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.
Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us did fast and pray,
Teach us with you to mourn our sins
and close by you to stay.
As you with Satan did contend,
and did the victory win,
O give us strength in you to fight,
in you to conquer sin.
As you did hunger and did thirst,
So teach us gracious Lord,
To die to self and so to live
By your most holy word.
Abide with us, that through this life
Of suff’ring and of pain,
An Easter of unending joy
We may at last attain.
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1 Awake, lyre and harp, with praise let us awake the dawn.
.
Psalm 57
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I call to you God the Most High,
to you who have always been my help.
May you send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
O God, send your truth and your love.
My soul lies down among lions,
who would devour the sons of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharpened sword.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
They laid a snare for my steps
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path
but fell in it themselves.
My heart is ready, O God,
my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul;
awake, lyre and harp,
I will awake the dawn.
I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
among the nations I will praise you
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son.
Antiphon 1: Awake, lyre and harp, with praise let us awake the dawn.
Antiphon 2: My people, says the Lord, will be filled with my blessings.
Canticle – Jeremiah 31:10-14
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
proclaim it on distant coasts, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
The Lord shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen;
They themselves shall be like watered gardens,
never again shall they languish.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
I will lavish choice portions upon the priests,
and my people shall be filled with my blessings,
says the Lord. Glory…
Antiphon 2: My people, says the Lord, will be filled with my blessings.
Antiphon 3: The Lord is great and worthy to be praised in the city of our God.
Psalm 48
The Lord is great and worthy to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain rises in beauty,
the joy of all the earth.
Mount Zion, true pole of the earth,
the Great King’s city!
God, in the midst of its citadels,
has shown himself its stronghold.
For the kings assembled together,
together they advanced.
They saw; at once they were astounded;
dismayed, they fled in fear.
A trembling seized them there,
like the pangs of birth.
By the east wind you have destroyed
the ships of Tarshish.
As we have heard, so we have seen
in the city of our God,
in the city of the Lord of hosts
which God upholds for ever.
O God, we ponder your love
within your temple.
Your praise, O God, like your name
reaches the ends of the earth.
With justice your right hand is filled.
Mount Zion rejoices;
the people of Judah rejoice
at the sight of your judgments.
Walk through Zion, walk all round it;
count the number of its towers.
Review all its ramparts,
examine its castles,
that you may tell the next generation
that such is our God,
our God for ever and always.
It is he who leads us. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Father, the body of your risen Son is the temple not made by human hands and the defending wall of the new Jerusalem. May this holy city, built of living stones, shine with spiritual radiance and witness to your greatness in the sight of all nations.
Antiphon 3: The Lord is great and worthy to be praised in the city of our God.
Opening Prayer (please stand)
All sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
INTERCESSIONS (Universal Prayer)
Christ our Lord came among us as the light of the world, that we might walk in his light, and not in the darkness of death. Let us praise him and cry out to him:
Let your word be a lamp to guide us.
God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness,
– that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ.
Let your word be a lamp to guide us,
– that we may live the truth and grow always in your love.
Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake,
– that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your Church.
Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more,
– and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.
Presider:
Bestow on us, we pray, O Lord, a spirit of always pondering on what is right
and of hastening to carry it out, and, since without you we cannot exist,
may we be enabled to live according to your will.
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: If you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven pour out his gifts on all who pray to him.
(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: If you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven pour out his gifts on all who pray to him.
Prayer After Communion
Dismissal & Final Blessing