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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Wednesday 12 February 2020

    Wednesday of week 5 in Ordinary Time


    Vespers (Evening Prayer)

    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

    To thee our inmost heart doth cry,
    Our voice resounds in melody,
    For thee chaste love with longing yearns,
    Our humbled soul doth worship thee.

    And when dense blackness falls to close
    The day in thickest folds of night,
    Let not our faith such darkness know,
    But by that faith let dark be light.

    Allow thou not our souls to rest;
    Our sins in rest, we pray thee, bind:
    Let pure, refreshing faith be strong
    To cool all dreams that heat the mind.

    Stripped clean from senses’ danger, let
    Our inmost heart dream deep of thee;
    Let not our envious foe disturb
    Our rest with guile and treachery.


    ________

    Psalm 26 (27)
    Keeping faith in time of peril


    “Behold, the place where God dwells among men” (Rev 21:3).

    The Lord is my light and my help: whom shall I fear?

    The Lord is my light and my help;
        whom shall I fear?
    The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
        before whom shall I shrink?

    When evil-doers draw near
        to devour my flesh,
    it is they, my enemies and foes,
        who stumble and fall.

    Though an army encamp against me
        my heart would not fear.
    Though war break out against me
        even then would I trust.

    There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
        for this I long,
    to live in the house of the Lord,
        all the days of my life,
    to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
        to behold his temple.

    For there he keeps me safe in his tent
        in the day of evil.
    He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
        on a rock he sets me safe.

    And now my head shall be raised
        above my foes who surround me
    and I shall offer within his tent
        a sacrifice of joy.
    I will sing and make music for the Lord.

    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 light and my help: whom shall I fear?


    ________

    Psalm 26 (27)


    “Some stood up and submitted false evidence against Jesus.”

    It is your face, O Lord, that I seek: hide not your face.

    O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
        have mercy and answer.
    Of you my heart has spoken:
        ‘Seek his face.’

    It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
        hide not your face.
    Dismiss not your servant in anger;
        you have been my help.

    Do not abandon or forsake me,
        O God my help!
    Though father and mother forsake me,
        the Lord will receive me.

    Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
        on an even path lead me.
    When they lie in ambush protect me
        from my enemy’s greed.
    False witnesses rise against me,
        breathing out fury.

    I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
        in the land of the living.
    Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
        Hope in the Lord!

    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.

    It is your face, O Lord, that I seek: hide not your face.


    Psalm-prayer

    Father, you protect and strengthen those who hope in you; you heard the cry of your Son and kept him safe in your tent in the day of evil. Grant that your servants who seek your face in times of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living.


    ________

    Canticle
    (Colossians 1)
    Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

    He is the first-born of all creation, he is supreme over all creatures.

    Let us give thanks to the Father,
        who has qualified us to share
        in the inheritance of the saints in light.

    He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness
        and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
    in whom we have redemption,
        the forgiveness of sins.

    He is the image of the invisible God,
        the firstborn of all creation,
    for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth,
        visible and invisible.

    All things were created
        through him and for him.
    He is before all things,
        and in him all things hold together.

    He is the head of the body, the Church;
        he is the beginning,
    the firstborn from the dead,
        that in everything he might be pre-eminent.

    For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
        and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
    whether on earth or in heaven,
        making peace by the blood of his cross.

    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.

    He is the first-born of all creation, he is supreme over all creatures.


    ________

    Short Reading
    James 1:22,25

    You must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    Redeem me, Lord, and show me your mercy.
    – Redeem me, Lord, and show me your mercy.
    Do not cast me away with sinners.
    – Redeem me, Lord, and show me your mercy.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – Redeem me, Lord, and show me your mercy.


    ________

    Canticle
    Magnificat
    My soul rejoices in the Lord

    The Almighty has done great things for me; holy is his name.

    My soul glorifies the Lord,
        my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
    He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
        henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

    The Almighty works marvels for me.
        Holy his name!
    His mercy is from age to age,
        on those who fear him.

    He puts forth his arm in strength
        and scatters the proud-hearted.
    He casts the mighty from their thrones
        and raises the lowly.

    He fills the starving with good things,
        sends the rich away empty.

    He protects Israel, his servant,
        remembering his mercy,
    the mercy promised to our fathers,
        to Abraham and his sons for 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 Almighty has done great things for me; holy is his name.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    The world is ablaze with the glory of God, who cares for his chosen people with infinite love. In the name of the Church we pray:
    – Lord, show your love to all men.

    Be mindful of your Church:
        keep her free from evil and make her perfect in your love.
    – Lord, show your love to all men.

    Let all peoples acknowledge that you alone are God, and that Jesus Christ is your Son;
        give them the light of faith.
    – Lord, show your love to all men.

    Grant to those around us all that they need,
        so that they may know thankfulness and live in peace.
    – Lord, show your love to all men.

    Keep us mindful of those whose work is hard and unrewarding:
        may we give every man the respect which is his right.
    – Lord, show your love to all men.

    Give peace to those who have died today;
        grant them eternal rest.
    – Lord, show your love to all men.


    ________

    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, support us as we pray,
        protect us day and night,
    so that we who under your guiding hand live in a world of change
        may always draw strength from you,
        with whom there is no shadow of alteration.
    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.