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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Saturday 25 April 2020

    Saint Mark, Evangelist - Feast 


    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

    O fathers of our ancient faith,
    With all the heav’ns we sing your fame
    Whose sound went forth in all the earth
    To tell of Christ and bless His name.

    You took the gospel to the poor,
    The word of God alight in you,
    Which in our day is told again:
    That timeless word, forever new.

    You told of God who died for us
    And out of death triumphant rose,
    Who gave the truth that made us free,
    And changeless through the ages goes.

    Like sparks among the straw, you ran
    To set the universe ablaze,
    To kindle love of Christ the Lord
    And take his peace on all your ways.

    Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
    Whose gift is faith that never dies:
    A light in darkness now, until
    The day-star in our hearts arise.

    Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

    ________

    Psalm 62 (63)
    Thirsting for God


    “Let the man who has put away the deeds of the night watch for God.”

    The holy evangelists sought out the wisdom of the ancients: in their gospels they confirmed the prophecies of old. Alleluia.

    O Gód, you are my Gód, for you I lóng; *
    for yóu my sóul is thírsting.
    My bódy pínes for yóu *
    like a drý, weary lánd without wáter.
    So I gáze on yóu in the sánctuary *
    to sée your stréngth and your glóry.

    For your lóve is bétter than lífe, *
    my líps will spéak your práise.
    So I will bléss you áll my lífe, *
    in your náme I will líft up my hánds.
    My sóul shall be fílled as with a bánquet, *
    my móuth shall práise you with jóy.

    On my béd I remémber yóu. *
    On yóu I múse through the níght
    for yóu have béen my hélp; *
    in the shádow of your wíngs I rejóice.
    My sóul clíngs to yóu; *
    your ríght hand hólds me fást.

    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 holy evangelists sought out the wisdom of the ancients: in their gospels they confirmed the prophecies of old. Alleluia.


    Psalm-prayer

    Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honour, and our voices celebrate you for ever.


    Or:

    This morning, Lord, we lift up our hands to praise you. We thirst for you; we long for you. Help us to love you more than life itself and fill us with good gifts from your banquet table.


    ________

    Canticle
    Daniel 3:57-88,56
    All creatures, bless the Lord


    “Praise our God, all you his servants” (Rev 19:5).

    Through the gospel, God called us to faith in the truth so that we might share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia.

    O all you works of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, angels of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, the heavens of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, clouds of the sky, O bless the Lord.
    And you, all armies of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, sun and moon, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, the stars of the heavens, O bless the Lord.
    And you, showers and rain, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, all you breezes and winds, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, fire and heat, O bless the Lord.
    And you, cold and heat, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, showers and dew, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, frosts and cold, O bless the Lord.
    And you, frost and snow, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, night-time and day, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, darkness and light, O bless the Lord.
    And you, lightning and clouds, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    O let the earth bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, mountains and hills, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, all plants of the earth, O bless the Lord.
    And you, fountains and springs, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, rivers and seas, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, creatures of the sea, O bless the Lord.
    And you, every bird in the sky, O bless the Lord. †
    And you, wild beasts and tame, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, children of men, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    O Israel, bless the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, priests of the Lord, O bless the Lord.
    And you, servants of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    And you, spirits and souls of the just, O bless the Lord. *
    And you, holy and humble of heart, O bless the Lord.
    Ananias, Azarias, Mizael, O bless the Lord. *
    To him be highest glory and praise for ever.

    Let us praise the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit: *
    To you be highest glory and praise for ever.
    May you be blessed, O Lord, in the heavens: *
    To you be highest glory and praise for ever.

    Through the gospel, God called us to faith in the truth so that we might share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia.


    ________

    Psalm 149
    The saints rejoice


    “The members of the Church, God’s new people, will rejoice in their king, who is Christ” (Hesychius).

    Many will praise their wisdom, and it will never be forgotten. Alleluia.

    Síng a new sóng to the Lórd, *
    his práise in the assémbly of the fáithful.
    Let Ísrael rejóice in its Máker, *
    let Síon’s sons exúlt in their kíng.
    Let them práise his náme with dáncing *
    and make músic with tímbrel and hárp.

    For the Lórd takes delíght in his péople. *
    He crówns the póor with salvátion.
    Let the fáithful rejóice in their glóry, *
    shout for jóy and táke their rést.
    Let the práise of Gód be on their líps *
    and a twó-edged swórd in their hánd,

    to déal out véngeance to the nátions *
    and púnishment on áll the péoples;
    to bínd their kíngs in cháins *
    and their nóbles in fétters of íron;
    to cárry out the séntence pre-ordáined: *
    this hónour is for áll his fáithful.

    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.

    Many will praise their wisdom, and it will never be forgotten. Alleluia.


    Psalm-prayer

    Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever.


    Or:

    Lord Jesus, you came to your own people and gave to all who welcomed you power to become children of God. In your merciful love watch over the Church and through her ministry bring salvation to the meek and lowly. May we avoid the snares of the impious, and come to rejoice in glory with your saints.


    ________

    Short Reading
    1 Corinthians 15:1-2,3-4

    Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established, the gospel that brings you salvation. In the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    They told of the glories of the Lord and of his might.
    – They told of the glories of the Lord and of his might.
    They spoke of the marvellous deeds he had done.
    – They told of the glories of the Lord and of his might.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – They told of the glories of the Lord and of his might.


    ________

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

    Let us give thanks to Jesus Christ, who has sent teachers and evangelists to be ministers of faith to all peoples who believe in him, alleluia.

    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.

    Let us give thanks to Jesus Christ, who has sent teachers and evangelists to be ministers of faith to all peoples who believe in him, alleluia.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    Our Saviour destroyed death and through the gospel revealed eternal life to us. With joyful praises let us make him known, and let us say:
    – Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

    Lord Jesus, in times past you have lighted the way for your people through wise and holy leaders;
    may Christians always enjoy this sign of your loving kindness.
    – Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

    You forgave the sins of your people when holy pastors prayed;
    continually cleanse your Church through their powerful intercession.
    – Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

    In the presence of their brothers, you anointed your holy ones and poured on them your Spirit;
    fill with your Holy Spirit all the leaders of your people.
    – Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

    Nothing could ever separate the holy pastors from your love;
    do not lose even one of those whom you redeemed by your passion.
    – Strengthen your Church in faith and love.


    ________

    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.


    ________


    Almighty God,
    you chose out the evangelist Saint Mark
    and ennobled him with grace to preach the gospel.
    Let his teaching so improve our lives
    that we may walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ.
    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.