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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Sunday 20 December 2020

    4th 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

    O come, now Rod of Jesse’s stem,
    From every foe deliver them
    That trust your mighty power to save,
    And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to you, O Israel!

    O come, now Key of David, come,
    And open wide our heav’nly home;
    Make safe the way that leads on high,
    And close the path to misery.
    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to you, O Israel!

    O come, now Day-spring from on high,
    And cheer us by your drawing nigh;
    Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
    And death’s dark shadow put to flight.
    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to you, O Israel!

    O come, Desire of nations, bind
    In one the hearts of all mankind;
    Bid now our sad divisions cease,
    And be yourself our King of Peace.
    Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to you, O Israel!


    ________

    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, how splendid is he who comes to save the peoples.

    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, how splendid is he who comes to save the peoples.


    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 111 (112)
    How blessed are the just


    “Be like the children of the light; for the fruits of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth” (Eph 5:8,9).

    The rugged places shall be made smooth and the mountain-ranges shall become plains. Come, Lord, and do not delay. Alleluia.

    Happy the man who fears the Lord,
    who takes delight in all his commands.
    His sons will be powerful on earth;
    the children of the upright are blessed.

    Riches and wealth are in his house;
    his justice stands firm for ever.
    He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
    he is generous, merciful and just.

    The good man takes pity and lends,
    he conducts his affairs with honour.
    The just man will never waver:
    he will be remembered for ever.

    He has no fear of evil news;
    with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
    With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
    he will see the downfall of his foes.

    Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
    his justice stands firm for ever.
    His head will be raised in glory.

    The wicked man sees and is angry,
    grinds his teeth and fades away;
    the desire of the wicked leads to doom.

    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 rugged places shall be made smooth and the mountain-ranges shall become plains. Come, Lord, and do not delay. Alleluia.


    Psalm-prayer

    Lord God, you are the eternal light which illumines the hearts of good people. Help us to love you, to rejoice in your glory, and so to live in this world as to avoid harsh judgement in the next. May we come to see the light of your countenance.


    Or:

    Lord Jesus, you are the light rising in darkness for the just. To show your love for us you offered yourself in our place as a victim to God. Teach us to love one another as you love us, that our love may bring peace and joy to the world and enable us to find the happiness of your home.


    ________

    Canticle
    (Apocalypse 19)
    The wedding of the Lamb

    Great will be his reign and peace will be everlasting. Alleluia.

    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.

    Great will be his reign and peace will be everlasting. Alleluia.


    ________

    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

    O key of David and sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close, no one can open. O come and lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

    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.

    O key of David and sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close, no one can open. O come and lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    The voice of John crying in the wilderness is echoed tonight in the voice of the Church:
    – Make our hearts ready, O Lord!

    For your coming to us in grace this Advent:
    – Make our hearts ready, O Lord!

    For the work we must do in creating a more just world:
    – Make our hearts ready, O Lord!

    For the understanding we shall need this week for our families and friends:
    – Make our hearts ready, O Lord!

    For our death, for our judgement, for eternal life with you:
    – Make our hearts ready, O 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.


    ________


    Lord, open our hearts to your grace.
    Through the angel’s message to Mary
    we have learned to believe in the incarnation of Christ your Son:
    lead us by his passion and cross
    to the glory of his resurrection.
    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.