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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Tuesday 23 February 2021

    Tuesday of the 1st week of Lent 
    (optional commemoration of Saint Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr)


    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.


    ________

    Hymn

    Creator of the earth and skies,
    To whom the words of life belong,
    Grant us thy truth to make us wise;
    Grant us thy power to make us strong.

    Like theirs of old, our life is death,
    Our light is darkness, till we see
    The eternal Word made flesh and breath,
    The God who walked by Galilee.

    We have not known thee: to the skies
    Our monuments of folly soar,
    And all our self-wrought miseries
    Have made us trust ourselves the more.

    We have not loved thee: far and wide
    The wreckage of our hatred spreads,
    And evils wrought by human pride
    Recoil on unrepentant heads.

    For this, our foolish confidence,
    Our pride of knowledge and our sin,
    We come to thee in penitence;
    In us the work of grace begin.


    ________

    Psalm 23 (24)
    The Lord comes to his temple


    “The gates of heaven were opened to Christ because he was lifted up in the flesh” (St Irenaeus).

    The man with clean hands and pure heart will climb the mountain of the Lord.

    The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
    the world and all its peoples.
    It is he who set it on the seas;
    on the waters he made it firm.

    Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
    Who shall stand in his holy place?
    The man with clean hands and pure heart,
    who desires not worthless things,
    who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbour.

    He shall receive blessings from the Lord
    and reward from the God who saves him.
    Such are the men who seek him,
    seek the face of the God of Jacob.

    O gates, lift high your heads;
    grow higher, ancient doors.
    Let him enter, the king of glory!

    Who is the king of glory?
    The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
    the Lord, the valiant in war.

    O gates, lift high your heads;
    grow higher, ancient doors.
    Let him enter, the king of glory!

    Who is he, the king of glory?
    He, the Lord of armies,
    he is the king of glory.

    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 man with clean hands and pure heart will climb the mountain of the Lord.


    Psalm-prayer

    King of glory, Lord of power and might, cleanse our hearts from all sin, preserve the innocence of our hands, and keep our minds from vanity, so that we may deserve your blessing in your holy place.


    Or:

    Lord God, ruler and guide of heaven and earth, you gave Christ a share in our human race, made him a priest, and brought him into the temple of your glory. Make our intentions pure and selfless and give virtue to our thoughts, that the King of glory may enter our hearts and bring us rejoicing to your holy mountain.


    ________

    Canticle
    Tobit 13
    God punishes and God saves


    “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great love we have been born anew” (1 Peter 1:3).

    Praise the king of the ages in all your deeds.

    Blessed is God, who lives for ever,
    and blessed is his kingdom.
    For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;
    he leads down to Hades, and brings up again,
    and there is no one who can escape his hand.

    Acknowledge him before the nations, O sons of Israel;
    for he has scattered us among them.
    Make his greatness known there,
    and exalt him in the presence of all the living;
    because he is our Lord and God,
    he is our Father for ever.

    He will afflict us for our iniquities;
    and again he will show mercy,
    but see what he will do with you;
    give thanks to him with your full voice.
    Praise the Lord of righteousness,
    and exalt the King of the ages.

    I give him thanks in the land of my captivity,
    and I show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners.
    Turn back, you sinners, and do right before him:
    who knows if he will accept you and have mercy on you?

    I exalt my God;
    my soul exalts the King of heaven,
    and will rejoice in his majesty.
    Let all men speak,
    and give him thanks in Jerusalem.

    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.

    Praise the king of the ages in all your deeds.


    ________

    Psalm 32 (33)
    The Lord provides


    “All things were made through him” (Jn 1:3).

    Praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

    Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
    for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

    Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
    with a ten-stringed harp sing him songs.
    O sing him a song that is new,
    play loudly, with all your skill.

    For the word of the Lord is faithful
    and all his works to be trusted.
    The Lord loves justice and right
    and fills the earth with his love.

    By his word the heavens were made,
    by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
    He collects the waves of the ocean;
    he stores up the depths of the sea.

    Let all the earth fear the Lord
    all who live in the world revere him.
    He spoke; and it came to be.
    He commanded; it sprang into being.

    He frustrates the designs of the nations,
    he defeats the plans of the peoples.
    His own designs shall stand for ever,
    the plans of his heart from age to age.

    They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
    the people he has chosen as his own.
    From the heavens the Lord looks forth,
    he sees all the children of men.

    From the place where he dwells he gazes
    on all the dwellers on the earth;
    he who shapes the hearts of them all;
    and considers all their deeds.

    A king is not saved by his army,
    nor a warrior preserved by his strength.
    A vain hope for safety is the horse;
    despite its power it cannot save.

    The Lord looks on those who revere him,
    on those who hope in his love,
    to rescue their souls from death,
    to keep them alive in famine.

    Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
    The Lord is our help and our shield.
    In him do our hearts find joy.
    We trust in his holy name.

    May your love be upon us, O Lord,
    as we place all our hope in 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.

    Praise is fitting for loyal hearts.


    Psalm-prayer

    Nourish your people, Lord, for we hunger for your word. Rescue us from the death of sin and fill us with your mercy, that we may share your presence and the joys of all the saints.


    Or:

    Your Son is the firstborn of creation, Lord, and the head of his body, the Church. Through him you founded the heavens and earth; through him you continue to accomplish the intentions of your heart. Make your chosen people witnesses of your truth among the nations and heralds of your glory in the heavens.


    ________

    Short Reading
    Joel 2:12-13

    Come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning. Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn, turn to the Lord your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, and ready to relent.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
    – It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
    And from the evil word.
    – It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.


    ________

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

    Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.

    Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel!
    He has visited his people and redeemed them.

    He has raised up for us a mighty saviour
    in the house of David his servant,
    as he promised by the lips of holy men,
    those who were his prophets from of old.

    A saviour who would free us from our foes,
    from the hands of all who hate us.
    So his love for our fathers is fulfilled
    and his holy covenant remembered.

    He swore to Abraham our father to grant us,
    that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes,
    we might serve him in holiness and justice
    all the days of our life in his presence.

    As for you, little child,
    you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High.
    You shall go ahead of the Lord
    to prepare his ways before him,

    To make known to his people their salvation
    through forgiveness of all their sins,
    the loving-kindness of the heart of our God
    who visits us like the dawn from on high.

    He will give light to those in darkness,
    those who dwell in the shadow of death,
    and guide us into the way of peace.

    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.

    Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    Let us bless Christ, who is our bread from heaven.
    – Christ, bread of life, strengthen us.

    Lord, give us a share in the bread of the eucharist,
    fill us with the blessings of your paschal sacrifice.
    – Christ, bread of life, strengthen us.

    May we take your word to our hearts in faith and obedience;
    yield a harvest in us through our perseverance.
    – Christ, bread of life, strengthen us.

    Make us eager to fulfil your plan for the world
    that the Church may spread the great message of peace.
    – Christ, bread of life, strengthen us.

    We have sinned, Lord, we have sinned;
    take away our guilt by your saving grace.
    – Christ, bread of life, strengthen us.


    ________

    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.


    ________


    Look with favour on your family, Lord,
    and as at this time we restrain the desires of the body,
    may our hearts burn with love of you.
    Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
    who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
    God, for ever and ever.
    Amen.


    ________

    The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
    Amen.


    Copyright © 1996-2021 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.

     

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