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

Liturgy of the Hours


  • Thursday 6 May 2021

    Thursday of the 5th week of Eastertide 


    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 Christ, the heavens’ eternal King,
    Creator, unto thee we sing,
    With God the Father ever One,
    Co-equal, co-eternal Son.

    Thy hand, when first the world began,
    Made in thine own pure image man,
    And linked to fleshly form of earth
    A living soul of heavenly birth.

    And when the envious crafty foe
    Had marred thy noblest work below,
    Thou didst our ruined state repair
    By deigning flesh thyself to wear.

    Once of a virgin born to save,
    And now new born from death’s dark grave,
    O Christ, thou bidd’st us rise with thee
    From death to immortality.

    Eternal Shepherd, thou art wont
    To cleanse Thy sheep within the font,
    That mystic bath, that grave of sin,
    Where ransomed souls new life begin.

    Divine Redeemer, thou didst deign
    To bear for us the cross of pain,
    And freely pay the precious price
    Of all thy blood in sacrifice.

    Jesu, do thou to every heart
    Unceasing Paschal joy impart;
    From death of sin and guilty strife
    Set free the new born sons of life.

    All praise be thine, O risen Lord,
    From death to endless life restored;
    All praise to God the Father be
    And Holy Ghost eternally.


    ________

    Psalm 29 (30)
    Thanksgiving for rescue from death


    “Christ gives thanks to his Father after his glorious resurrection” (Cassian).

    You changed my sorrow into joy, alleluia.

    I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
    and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

    O Lord, I cried to you for help
    and you, my God, have healed me.
    O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
    restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.

    Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
    give thanks to his holy name.
    His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.
    At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.

    I said to myself in my good fortune:
    ‘Nothing will ever disturb me.’
    Your favour had set me on a mountain fastness,
    then you hid your face and I was put to confusion.

    To you, Lord, I cried,
    to my God I made appeal:
    ‘What profit would my death be, my going to the grave?
    Can dust give you praise or proclaim your truth?’

    The Lord listened and had pity.
    The Lord came to my help.
    For me you have changed my mourning into dancing,
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
    So my soul sings psalms to you unceasingly.
    O Lord my God, I will thank you 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.

    You changed my sorrow into joy, alleluia.


    Psalm-prayer

    Lord, hear our cry and save us. We weep in the evening as if our Lord were asleep, but let us rejoice in the morning as he is raised up among us. Rescued from sadness and clothed in rejoicing, may we gloriously sing your praises for ever.


    Or:

    God our Father, glorious in giving life, and even more glorious in restoring it, when his last night on earth came, your Son shed tears of blood, but dawn brought incomparable gladness. Do not turn away from us, or we shall fall back into dust, but rather turn our mourning into joy by raising us up with Christ.


    ________

    Psalm 31 (32)
    The joy of the forgiven


    “David says that a man is blessed if God considers him righteous, irrespective of good deeds” (Rom 4:6).

    We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Alleluia.

    Happy the man whose offence is forgiven,
    whose sin is remitted.
    O happy the man to whom the Lord
    imputes no guilt,
    in whose spirit is no guile.

    I kept it secret and my frame was wasted.
    I groaned all day long,
    for night and day your hand
    was heavy upon me.
    Indeed my strength was dried up
    as by the summer’s heat.

    But now I have acknowledged my sins;
    my guilt I did not hide.
    I said: ‘I will confess
    my offence to the Lord.’
    And you, Lord, have forgiven
    the guilt of my sin.

    So let every good man pray to you
    in the time of need.
    The floods of water may reach high
    but him they shall not reach.
    You are my hiding place, O Lord;
    you save me from distress.
    You surround me with cries of deliverance.

    I will instruct you and teach you
    the way you should go;
    I will give you counsel
    with my eye upon you.

    Be not like horse and mule, unintelligent,
    needing bridle and bit,
    else they will not approach you.
    Many sorrows has the wicked
    but he who trusts in the Lord,
    loving mercy surrounds him.

    Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord,
    exult, you just!
    O come, ring out your joy,
    all you upright of heart.

    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.

    We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Alleluia.


    Psalm-prayer

    You desired, Lord, to keep from us your indignation and so did not spare Jesus Christ, who was wounded for our sins. We are your prodigal children but confessing our sins we come back to you. Embrace us that we may rejoice in your mercy together with Christ your beloved Son.


    ________

    Canticle
    Apocalypse 11
    The Judgement

    Lord, who is your like, majestic in strength and holiness? Alleluia.

    We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    who are and who were,
    that you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.

    The nations raged,
    but your wrath came,
    and the time for the dead to be judged,
    for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
    and those who fear your name,
    both small and great.

    Now the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God
    and the authority of his Christ have come,
    for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,
    who accuses them day and night before our God.

    And they have conquered him
    by the blood of the Lamb
    and by the word of their testimony,
    for they loved not their lives even unto death.
    Rejoice, then, O heaven,
    and you that dwell therein.

    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, who is your like, majestic in strength and holiness? Alleluia.


    ________

    Short Reading
    1 Peter 3:18,21-22

    Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life. And now you are saved, not by the washing off of physical dirt but by a pledge made to God from a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at God’s right hand, now that he has made the angels and Dominations and Powers his subjects.


    ________

    Short Responsory

    The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.
    – The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.
    They saw the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.
    – The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
    – The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.


    ________

    Canticle
    Magnificat
    My soul rejoices in the Lord

    I have told you these things so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. 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 have told you these things so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. Alleluia.


    ________

    Prayers and intercessions

    Christ has risen from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Let us praise him in our prayer.
    – Risen Lord, hear us.

    Lord, remember the Church you built on the apostles;
    bless all those who believe in you.
    – Risen Lord, hear us.

    You are the healer of body and soul;
    come to us with your salvation.
    – Risen Lord, hear us.

    Comfort the sick and renew their strength;
    deliver them from all pain and distress.
    – Risen Lord, hear us.

    Help the anguished and the oppressed;
    in your love uphold the needy.
    – Risen Lord, hear us.

    Through your cross and resurrection you have won immortal life;
    grant to our dead the joys of your kingdom.
    – Risen Lord, hear 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.


    ________


    Lord God,
    we were sinners and your grace made us holy,
    we were without hope and you filled us with joy.
    Stand by us in your saving work,
    and stay with us in your gifts of grace.
    May we never fail to persevere
    in the holiness that comes from faith.
    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.