Thursday 20 February 2020
Thursday of week 6 in Ordinary Time
Mid-Morning Prayer (Terce)
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
Come, Holy Spirit, live in us
With God the Father and the Son,
And grant us your abundant grace
To sanctify and make us one.
May mind and tongue made strong in love
Your praise throughout the world proclaim,
And may that love within our hearts
Set fire to others with its flame.
Most blessèd Trinity of love,
For whom the heart of man was made,
To you be praise in timeless song,
And everlasting homage paid.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
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PSALMS OF THE DAY
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Psalm 118(119): 65-72
Meditating the word of the Lord in the Law
“His commands mean eternal life” (John 12:50)
The law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.
Lord, you have been good to your servant
according to your word.
Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.
Before I was afflicted I strayed
but now I keep your word.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your statutes.
Though proud men smear me with lies
yet I keep your precepts.
Their minds are closed to good
but your law is my delight.
It was good for me to be afflicted,
to learn your statutes.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
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 law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, teach us goodness, discipline and wisdom, and these gifts will keep us from becoming hardened by evil, weakened by laziness or ignorant because of foolishness.
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Psalm 55 (56)
Trusting in the word of the Lord
“Christ is shown suffering” (St Jerome).
In God I trust: I shall not fear what mortal man can do to me.
Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;
they fight me all day long and oppress me.
My foes crush me all day long,
for many fight proudly against me.
When I fear, I will trust in you,
in God, whose word I praise.
In God I trust, I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?
All day long they distort my words,
all their thought is to harm me.
They band together in ambush,
track me down and seek my life.
You have kept an account of my wanderings;
you have kept a record of my tears;
are they not written in your book?
Then my foes will be put to flight
on the day that I call to you.
This I know, that God is on my side.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not fear;
what can mortal man do to me?
I am bound by the vows I have made you.
O God, I will offer you praise
for you have rescued my soul from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling
that I may walk in the presence of God
and enjoy the light of the living.
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.
In God I trust: I shall not fear what mortal man can do to me.
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, victim for our sins, you trusted in your Father’s protection and kept silent when you were tormented. Give us that same confidence and we will gladly suffer with you and for you, offering the Father our sacrifice of praise and walking before him in the light of the living.
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Psalm 56 (57)
Morning prayer in time of affliction
“This psalm celebrates the passion of Christ” (St Augustine).
Your merciful love reaches to the heavens, Lord.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I call to God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
May God send his truth and his love.
My soul lies down among lions,
who would devour the sons of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharpened sword.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
They laid a snare for my steps,
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path
but fell in it themselves.
My heart is ready, O God,
my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul,
awake, lyre and harp,
I will awake the dawn.
I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
among the nations I will praise you
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
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.
Your merciful love reaches to the heavens, Lord.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son.
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Short Reading
Galatians 5:13-14
My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself.
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℣. I will run in the way of your commands, Lord.
℟. You give freedom to my heart.
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Let us pray.
Lord, who at this third hour
bestowed the gift of the Holy Spirit on the apostles
while they were at prayer,
grant us a share in the same grace.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
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.