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.
Led by the Spirit of our God,
We go to fast and pray
With Christ into the wilderness;
We join his paschal way.
“Rend not your garments, rend your hearts. Turn back your lives to me.”
Thus says our kind and gracious God, Whose reign is liberty.
Led by the Spirit, we confront Temptation face to face,
And know full well we must rely On God’s redeeming grace. On bread alone we cannot live, But nourished by the Word
We seek the will of God to do: This is our drink and food.
Antiphon 1: Give joy to your servant, Lord, to you I lift up my heart.
Psalm 86
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.
turn and take pity on me.
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…
You guided your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 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.
Isaiah 33:13-16
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.
Psalm 98
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)
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a new creation in himself, when all would be made new. With great confidence let us ask him:
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.
Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your Spirit, – that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit, – and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.Free us from all negligence and sloth, – and give us joy in your gifts of grace.Deliver us from evil, – and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness
Presider: Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, schooled through Lenten observance
and nourished by your word, through holy restraint we may be devoted to you with all our heart and be ever united in prayer. 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.
(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: The Lord said: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
(While making the Sign of the Cross, we pray the following)
Blest be the God of Israel who comes to set us free
and raises up new hope for us: a Branch for David’s tree.
So have the prophets long declared that with a mighty arm
God would turn back our enemies and all who wish us harm
.
With promised mercy will God still the covenant recall,
the oath once sworn to Abraham from foes to save us all;
that we might worship without fear and offer lives of praise,
in holiness and righteousness to serve God all our days.
My child, as prophet of the Lord you will prepare the way,
to tell God’s people they are saved from sin’s eternal sway.
Then shall God’s mercy from on high shine forth and never cease
to drive away the gloom of death and lead us into peace.
Antiphon: The Lord said: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
Prayer After Communion
(Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help)
Dismissal & Final Blessing
MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF CHRIST WHAT SHALL I ASK OF THEE?
I DO NOT SIGH FOR THE WEALTH OF EARTH FOR THE JOYS THAT FADE AND FLEE, BUT…MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF CHRIST THIS DO I LONG TO SEE THE BLISS UNTOLD WHICH YOUR ARMS ENFOLD THE TREASURE UPON YOUR KNEE
MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF CHRIST I TOSS ON A STORMY SEA
OH LIFT YOUR CHILD AS A BEACON LIGHT TO THE PORT WHERE I FAIN WOULD BE, AND…MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF CHRIST THIS DO I ASK OF THEE WHEN THE VOYAGE IS O’ER
OH STAND ON THE SHORE AND SHOW HIM AT LAST TO ME.