth; *
cónstantly séek his fáce.
Remémber the wónders he has dóne, *
his míracles, the júdgements he spóke.
O chíldren of Ábraham, his sérvant, *
O sóns of the Jácob he chóse.
Hé, the Lórd, is our Gód: *
his júdgements preváil in all the éarth.
He remémbers his cóvenant for éver, *
his prómise for a thóusand generátions,
the cóvenant he máde with Ábraham, *
the óath he swóre to Ísaac.
He confírmed it for Jácob as a láw, *
for Ísrael as a cóvenant for éver.
He sáid: ‘I am gíving you a lánd, *
Cánaan, your appóinted héritage.’
Whén they were féw in númber, *
a hándful of strángers in the lánd,
when they wándered from cóuntry to cóuntry, *
from one kíngdom and nátion to anóther,
he allówed nó one to oppréss them; *
he admónished kíngs on their accóunt:
‘Do not tóuch thóse I have anóinted; *
do no hárm to ány of my próphets.’
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.
Sing to the Lord; tell all his wonderful works.
________
Psalm 104 (105)
The Lord did not forget the just man who was sold as a slave: he released him from the power of sinful men.
But he cálled down a fámine on the lánd; *
he bróke the stáff that suppórted them.
He had sént a mán befóre them, *
Jóseph, sóld as a sláve.
His féet were pút in cháins, *
his néck was bóund with íron,
untíl what he sáid came to páss *
and the wórd of the Lórd proved him trúe.
Then the kíng sént and reléased him *
the rúler of the péople set him frée,
máking him máster of his hóuse *
and rúler of áll he posséssed,
to instrúct his prínces as he pléased *
and to téach his élders wísdom.
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 did not forget the just man who was sold as a slave: he released him from the power of sinful men.
________
Psalm 104 (105)
The Lord remembered his holy word, and he brought out his people with joy.
So Ísrael cáme into Égypt; *
Jacob líved in the cóuntry of Hám.
He gáve his péople íncrease; *
he máde them strónger than their fóes,
whose héarts he túrned to hate his péople *
and to déal decéitfully with his sérvants.
Thén he sent Móses his sérvant *
and Áaron the mán he had chósen.
Through thém he shówed his márvels *
and his wónders in the cóuntry of Hám.
He sent dárkness, and dárk was máde *
but Égypt resísted his wórds.
He túrned the wáters into blóod *
and cáused their físh to díe.
Their lánd was alíve with frógs, *
éven in the hálls of their kíngs.
He spóke; the dóg-fly cáme *
and gnáts cóvered the lánd.
He sent háilstones in pláce of the ráin *
and fláshing fíre in their lánd.
He strúck their vínes and fíg-trees; *
he sháttered the trées through their lánd.
He spóke; the lócusts cáme, *
young lócusts, too mány to be cóunted.
They áte up every bláde in the lánd; *
they áte up all the frúit of their fíelds.
He strúck all the fírst-born in their lánd, *
the fínest flówer of their sóns.
He led out Ísrael with sílver and góld. *
In his tríbes were nóne who fell behínd.
Égypt rejóiced when they léft *
for dréad had fállen upón them.
He spréad a clóud as a scréen *
and fíre to give líght in the dárkness.
When they ásked for fóod he sent quáils; *
he fílled them with bréad from héaven.
He píerced the róck to give them wáter; *
it gushed fórth in the désert like a ríver.
For he remémbered his hóly wórd, *
which he gáve to Ábraham his sérvant.
So he bróught out his péople with jóy, *
his chósen ones with shóuts of rejóicing.
And he gáve them the lánd of the nátions. *
They took the frúit of óther men’s tóil,
that thús they might kéep his précepts, *
that thús they might obsérve his láws.
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 remembered his holy word, and he brought out his people with joy.
Psalm-prayer
Abraham, Joseph and Moses prefigured your plan, Father, to redeem mankind from slavery and to lead them into the land of promise. Through the death and resurrection of your Son, your Church fulfils these promises. Grant us living water from the rock and bread from heaven, that we may survive our desert pilgrimage and thank you eternally for your kindness.
________
℣. In him was life.
℟. And the life was the light of men.
________
First Reading
Colossians 3:17-4:1
The Christian family
Never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
Slaves, be obedient to the men who are called your masters in this world; not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please men, but wholeheartedly, out of respect for the Master. Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving; anyone who does wrong will be repaid in kind and he does not favour one person more than another. Masters, make sure that your slaves are given what is just and fair, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Responsory
Col 3:17
℟. Whatever you do, in word or deed,* do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
℣. Give thanks to the Father through him.* Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
________
Second Reading
From a conference to her spiritual daughters
Our daily work is to do the will of God
I will tell you what is my own great help. I once read or heard that an interior life means but the continuation of our Saviour’s life in us; that the great object of all his mysteries is to merit for us the grace of his interior life and communicate it to us, it being the end of his mission to lead us into the sweet land of promise, a life of constant union with himself. And what was the first rule of our dear Saviour’s life? You know it was to do his Father’s will. Well, then, the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.
I know what his will is by those who direct me; whatever they bid me do, if it is ever so small in itself, is the will of God for me. Then do it in the manner he wills it, not sewing an old thing as if it were new, or a new thing as if it were old; not fretting because the oven is too hot, or in a fuss because it is too cold. You understand – not flying and driving because you are hurried, not creeping like a snail because no one pushes you. Our dear Saviour was never in extremes. The third object is to do his will because God wills it, that is, to be ready to quit at any moment and to do anything else to which you may be called....
You think it very hard to lead a life of such restraint unless you keep your eye of faith always open. Perseverance is a great grace. To go on gaining and advancing every day, we must be resolute, and bear and suffer as our blessed forerunners did. Which of them gained heaven without a struggle?...
What are our real trials? By what name shall we call them? One cuts herself out a cross of pride; another, one of causeless discontent; another, one of restless impatience or peevish fretfulness. But is the whole any better than children’s play if looked at with the common eye of faith? Yet we know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life, that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.
But we lack courage to keep a continual watch over nature, and therefore, year after year, with our thousand graces, multiplied resolutions, and fair promises, we run around in a circle of misery and imperfections. After a long time in the service of God, we come nearly to the point from whence we set out, and perhaps with even less ardour for penance and mortification than when we began our consecration to him.
You are now in your first setout. Be above the vain fears of nature and efforts of your enemy. You are children of eternity. Your immortal crown awaits you, and the best of Fathers waits there to reward your duty and love. You may indeed sow here in tears, but you may be sure there to reap in joy.
Responsory
℟. The time is growing short, so we must rejoice as though we were not rejoicing; we must work in the world yet without becoming immersed in it,* for the world as we know it is passing away.
℣. We have not adopted the spirit of the world.* For the world as we know it is passing away.
________
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
Romans 12:1-2
Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
________
Short Responsory
The just shall rejoice in the sight of God.
– The just shall rejoice in the sight of God.
They shall be filled with gladness.
– The just shall rejoice in the sight of God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The just shall rejoice in the sight of God.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
Whoever does the will of my Father, says the Lord, is my brother, and sister, and mother.
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.
Whoever does the will of my Father, says the Lord, is my brother, and sister, and mother.
________
Prayers and intercessions
With all the holy women let us praise our Saviour and call on him in prayer.
– Come, Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, you said of the woman who was a sinner, ‘Her many sins are forgiven, because she has loved much’;
grant us your forgiveness for our many sins.
– Come, Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, women ministered to your needs on your saving journeys;
open our eyes to see you in those who need our help.
– Come, Lord Jesus.
Lord and master, Mary listened to your teaching and Martha did the serving;
may our faith grow ever deeper and our love go out to others.
– Come, Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, you called those who do God’s will your brother and sister and mother;
teach us to live as members of your family.
– Come, Lord Jesus.
________
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, you blessed Elizabeth Seton
with gifts of grace as wife and mother, educator and foundress,
so that she might spend her life in service to your people.
Through her example and prayers
may we learn to express our love for you in love for others.
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.