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.
O God of light, the dawning day
Gives us new promise of your love.
Each fresh beginning is your gift,
Like gentle dew from heav‘n above.
Your blessings, Father, never fail:
Your Son, who is our daily Bread,
The Holy Spirit of your love,
By whom each day your children are led.
Make us the servant of your peace,
Renew our strength, remove all fear;
Be with us, Lord, throughout this day,
For all is joy if you are near.
To Father, Son and Spirit blest,
One only God, we humbly pray;
Show us the splendor of your light
In death, the dawn of perfect day.
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.
Psalm 143:1-11
Lord, listen to my prayer:
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer.
Do not call your servant to judgment
for no one is just in your sight.
The enemy pursues my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails;
my heart is numb within me.
I remember the days that are past:
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought
and to you I stretch out my hands.
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.
Lord, make haste and answer;
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face
lest I become like those in the grave.
In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk:
to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me
in ways that are level and smooth.
For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life;
in your justice save my soul from distress. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord Jesus, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgment with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice.
Antiphon 1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.
Antiphon 2: Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.
Canticle – Isaiah 66:10-14a
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
all you who love her;
Exult, exult with her,
all you who were mourning over her!
Oh, that you may suck fully
of the milk of her comfort,
That you may nurse with delight
at her abundant breasts!
For thus says the Lord:
Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.
As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms,
and fondled in her lap;
As a mother comforts her son,
so will I comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
and your bodies flourish like the grass. Glory…
Antiphon 2: Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.
Antiphon 3: Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.
Psalm 147:1-11
Praise the Lord for he is good;
sing to our God for he is loving:
to him our praise is due.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem
and brings back Israel’s exiles,
he heals the broken-hearted,
he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars;
he calls each one by its name.
Our Lord is great and almighty;
his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly;
he humbles the wicked to the dust.
O sing to the Lord giving thanks;
sing psalms to our God with the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares the rain for the earth,
making mountains sprout with grass
and with plants to serve man’s needs.
He provides the beasts with their food
and young ravens that call upon him.
His delight is not in horses
nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength.
The Lord delights in those who revere him,
in those who wait for his love. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: God our Father, great builder of the heavenly Jerusalem, you know the number of the stars and call each of them by name. Heal hearts that are broken, gather together those who have been scattered, and enrich us all from the plenitude of your eternal wisdom.
Antiphon 3: Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.
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:
Almighty ever-living God,
as we see how the Nativity of your Son
according to the flesh draws near,
we pray that to us, your unworthy servants,
mercy may flow from your Word,
who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary
and establish among us his dwelling,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
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 PrayerPater noster, qui es in cælisSanctificétur nomen tuumAdvéniat regnum tuumFiat volúntas tuaSicut in cælo et in terraPanem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie
Et dimítte nobis débita nostraSicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris
Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónemSed libera nos a malo
After Holy Communion, all stand for the Benedictus.
BENEDICTUS/Canticle of Zachariah Benedictus – Luke 1: 68-79
Antiphon: All that God promised to the virgin through the message of the angel has been accomplished.
(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: All that God promised to the virgin through the message of the angel has been accomplished.
Prayer After Communion
Dismissal & Final Blessing