Introductory Rite:
God, come to my assistance R/ Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
R/ as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
The coming of our God
Our thoughts must now employ:
Then let us meet him on the road
With songs of holy joy.
The co-eternal Son
A maiden’s offspring see:
A servant’s form Christ putteth on,
To make his people free.
Daughet of Sion, rise
To greet thine infant-King,
And do not thanklessly despise
The pardon he doth bring.
In glory from his throne
Again will Christ descend,
And summon all that are his own
To joys that never end.
Let deeds of darkness fly
Before the approaching morn,
For onto sin ’tis ours to die,
And serve the Virgin-horn.
Our joyful praises sing
To Christ, that set us free;
Like tribute to the Father bring,
And, Holy Ghost, to thee.
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1:Lord, keep my soul from death; never let me stumble.
I love the Lord for he has heard
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me
in the day when I called him.
They surrounded me, the snares of death,
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress.
I called on the Lord’s name.
O Lord, my God, deliver me!
How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.
Turn back, my soul, to your rest
for the Lord has been good;
he has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living. Glory…
Psalm Prayer:
God of power and mercy, through your Son’s passion and resurrection you have freed us from the bonds of death and the anguish of separation from you. Be ever with us on our pilgrimage; then we shall sing rather than weep. Keep our feet from stumbling, so that we may be able to follow you until we come to eternal rest.
Antiphon 1: Lord, keep my soul from death; never let me stumble.
Antiphon 2. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth
I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.
The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared a quiet place for us in your Father’s eternal home. Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey, shade us from the burning heat of day, and keep our lives free of evil until the end.
Antiphon 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth
.Antiphon 3 King of all the ages, your ways are perfect and true.
Mighty and wonderful are your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who would dare refuse you honor,
or the glory due your name, O Lord?
Since you alone are holy,
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence.
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen. Glory…
.Antiphon 3 King of all the ages, your ways are perfect and true.
READING 2 Peter 3:8b-9
In the Lord’s eyes, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day. The Lord does not delay in keeping his promise – though some consider it delay. Rather, he shows you generous patience, since he wants none to perish but all to come to repentance.
RESPONSORY
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
Let your face shine upon us and we shall be saved,
Lord God of power and might.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Rejoicing you shall draw water from the wellsprings of the Saviour.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father…
Antiphon: Rejoicing you shall draw water from the wellsprings of the Saviour.
INTERCESSIONS
To our Redeemer who came to bring good news to the poor, let us earnestly pray:
Let all people see your glory!
Show yourself to those who have never known you;
– let them see your saving work.
Let your name be preached to the ends of the earth,
– that all may find the way to you.
You came first to save the world;
– now come again and save those who believe in you.
You brought freedom to us by saving us;
– continue to save us and make us free.
You came once as a man; you will return in judgment;
– bring eternal reward to those who have died.
Lord’s Prayer
COLLECT
Grant that your people, we pray, almighty God,
may be ever watchful
for the coming of your Only Begotten Son,
that, as the author of our salvation himself has taught us,
we may hasten, alert and with lighted lamps,
to meet him when he comes.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Final Blessing and Dismissal