Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

Lord, open my lips.

— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.[1]

Psalm 100

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

He made us, we belong to him,

we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Go within his gates, giving thanks.

Enter his courts with songs of praise.

Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

eternal his merciful love.

He is faithful from age to age.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

[1]Note: When we made the sung recordings (for the Invitatory and the psalmody for high rank celebrations) we used the Mundelein Psalter. The text is meant to facilitate singing so that’s the reason you may notice differences.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 615

Proper of Seasons: 463

Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 922

Christian Prayer:

Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN
Ave Maria, gratia plena

Dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulieribus

Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei

Ora pro nobis peccatoribus

Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae

Amen.

English Translation:

Hail Mary, full of grace

The Lord is with thee

Blessed are thou among women

Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Pray for us sinners

Now, and at the hour of our death

Amen.

𝄞"Ave Maria" by Gretchen Harris • Musical Score • Title: Ave Maria (Chant); Album: Sing of Mary; Music; Plainsong mode I; vocal: Gretchen Harris; Used with permission; Visit and thank Gretch at http://www.gretchen-harris.com;

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 None but the Lord has done such marvels; his love endures for ever.

Psalm 136

Paschal hymn

We praise God by recalling his marvelous deeds (Cassiodorus).

I

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his love endures for ever

Give thanks to the God of gods

for his love endures for ever

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his love endures for ever;

who alone has wrought marvelous works,

for his love endures for ever;

whose wisdom it was made the skies,

for his love endures for ever;

who fixed the earth firmly on the seas,

for his love endures for ever.

It was he who made the great lights,

for his love endures for ever;

the sun to rule in the day,

for his love endures for ever;

the moon and the stars in the night,

for his love endures for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. None but the Lord has done such marvels; his love endures for ever.

Ant. 2 He brought Israel out of Egypt with powerful hand and arm outstretched.

II

The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,

for his love endures for ever

He brought Israel out from the midst,

for his love endures for ever;

arm outstretched, with power in his hand,

for his love endures for ever.

He divided the Red Sea in two,

for his love endures for ever;

he made Israel pass through the midst,

for his love endures for ever;

he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea,

for his love endures for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. He brought Israel out of Egypt with powerful hand and arm outstretched.

Ant. 3 Give praise to the God of heaven; he has ransomed us from our enemies.

III

Through the desert his people he led,

for his love endures for ever

Nations in their greatness he struck,

for his love endures for ever

Kings in their splendor he slew,

for his love endures for ever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his love endures for ever;

and Og, the king of Bashan,

for his love endures for ever.

He let Israel inherit their land,

for his love endures for ever

On his servant their land he bestowed,

for his love endures for ever

He remembered us in our distress,

for his love endures for ever.

And he snatched us away from our foes,

for his love endures for ever

He gives food to all living things,

for his love endures for ever

To the God of heaven give thanks,

for his love endures for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

God, our Creator, how wonderfully you made us. You transformed dust into your own image and gave it a share in your own nature; yet you are more wonderful in pardoning the one who had rebelled against you. Grant that where sin has abounded, grace may more abound, so that we can become holier through forgiveness and be more grateful to you.

Ant. Give praise to the God of heaven; he has ransomed us from our enemies.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Lord, show me your ways.

— Teach me to walk in your footsteps.

READINGS

First reading

From the book of Wisdom

11:20b—12:2, 11b-19

Concerning the mercy and patience of God

You have disposed all things by measure and number and weight, O Lord.

For with you great strength abides always;

who can resist the might of your arm?

Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance,

or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.

But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;

and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.

For you love all things that are

and loathe nothing that you have made;

for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.

And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;

or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?

But you spare all things, because they

are yours, O Lord and lover of souls,

for your imperishable spirit is in all things!

Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,

warn them, and remind them of the sins they are committing,

that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!

Neither out of fear for anyone

did you grant amnesty for their sins.

For who can say to you, “What have you done?”

or who can oppose your decree?

Or when peoples perish, who can challenge you, their maker;

or who can come into your presence as vindicator of unjust men?

For neither is there any god besides you who have the care of all,

that you need show you have not unjustly condemned;

Nor can any king or prince confront you on behalf of

those you have punished.

But as you are just, you govern all things justly;

you regard it as unworthy of your power

to punish one who has incurred no blame.

For your might is the source of justice;

your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.

For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;

and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.

But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,

and with much lenience you govern us;

for power, whenever you will, attends you.

And you taught your people, by these deeds,

that those who are just must be kind;

And you gave your sons good ground for hope

that you would permit repentance for their sins.

RESPONSORY See Wisdom 11:24, 27; Sirach 36: 1

Lord, you show mercy to all and you despise nothing you have created. You overlook the sins of men, that they may be repentant and that you might spare them,

— because you are the Lord our God.

Look down on us with pity, and may the light of your mercy shine on us.

— Because you are the Lord our God.

Second reading

From a dialogue on Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin

How good and comforting is your spirit dwelling in all men, O Lord

With a look of mercy that revealed his indescribable kindness, God the Father spoke to Catherine:

Beloved daughter, everything I give to man comes from the love and care I have for him. I desire to show my mercy to the whole world and my protective love to all those who want it.

But in his ignorance man treats himself very cruelly. My care is constant, but he turns my life-giving gifts into a source of death. Yes, I created him with loving care and formed him in my image and likeness. I pondered, and I was moved by the beauty of my creation.

I gave him a memory to recall my goodness, for I wanted him to share in my own power. I gave him an intellect to know and understand my will through the wisdom of my Son, for I am the giver of every good gift and I love him with a father’s constant love. Through the Holy Spirit I gave him a will to love what he would come to know with his intellect.

In my loving care I did all this, so that he could know me and perceive my goodness and rejoice to see me for ever. But as I have recounted elsewhere, heaven had been closed off because of Adam’s disobedience. Immediately after his sin all manner of evil made its advance throughout the world.

So that I might commute the death consequent upon this disobedience, I attended to you with loving care—out of provident concern I handed over my only-begotten Son to make satisfaction for your needs. I demanded supreme obedience from him so that the human race might be freed of the poison which had infected the entire earth because of Adam’s disobedience. With eager love he submitted to a shameful death on the cross and by that death he gave you life, not merely human but divine.

RESPONSORY Psalm 17:8, 7

Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.

— Gather us under the shadow of your wings.

Show us your wonderful love, O Savior of all who seek refuge in you.

— Gather us under the shadow of your wings.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty

ever-living God,

increase our faith,

hope and charity,

and make us love what you command,

so that we may merit what you promise.

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.

— Amen.

Acclamation (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 654

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 962

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 618

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 926

Christian Prayer:

Ordinary: 689

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 845

Morning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN
As light of day returns once more,

With joyful voices let us sing,

To God of glory infinite,

To Christ our Lord for all his grace.

Through whom the great Creator's will

Called day and night from nothingness,

Appointing them successive law,

Till time itself shall pass away.

True light of every faithful soul

Unfettered by the law of old;

No shades of night can fall that dim

Your dazzling and undying light.

O Father, uncreated Light,

Be with us as the hours go by,

That we may please your Son this day,

Filled with the Holy Spirit's pow'r. Amen.

𝄞"As Light of Day Returns Once More" by Kathleen Lundquist • Available for Purchase • Title: As Light of Day Returns Once More; Text: 7th-8th c.; Tr. St. Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode IV; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 As morning breaks we sing of your mercy, Lord, and night will find us proclaiming your fidelity.

Psalm 92

Praise of God the Creator

Sing in praise of Christ’s redeeming work (Saint Athanasius)

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

and your truth in the watches of the night,

on the ten-stringed lyre and the lute,

with the murmuring sound of the harp.

Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad;

for the work of your hands I shout with joy.

O Lord, how great are your works!

How deep are your designs!

The foolish man cannot know this

and the fool cannot understand.

Though the wicked spring up like grass

and all who do evil thrive:

they are doomed to be eternally destroyed.

But you, Lord, are eternally on high.

See how your enemies perish;

all doers of evil are scattered.

To me you give the wild-ox’s strength;

you anoint me with the purest oil.

My eyes looked in triumph on my foes;

my ears heard gladly of their fall.

The just will flourish like the palm-tree

and grow like a Lebanon cedar.

Planted in the house of the Lord

they will flourish in the courts of our God,

still bearing fruit when they are old,

still full of sap, still green,

to proclaim that the Lord is just;

In him, my rock, there is no wrong.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Take our shame away from us, Lord, and make us rejoice in your saving works. May all who have been chosen by your Son always abound in works of faith, hope, and love in your service.

Ant. As morning breaks we sing of your mercy, Lord, and night will find us proclaiming your fidelity.

Ant.2 Extol the greatness of our God.

Canticle – Deuteronomy 32:1-12

God’s kindness to his people

How often have I longed to gather your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wing. (Matthew 23:37)

Give ear, O heavens, while I speak;

let the earth hearken to the words of my mouth!

May my instruction soak in like the rain,

and my discourse permeate like the dew,

Like a downpour upon the grass,

like a shower upon the crops:

For I will sing the Lord’s renown.

Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!

The Rock – how faultless are his deeds,

how right all his ways!

A faithful God, without deceit,

how just and upright he is!

Yet basely has he been treated by his degenerate children,

a perverse and crooked race!

Is the Lord to be thus repaid by you,

O stupid and foolish people?

Is he not your father who created you?

Has he not made you and established you?

Think back on the days of old,

reflect on the years of age upon age.

Ask your father and he will inform you,

ask your elders and they will tell you:

When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,

when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,

He set up the boundaries of the peoples

after the number of the sons of God;

While the Lord’s own portion was Jacob,

His hereditary share was Israel.

He found them in a wilderness,

a wasteland of howling desert.

He shielded them and cared for them,

guarding them as the apple of his eye.

As an eagle incites its nestlings forth

by hovering over its brood,

So he spread his wings to receive them

and bore them up on his pinions.

The Lord alone was their leader,

no strange god was with him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Extol the greatness of our God.

Ant. 3 How wonderful is your name, O Lord, in all creation.

Psalm 8

Praise for God’s loving compassion

I affirm that… the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9)

How great is your name, O Lord our God,

through all the earth!

Your majesty is praised above the heavens;

on the lips of children and of babes

you have found praise to foil your enemy,

to silence the foe and the rebel.

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,

the moon and the stars which you arranged,

what is man that you should keep him in mind,

mortal man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god;

with glory and honor you crowned him,

gave him power over the works of your hands,

put all things under his feet.

All of them, sheep and cattle,

yes, even the savage beasts,

birds of the air, and fish

that make their way through the waters.

How great is your name, O Lord our God

through all the earth!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Almighty Lord, how wonderful is your name. You have made every creature subject to you; make us worthy to give you service.

Ant. How wonderful is your name, O Lord, in all creation.

READING Romans 12:14-16a

Bless your persecutors; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same attitude toward all. Put away ambitious thoughts and associate with those who are lowly.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

It is my joy, O God, to praise you with song.

— It is my joy, O God, to praise you with song.

To sing as I ponder your goodness

— to praise you with song.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

— It is my joy, O God, to praise you with song.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:68 – 79

The Messiah and his forerunner

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 to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us celebrate the kindness and wisdom of Christ, He offers his love and understanding to all men,

especially to the suffering. Let us earnestly pray to him:

Perfect us in love, Lord.

This morning we recall your resurrection,

— and we long for the benefits of your redemption.

Perfect us in love, Lord.

Grant that we bear witness to you today, Lord,

— and offer an acceptable gift to the Father through you.

Perfect us in love, Lord.

Enable us to see your image in all men.

— and to serve you in them.

Perfect us in love, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you are the true vine and we are the branches,

— allow us to remain in you, to bear much fruit and to give glory to the Father.

Perfect us in love, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,

we praise you

with our lips,

and with our lives and hearts.

Our very existence is a gift from you;

to you we offer all that we have and are.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

— Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,

protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.

— Amen.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 659

Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning)

Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 971 (Midmorning)

Midmorning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.

— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN
Breathe on me, Breath of God,

fill me with life anew,

that I may love what thou dost love,

and do what thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

until my heart is pure,

until with thee I have one will,

to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

till I am wholly thine,

till all this earthly part of me

glows with thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

so shall I never die,

but live with thee the perfect life

of thine eternity.

𝄞"O Breathe on Me, Breath of God" by Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath • Musical Score • Title: Breathe on Me, Breath of God; Text: Edwin Hatch, 1835-1889; Music: Robert Jackson, 1842-1914; Tune: TRENTHAM, Meter: SM; Artist: Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath; Used by permission

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120

Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress

I call and he answers me.

“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,

from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,

O treacherous tongue?

The warrior’s arrows sharpened

and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,

dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling

with those who hate peace.

I am for peace, but when I speak,

they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121

Guardian of his people

Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;

from where shall come my help?

My help shall come from the Lord

who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!

Let him sleep not, your guard.

No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,

Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;

at your right side he stands.

By day the sun shall not smite you

nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,

he will guard your soul.

The Lord will guard your going and coming

both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122

The holy city, Jerusalem

You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

Let us go to God’s house.

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgment

of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

“Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: Peace upon you.

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING Deuteronomy 8:5b-6

The Lord, your God, disciplines you even as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, by walking in his ways and fearing him.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)

A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever.

— The decrees of the Lord are true and all of them just.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God, all-powerful Father,

fill your people with the light of your Holy Spirit,

that, safe from every enemy,

we may rejoice in singing your praises.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 659

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 968

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 623

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week II, 932

Midday Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using the Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.

— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day

The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street

But the crowd pressed in to see

The Man condemned to die on Calvary.

He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back

And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head

And He bore with every step

The scorn of those who cried out for His death.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering

Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,

But He chose to walk that road out of

His love for you and me

Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalén

Los soldados le abrian paso a Jesus

Mas la gente se acercaba

Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.

Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor

Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Señor

Y fue El quién quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi

Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir

The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men

Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering

Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King

But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me

Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

𝄞"Via Dolorosa" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Title: Via Dolorsa; Text: Billy Sprague and Niles Borop; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Copyright Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.

Psalm 119:81-88

XI (Caph)

I yearn for your saving help;

I hope in your word.

My eyes yearn to see your promise.

When will you console me?

Though parched and exhausted with waiting

I have not forgotten your commands.

How long must your servant suffer?

When will you judge my foes?

For me the proud have dug pitfalls,

against your law.

Your commands are all true; then help me

when lies oppress me.

They almost made an end of me on earth

but I kept your precepts.

Because of your love give me life

and I will do your will.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

When evil seems to triumph, Lord, and our hope begins to fail, give us courage and perseverance in doing your will.

Ant. Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.

Ant. 2 Lord, you are my hope, a strong citadel against my enemies.

Psalm 61

Prayer of an exile

The prayer of the just man who places his hope in the things of heaven (Saint Hilary).

O God, hear my cry!

Listen to my prayer!

From the end of the earth I call:

my heart is faint.

On the rock too high for me to reach

set me on high,

O you who have been my refuge,

my tower against the foe.

Let me dwell in your tent for ever

and hide in the shelter of your wings.

For you, O God, hear my prayer,

grant me the heritage of those who fear you.

May you lengthen the life of the king:

may his years cover many generations.

May he sit ever enthroned before God:

bid love and truth be his protection.

So I will always praise your name

and day after day fulfill my vows.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, love and truth of the Father, you came to earth to relieve the pain of our exile; you took our weakness as your own. Uphold us when our hearts grow faint until we stand with you before God and praise your name.

Ant. Lord, you are my hope, a strong citadel against my enemies.

Ant. 3 O Lord, guard my life from the menace of the foe.

Psalm 64

Prayer for help against enemies

This psalm commemorates most particularly our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).

Hear my voice, O God, as I complain,

guard my life from dread of the foe.

Hide me from the band of the wicked,

from the throng of those who do evil.

They sharpen their tongues like swords;

they aim bitter words like arrows

to shoot at the innocent from ambush,

shooting suddenly and recklessly.

They scheme their evil course;

they conspire to lay secret snares.

They say: “Who will see us?

Who can search out our crimes?”

He will search who searches the mind

and knows the depth of the heart.

God has shot them with his arrow

and dealt them sudden wounds.

Their own tongue has brought them to ruin

and all who see them mock.

Then will all men fear;

they will tell what God has done.

They will understand God’s deeds.

The just will rejoice in the Lord

and fly to him for refuge.

All the upright hearts will glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, you gave your Son victory over the men who plotted evil against him; when he cried to you in his agony, you delivered him from fear of his enemies. May those who suffer with him in this life find refuge and success in you.

Ant. O Lord, guard my life from the menace of the foe.

READING 1 Kings 2:2b-3

Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees, that you may succeed in whatever you do.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Guide me, Lord, in the way of your precepts.

— For this is all I desire.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord,

fill us with the resplendent light

of your eternal love.

May we love you above all things,

and our brothers for your sake.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.