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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Sunday 13 December 2020

    3rd Sunday of Advent 


    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

    On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
    Announces that the Lord is nigh;
    Come then and hearken, for he brings
    Glad tidings from the King of kings.

    Then cleansed be every Christian breast,
    And furnished for so great a guest!
    Yea, let us each his heart prepare
    For Christ to come and enter there.

    For thou art our salvation, Lord,
    Our refuge and our great reward;
    Without thy grace our souls must fade,
    And wither like a flower decayed.

    Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,
    And make us rise to fall no more;
    Once more upon thy people shine,
    And fill the world with love divine.

    All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
    Whose Advent sets thy people free,
    Whom, with the Father, we adore,
    And Holy Ghost, for evermore.


    ________

    Psalm 109 (110)
    The Messiah, king and priest


    “He must be king so that he may put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25).

    See, the Lord will come. He will sit with princes and he will mount the glorious throne.

    The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
    ‘Sit on my right:
    your foes I will put beneath your feet.’

    The Lord will wield from Sion
    your sceptre of power:
    rule in the midst of all your foes.

    A prince from the day of your birth
    on the holy mountains;
    from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

    The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
    ‘You are a priest for ever,
    a priest like Melchizedek of old.’

    The Master standing at your right hand
    will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.

    He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
    and therefore he shall lift up his head.

    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.

    See, the Lord will come. He will sit with princes and he will mount the glorious throne.


    Psalm-prayer

    Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praise you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.


    Or:

    Almighty God, bring the kingdom of Christ, your anointed one, to its fullness. May the perfect offering of your Son, eternal priest of the new Jerusalem, be offered in every place to your name and make all nations a holy people for you.


    ________

    Psalm 110 (111)
    Great are the works of the Lord


    “How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God Almighty” (Rev 15:3).

    The mountains will bring forth joy and the hills justice; for the Lord, the light of the world, comes in strength.

    I will thank the Lord with all my heart
    in the meeting of the just and their assembly.
    Great are the works of the Lord,
    to be pondered by all who love them.

    Majestic and glorious his work,
    his justice stands firm for ever.
    He makes us remember his wonders.
    The Lord is compassion and love.

    He gives food to those who fear him;
    keeps his covenant ever in mind.
    He has shown his might to his people
    by giving them the lands of the nations.

    His works are justice and truth,
    his precepts are all of them sure,
    standing firm for ever and ever;
    they are made in uprightness and truth.

    He has sent deliverance to his people
    and established his covenant for ever.
    Holy his name, to be feared.

    To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
    all who do so prove themselves wise.
    His praise shall last 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 mountains will bring forth joy and the hills justice; for the Lord, the light of the world, comes in strength.


    Psalm-prayer

    Merciful and gentle Lord, you are the crowning glory of all the saints. Give us, your children, the gift of obedience which is the beginning of wisdom, so that we may do what you command and be filled with your mercy.


    Or:

    Merciful God, splendour of the Church and crown of all saints, give us that firm faith which begets wisdom and nourish us with heavenly bread in the holy assembly. May we renew the memory of your wondrous deeds in the one sacrifice worthy of you, until we enjoy the fullness of your covenant in an eternity of happiness.


    ________

    Canticle
    (Apocalypse 19)
    The wedding of the Lamb

    Let us live justly and honestly while we are awaiting, in hope, the coming of the Lord.

    Alleluia.
    Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
    his judgements are true and just.
    Alleluia.

    Alleluia.
    Praise our God, all you his servants,
    you who fear him, small and great.
    Alleluia.

    Alleluia.
    The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns,
    let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
    Alleluia.

    Alleluia.
    The marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
    Alleluia.

    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 live justly and honestly while we are awaiting, in hope, the coming of the Lord.


    ________

    Short Reading
    Philippians 4:4-5

    I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.
    – Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.
    And grant us your salvation.
    – Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.


    ________

    Canticle
    Magnificat
    My soul rejoices in the Lord

    I baptize with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me. (Year B)
    Or: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect another?’ ‘Tell John what you hear and see: the blind see again, the lame walk, and the good news is preached to those who are poor in spirit.’ Alleluia.

    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.

    I baptize with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me. (Year B)
    Or: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect another?’ ‘Tell John what you hear and see: the blind see again, the lame walk, and the good news is preached to those who are poor in spirit.’ Alleluia.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    We pray to our Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
    – Come, and remain with us, Lord.

    Gabriel announced your coming to the Virgin Mary:
    Son of the most High, come to claim your kingdom.
    – Come, and remain with us, Lord.

    John the Baptist rejoiced to see your day:
    come, bring us your salvation.
    – Come, and remain with us, Lord.

    Simeon acknowledged you, Light of the World:
    bring your light to all men of goodwill.
    – Come, and remain with us, Lord.

    We look for you as watchmen look for the dawn:
    you are the sun that will wake the dead to new life.
    – Come, and remain with us, Lord.


    ________

    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.


    ________


    Grant, almighty God,
    that looking forward in faith to the feast of our Lord’s birth,
    we may feel all the happiness our Saviour brings
    and celebrate his coming with unfailing joy.
    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.