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.
Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep!
A new day is dawning for all those who weep.
The people in darkness have seen a great light.
The Lord of our longing has conquered the night.
Refrain: Let us build the city of God.
May our tears be turned into dancing!
For the Lord, our light and our love,
has turned the night into day!
We are sons of the morning; we are daughters of day.
The One who has loved us has brightened our way.
The Lord of all kindness has called us to be
a light for his people to set their hearts free.
(Refrain)
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1: Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Psalm 80
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
God of hosts bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Lord God of hosts, how long will you frown on your people’s plea? You have fed them with tears for their bread, and abundance of tears for their drink. You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, our enemies laugh us to scorn.
God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
You brought a vine out of Egypt; to plant it you drove out the nations. Before it you cleared the ground; it took root and spread through the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow,the cedars of God with its boughs.It stretched out its branches to the sea,to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.
Then why have you broken down its walls? It is plucked by all who pass by. It is ravaged by the boar of the forest, devoured by the beasts of the field.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore, look down from heaven and see. Visit the vine and protect it, the vine your right hand has planted. They have burnt it with fire and destroyed it. May they perish at the frown of your face.
May your hand be on the man you have chosen, the man you have given your strength. And we shall never forsake you again; give us life that we may call upon your name.
God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord God, eternal shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us remain in your Son as branches on the vine, that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere.
Antiphon 1: Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Antiphon 2: The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Canticle – Isaiah 12:1-6
I give you thanks, O Lord;
though you have been angry with me,
your anger has abated, and you have consoled me.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel! Glory…
Antiphon 2: The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Antiphon 3: Ring out your joy to God our strength.
Psalm 81
Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;
blow the trumpet at the new moon,
when the moon is full, on our feast.
For this is Israel’s law,
a command of the God of Jacob.
He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,
when he went out against the land of Egypt.
A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.
I answered, concealed in the storm cloud;
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, to my warning.
O Israel, if only you would heed!
Let there be on foreign god among you.
no worship of an alien god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people did not heed my voice
and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
to follow their own designs.
O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.
The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last for ever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock.” Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord God, open our mouths to proclaim your glory. Help us to leave sin behind and to rejoice in professing your name.
Antiphon 3 Ring out your joy to God our strength.
Opening Prayer (please stand)
All sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
INTERCESSIONS (Universal Prayer)
Let us pray to God our Father who sent his Son to save mankind:
Show us your mercy, Lord!
Father most merciful, we confess our faith in your Christ with our words,
-keep us from denying him in our actions.
You have sent your Son to rescue us,
-remove every sorrow from the face of the earth and from our country.
Our land looks forward with delight to the approach of your Son,
-let it experience the fullness of your joy.
Through your mercy make us live holy and chaste lives in this world,
-eagerly awaiting the blessed hope and coming of Christ in glory.
Presider:
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the paths
of your Only Begotten Son, that through his coming,
we may be found worthy to serve you with minds made pure.
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)
Lord’s Prayer Pater noster, qui es in cælis Sanctificétur nomen tuum Advéniat regnum tuum Fiat volúntas tua Sicut in cælo et in terra Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie Et dimítte nobis débita nostra Sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem Sed libera nos a malo
After Holy Communion, all stand for the Benedictus.
BENEDICTUS/Canticle of Zachariah Benedictus – Luke 1: 68-79
Antiphon: I will help you, says the Lord; I am your saviour, the Holy one of Israel,
(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: I will help you, says the Lord; I am your saviour, the Holy one of Israel,
Prayer After Communion
Dismissal & Final Blessing