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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Wednesday 8 April 2020

    Wednesday of Holy Week


    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.


    ________

    Hymn

    The royal banners forward go,
    The Cross shines forth in radiant glow;
    Where he, the Life, did death endure,
    And yet by death did life procure.

    His feet and hands outstretching there,
    He willed the piercing nails to bear,
    For us and our redemption’s sake
    A victim of himself to make.

    There whilst he hung, his sacred side
    By soldier’s spear was opened wide,
    To cleanse us in the precious flood
    Of water mingled with his blood.

    Fulfilled is now what David told
    In true prophetic song of old,
    To all the nations, ‘Lo,’ said he,
    ‘Our God is reigning from the tree.’

    Blest Three in One, our praise we sing
    To thee from whom all graces spring:
    As by the cross thou dost restore,
    So rule and guide us evermore.


    ________

    Psalm 61 (62)
    Peace in God


    “May the God of hope fill you with all peace as you believe in him” (Rom 15:13).

    The wicked men said: ‘Let us oppress the just man, since his ways are contrary to ours.’

    In God alóne is my sóul at rést; *
        my hélp comes from hím.
    He alóne is my róck, my strónghold, *
        my fórtress: I stand fírm.

    How lóng will you áll attack one mán *
        to bréak him dówn,
    as thóugh he were a tóttering wáll, *
        or a túmbling fénce?

    Their plán is ónly to destróy: *
        they take pléasure in líes.
    With their móuth they útter bléssing *
        but in their héart they cúrse.

    In God alóne be at rést, my sóul; *
        for my hópe comes from hím.
    He alóne is my róck, my strónghold, *
        my fórtress: I stand fírm.

    In Gód is my sáfety and glóry, *
        the róck of my stréngth.
    Take réfuge in Gód, all you péople. *
        Trúst him at áll times.
    Póur out your héarts befóre him *
        for Gód is our réfuge.

    Cómmon folk are ónly a bréath, *
        gréat men an illúsion.
    Pláced in the scáles, they ríse; *
        they weigh léss than a bréath.

    Dó not put your trúst in oppréssion *
        nor vain hópes on plúnder.
    Dó not set your héart on ríches *
        even whén they incréase.

    For Gód has sáid only óne thing: *
        only twó do I knów:
    that to Gód alóne belongs pówer *
        and to yóu, Lord, lóve;
    and that yóu repáy each mán *
        accórding to his déeds.

    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 wicked men said: ‘Let us oppress the just man, since his ways are contrary to ours.’


    Psalm-prayer

    Lord God, you reward each one according to his works. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you, seeking your grace and secure protection. We look to you for our stable hope in a constantly changing world.


    ________

    Psalm 66 (67)
    All peoples, praise the Lord


    “Let it be known to you that this salvation from God has been sent to all peoples” (Acts 28:28).

    He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.

    O Gód, be grácious and bléss us *
        and let your fáce shed its líght upón us.
    So will your wáys be knówn upon éarth *
        and all nátions learn your sáving hélp.

    Let the péoples práise you, O Gód; *
        let áll the péoples práise you.

    Let the nátions be glád and exúlt *
        for you rúle the wórld with jústice.
    With fáirness you rúle the péoples, *
        you gúide the nátions on éarth.

    Let the péoples práise you, O Gód; *
        let áll the péoples práise you.

    The éarth has yíelded its frúit *
        for Gód, our Gód, has bléssed us.
    May Gód still gíve us his bléssing *
        till the énds of the éarth revére him.

    Let the péoples práise you, O Gód; *
        let áll the péoples práise you.

    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 bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.


    Psalm-prayer

    Be gracious and bless us, Lord, and let your face shed its light on us, so that we can make you known with reverence and bring forth a harvest of justice.


    Or:

    All peoples praise you, Father, because through your kindly power the earth has brought forth its fruit, the tree of the cross. We ask that this cross unite all peoples in its embrace and feed them with its fruit, everlasting life.


    ________

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

    In Christ we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins, through the shedding of his blood.

    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.

    In Christ we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins, through the shedding of his blood.


    ________

    Short Reading
    Ephesians 4:32-5:2

    Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ. Try to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    We worship you, Christ, and we bless you.
    – We worship you, Christ, and we bless you.
    By your cross you have redeemed the world.
    – We worship you, Christ, and we bless you.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – We worship you, Christ, and we bless you.


    ________

    Canticle
    Magnificat
    My soul rejoices in the Lord

    The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping the Passover with my disciples.

    My soul glórifies the Lórd, *
        my spirit rejóices in Gód, my Sáviour.
    He looks on his sérvant in her lówliness; *
        henceforth all áges will cáll me bléssed.

    The Almíghty works márvels for me. *
        Hóly his náme!
    His mércy is from age to áge, *
        on thóse who féar him.

    He púts forth his árm in stréngth *
        and scátters the proud-héarted.
    He casts the míghty from their thrónes *
        and ráises the lówly.

    He fills the stárving with good thíngs, *
        sends the rích away émpty.

    He protects Ísrael, his sérvant, *
        remémbering his mércy,
    the mercy prómised to our fáthers, *
        to Ábraham and his sóns 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.

    The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping the Passover with my disciples.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    Let us turn in prayer to the Saviour of all men. By dying he destroyed our death and by rising he restored our life.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.

    Christ, our Redeemer, let us share in your passion by works of penance,
        let us attain the glory of your resurrection.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.

    Grant us the protection of your Mother, the comforter of the afflicted,
        help us to extend to others the consolation you have given us.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.

    Unite the faithful to your passion in times of trouble and distress
        and let the power of your salvation shine forth in their lives.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.

    You humbled yourself even to accepting death, death on a cross;
        grant to your servants obedience and patience.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.

    Share with the dead your bodily glory;
        let us rejoice one day with them in the fellowship of the saints.
    – Sanctify the people you redeemed by your blood.


    ________

    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.


    ________


    By your will, Lord God,
        your Son underwent the agony of the cross
        to break the power of Satan over man.
    Give your people grace to rise again with Christ,
    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.