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.
Morning has broken, like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird!
Praise for the singing! praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning
Gods recreation of the new day!
Antiphon 1: Give joy to your servant, Lord, to you I lift up my heart.
Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
save the servant who trusts in you.
You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,
for I cry to you all the day long.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord,
for to you I lift up my soul.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my voice.
In the day of distress I will call
and surely you will reply.
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
nor work to compare with yours.
All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvelous deeds,
you who alone are God.
Show me, Lord, your way
so that I may walk in your truth.
Guide my heart to fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart
and glorify your name for ever;
for your love to me has been great:
you have saved me from the depths of the grave.
The proud have risen against me;
ruthless men seek my life;
to you they pay no heed.
But you, God of mercy and compassion,
slow to anger, O Lord,
abounding in love and truth,
turn and take pity on me.
O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid’s child.
Show me the sign of your favor
that my foes may see to their shame
that you console me and give me your help. Glory…
Psalm Prayer:God of mercy and goodness, when Christ called out to you in torment, you heard him and gave him victory over death because of his love for you. We already know the affection you have for us; fill us with a great love of your name, and we will proclaim you more boldly before men and happily lead them to celebrate your glory.
Antiphon 1: Give joy to your servant, Lord, to you I lift up my heart.
Antiphon 2 Blessed is the upright man, who speaks the truth.
Hear, you who are far off,
what I have done;
you who are near,
acknowledge my might.
On Zion sinners are in dread,
trembling grips the impious:
“Who of us can live with the consuming fire?
who of us can live with the everlasting flames?”
He who practices virtue and speaks honestly,
who spurns what is gained by oppression,
Brushing his hands free of contact with a bribe,
stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed,
closing his eyes lest he look on evil.
He shall dwell on the heights,
his stronghold shall be the rocky fastness,
his food and drink in steady supply. Glory…
Antiphon 2 Blessed is the upright man, who speaks the truth.
Antiphon 3 Let us celebrate with joy in the presence of our Lord and King.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand, his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder;
the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy
at the presence of the Lord: for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have revealed your justice to all nations. We stood condemned and you came to be judged in our place. Send your saving power on us and when you come in glory bring your mercy to those for whom you were condemned
Antiphon 3 Let us celebrate with joy in the presence of our Lord and King.
All sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
After the Homily:
INTERCESSIONS (Universal Prayer)
The Word of God humbled himself to dwell with us so that we might see his glory. Rejoicing in hope, let us call upon him:
Emmanuel, be with us.
Ruler, just and righteous, – Bring justice to the poor and the oppressed.
King of peace, you beat swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, – Turn hatred into love and our grievances into forgiveness.
You do not judge by appearances, – Recognize those who are your own.
When you come with power and might upon the clouds, -Grant that we may come before you without shame.
Presider:
Father, may the coming celebration of the birth of your Son
Bring us your saving help and prepare us for eternal life.
Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit
One God for ever and ever.
(All are seated for the Liturgy of the Eucharist)
After Holy Communion, all stand for the Benedictus.
BENEDICTUS/Canticle of Zachariah Benedictus – Luke 1: 68-79
Antiphon: Be comforted, my people; be comforted says the Lord your God.
(While making the Sign of the Cross, we pray the following)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory…
Antiphon: Be comforted, my people; be comforted says the Lord your God.
Prayer After Communion
(Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help)
Dismissal & Final Blessing