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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Tuesday 4 February 2020

    Tuesday of week 4 in Ordinary Time


    Morning Prayer (Lauds)


    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

    Father, we praise you, now the night is over,
    Active and watchful, stand we all before you;
    Singing we offer prayer and meditation:
        Thus we adore you.

    Monarch of all things, fit us for your mansions;
    Banish our weakness, health and wholeness sending;
    Bring us to heaven, where your saints united
        Joy without ending.

    All-holy Father, Son and Equal Spirit,
    Trinity blessèd, send us your salvation;
    Yours is the glory, gleaming and resounding
        Through all creation.


    ________

    Psalm 100 (101)
    The declaration of a just ruler


    “If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).

    I will sing to you, O Lord, and I will walk in the way of perfection.

    My song is of mercy and justice;
        I sing to you, O Lord.
    I will walk in the way of perfection.
        O when, Lord, will you come?

    I will walk with blameless heart
        within my house;
    I will not set before my eyes
        whatever is base.

    I will hate the ways of the crooked;
        they shall not be my friends.
    The false-hearted must keep far away;
        the wicked I disown.

    The man who slanders his neighbour in secret
        I will bring to silence.
    The man of proud looks and haughty heart
        I will never endure.

    I look to the faithful in the land
        that they may dwell with me.
    He who walks in the way of perfection
        shall be my friend.

    No man who practises deceit
        shall live within my house.
    No man who utters lies shall stand
        before my eyes.

    Morning by morning I will silence
        all the wicked in the land,
    uprooting from the city of the Lord
        all who do evil.

    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.

    I will sing to you, O Lord, and I will walk in the way of perfection.


    Psalm-prayer

    So that your people might walk in innocence, you came to us, Lord Jesus, and told us to be holy as your Father is holy. Help your children to love what is truly perfect, so that we may neither speak what is evil nor do what is wrong. Let us stand in your sight and celebrate with you the Father’s love and justice.


    ________

    Canticle
    Daniel 3
    The prayer of Azariah in the furnace


    “Repent and turn to God, that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19).

    O Lord, do not withdraw your favour from us.

    Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers,
        and worthy of praise,
        and your name is glorified for ever.

    You are just
        in all that you have done to us,
    for we have sinned
        and lawlessly departed from you,
        and have sinned in all things.

    For your name’s sake,
        do not give us up utterly
        and do not break your covenant.

    Do not withdraw your mercy from us,
        for the sake of Abraham your beloved,
    and for the sake of Isaac your servant,
        and Israel your holy one, to whom you promised
    to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven
        and as the sand on the shore of the sea.

    For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation,
        and are brought low this day in all the world
        because of our sins;
    and at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader,
        no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,
    no place to make an offering before you
        or to find mercy.

    Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit
        may we be accepted,
    as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls
        and with tens of thousands of fat lambs.

    Such may our sacrifice be in your sight this day,
        and may we wholly follow you,
    for there will be no shame
        for those who trust in you.

    And now with all our heart we follow you,
        we fear you and seek your face.

    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, do not withdraw your favour from us.


    ________

    Psalm 143 (144)
    For victory and peace


    “I can do all things with the help of the One who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13).

    I will sing a new song to you, O God.

    Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
        who trains my arms for battle,
        who prepares my hands for war.

    He is my love, my fortress;
        he is my stronghold, my saviour
    my shield, my place of refuge.
        He brings peoples under my rule.

    Lord, what is man that you care for him,
        mortal man, that you keep him in mind;
    man, who is merely a breath
        whose life fades like a shadow?

    Lower your heavens and come down;
        touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke.
    Flash your lightnings; rout the foe,
        shoot your arrows and put them to flight.

    Reach down from heaven and save me;
        draw me out from the mighty waters,
        from the hands of alien foes
    whose mouths are filled with lies,
        whose hands are raised in perjury.

    To you, O God, will I sing a new song;
        I will play on the ten-stringed harp
    to you who give kings their victory,
        who set David your servant free.

    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.

    I will sing a new song to you, O God.


    Psalm-prayer

    Lord, God of strength, you gave your Son victory over death. Direct your Church’s fight against evil in the world. Clothe us with the weapons of light and unite us under the one banner of love, that we may receive our eternal reward after the battle of earthly life.


    ________

    Short Reading
    Isaiah 55:1


    Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;
    though you have no money, come!
    Buy corn without money, and eat,
    and, at no cost, wine and milk.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    Hear my cry, Lord, for I hope in your word.
    – Hear my cry, Lord, for I hope in your word.
    I rise before dawn and call for help.
    – Hear my cry, Lord, for I hope in your word.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – Hear my cry, Lord, for I hope in your word.


    ________

    Canticle
    Benedictus
    The Messiah and the one who was sent before him

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

    Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel!
        He has visited his people and redeemed them.

    He has raised up for us a mighty saviour
        in the house of David his servant,
    as he promised by the lips of holy men,
        those who were his prophets from of old.

    A saviour who would free us from our foes,
        from the hands of all who hate us.
    So his love for our fathers is fulfilled
        and his holy covenant remembered.

    He swore to Abraham our father to grant us,
        that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes,
    we might serve him in holiness and justice
        all the days of our life in his presence.

    As for you, little child,
        you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High.
    You shall go ahead of the Lord
        to prepare his ways before him,

    To make known to his people their salvation
        through forgiveness of all their sins,
    the loving-kindness of the heart of our God
        who visits us like the dawn from on high.

    He will give light to those in darkness,
        those who dwell in the shadow of death,
        and guide us into the way of peace.

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


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    Our sufferings bring acceptance, acceptance brings hope: and our hope will not deceive us, for the Spirit has been poured into our hearts. It is through the same Spirit that we pray:
    – Stay with us, Lord, on our journey.

    Help us to realize that our troubles are slight and short-lived;
        they are as nothing compared with the joy we shall have when we reach our home with you.
    – Stay with us, Lord, on our journey.

    Come to the lonely, the unloved, those without friends;
        show them your love, and help them to care for their brothers and sisters.
    – Stay with us, Lord, on our journey.

    Take away our pride, temper our anger:
        may we follow you in your gentleness: may you make us humble of heart.
    – Stay with us, Lord, on our journey.

    Give us the fullness of your Spirit, the Spirit of sonship:
        make our love for each other generous and sincere.
    – Stay with us, Lord, on our journey.


    ________

    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.


    ________


    Increase in us, Lord, your gift of faith,
        so that the praise we offer you
        may ever yield its fruit from 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.


    ________

    The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
        Amen.


    Copyright © 1996-2020 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.