INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
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. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
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
During the night or at dawn:
Christ our Creator, who restore all ages,
Judge awe-inspiring, King of kings eternal,
hear our petitions and receive our praises
in your compassion.
Through the night watches, grant that we may please you
with prayers and anthems, Source of light eternal;
hearten and guide us, grant us true devotion
and lasting concord.
Send days of blessing, born of righteous virtue,
that all our actions may reflect your glory;
grant us your wisdom, life that knows no dying,
now and for ever.
Lovingly kindle, stir the depths within us,
make our hearts watchful, filled with fire from heaven,
that we may ever hold with hands uplifted
lamps burning brightly.
Let equal praises honor God the Father
and you our Savior, loving King eternal;
through all creation let the Spirit’s glory
echo for ever. Amen.
Tune: ISTE CONFESSOR (ROUEN/POITIERS) 11 11 11 5
Music: from the Poitiers Antiphoner, 1746
or Mode I, melody 9; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: O sator rerum, reparatur ævi, ca. 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
During the day:
Christ, life and goodness, light of truth most holy,
joy of creation, source of boundless mercy,
who by your life-blood have redeemed and saved us
from death unending,
Lord, we implore you: Plant your love within us,
fill us with greater charity and mercy;
pour faith upon us, mind and heart infusing
with light eternal.
Guard and protect us from the wiles of Satan,
that proud deceiver shattered by your power;
send down the Spirit from your throne of mercy,
Lord, to assist us.
Glory and power to the eternal Father,
praise to you always, Son and Sole-begotten,
with whom the Spirit, in all things your equal,
reigns through the ages. Amen.
Tune: As above
Text: Christe, lux vera, bonitas et vita, ca. 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Psalm 39
Urgent prayer of a sick person
Creation is made subject to futility . . . by him who subjected it, but it is not without hope (Romans 8:20).
I
I said: “I will be watchful of my ways *
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips *
when the wicked man stands before me.”
I was dumb, silent and still. *
His prosperity stirred my grief.
My heart was burning within me. *
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech: *
“O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days. *
Now I know how fleeting is my life.
You have given me a short span of days; *
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm, *
a mere shadow, the man passing by,
a mere breath the riches he hoards, *
not knowing who will have them.”
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. We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Ant. 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
II
And now, Lord, what is there to wait for? *
In you rests all my hope.
Set me free from all my sins, *
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I was silent, not opening my lips, *
because this was all your doing.
Take away your scourge from me. *
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
You punish man’s sins and correct him; *
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath; *
O Lord, hear my prayer.
O Lord, turn your ear to my cry. *
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest, *
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
Look away that I may breathe again *
before I depart to be no more.
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
Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.
Ant. Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
Ant. 3 I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
Psalm 52
Against a calumniator
If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Why do you boast of your wickedness, *
you champion of evil,
planning ruin all day long, †
your tongue like a sharpened razor, *
you master of deceit?
You love evil more than good; *
lies more than truth.
You love the destructive word, *
you tongue of deceit.
For this God will destroy you *
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you *
from the land of the living.
The just shall see and fear. *
They shall laugh and say:
“So this is the man who refused *
to take God as his stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth *
and grew powerful by his crimes.”
But I am like a growing olive tree *
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God *
for ever and ever.
I will thank you for evermore; *
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good, *
in the presence of your friends.
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 cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.
Ant. I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
I put my trust in the word of the Lord.
— All my hope is in him.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of the prophet Amos
9:1-15
The salvation of the just
I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said:
Strike the bases, so that the doorjambs totter
till you break them off on the heads of them all!
Those who are left I will slay with the sword;
not one shall flee,
no survivor shall escape.
Though they break through to the nether world,
even from there my hand shall bring them out;
Though they climb to the heavens,
I will bring them down;
Though they hide on the summit of Carmel,
there too I will hunt them out and take them away;
Though they hide from my gaze
in the bottom of the sea,
I will command the serpent there to bite them;
Though they are led into captivity by their enemies,
there will I command the sword to slay them.
I will fix my gaze upon them
for evil, and not for good,
I, the Lord God of hosts.
I melt the earth with my touch,
so that all who dwell on it mourn,
While it all rises up like the Nile,
and settles back like the river of Egypt;
I have built heaven, my upper chamber,
and established my vault over the earth;
I summon the waters of the sea
and pour them upon the surface of the earth,
I, the Lord by name.
Are you not like the Ethiopians to me,
O men of Israel, says the Lord?
Did I not bring the Israelites from the land of Egypt
as I brought the Philistines from Caphtor
and the Arameans from Kir?
The eyes of the Lord God are on this sinful kingdom;
I will destroy it from off the face of the earth.
But I will not destroy the house of Jacob completely,
says the Lord.
For see, I have given the command
to sift the house of Israel among all the nations,
As one sifts with a sieve,
letting no pebble fall to the ground.
By the sword shall all sinners among my people die,
those who say, “Evil will not reach or overtake us.”
On that day I will raise up
the fallen hut of David;
I will wall up its breaches,
raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old,
That they may conquer what is left of Edom
and all the nations that shall bear my name,
say I, the Lord, who will do this.
Yes, days are coming,
says the Lord,
When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
and the vintager, him who sows the seed;
The juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains,
and all the hills shall run with it.
I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel;
they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities,
Plant vineyards and drink the wine,
set out gardens and eat the fruits.
I will plant them upon their own ground;
never again shall they be plucked
From the land I have given them,
say I, the Lord, your God.
RESPONSORY
See Acts 15:16-17, 14
That the rest of mankind and all peoples who hear my name
may seek the Lord,
— I shall return and rebuild the fallen house of David,
says the Lord.
As Scripture says:
God came to choose from among the Gentiles
a people to bear his name.
— I shall return and rebuild the fallen house of David,
says the Lord.
SECOND READING
From a letter attributed to Barnabas
(Cap. 19, 1-3. 5-7. 8-12: Funk 1, 53-57)
The way of light
Consider now the way of light; any man who is bent on reaching his appointed goal must be very careful in all he does. Now these are the directions that have been given to us for this journey: love your Creator; reverence your Maker; give glory to him who redeemed you when you were dead; be single-minded but rich in spiritual treasure; avoid those who travel down death’s highway; hate whatever is displeasing to God; detest all hypocritical pretense; do not abandon God’s commandments. Do not put on airs, but be modest whatever you do; claim no credit for yourself. Plot no evil against your neighbor, and do not give pride an entrance into your heart.
Love your neighbor more than your own life. Do not kill an unborn child through abortion, nor destroy it after birth. Do not refrain from chastising son or daughter, but bring them up from childhood in the fear of the Lord. Do not set your heart on what belongs to your neighbor and do not give in to greed. Do not associate with the arrogant but cultivate those who are humble and virtuous.
Accept as a blessing whatever comes your way in the knowledge that nothing ever happens without God’s concurrence. Avoid duplicity in thought or in word, for such deception is a deadly snare.
Share with your neighbor whatever you have, and do not say of anything, this is mine. If you both share an imperishable treasure, how much more must you share what is perishable. Do not be hasty in speech; the mouth is a deadly snare. For your soul’s good, make every effort to live chastely. Do not hold out your hand for what you can get, only to withdraw it when it comes to giving. Cherish as the apple of your eye anyone who speaks to you of the word of the Lord.
Night and day you will bear in mind the hour of judgment; every day you will seek out the company of God’s faithful, either by preaching the word, earnestly exhorting them, ever considering how you can save souls by your eloquence, or else by working with your hands to make reparation for your past sins.
Never hesitate to give, and when you do give, never grumble; then you will know the one who will repay you. Preserve the traditions you have received, adding nothing and taking nothing away. The evildoer will ever be hateful to you. Be fair in your judgments. Never stir dissension, but act as peacemaker and reconcile the quarrelsome. Confess your sins, and do not begin to pray with a guilty conscience.
Such then is the way of light.
RESPONSORY
Psalm 119:101-102
I keep my foot from every evil path,
— that I may keep your word, O Lord.
I do not turn away from your ordinances,
for you have instructed me.
— That I may keep your word, O Lord.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Father of everlasting goodness,
our origin and guide,
be close to us
and hear the prayers of all who praise you.
Forgive our sins and restore us to life.
Keep us safe in your love.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
Draw near to your servants, O Lord,
and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness,
that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide,
you may restore what you have created
and keep safe what you have restored.
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
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
******
Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
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. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
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. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
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. Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam:
Refrain:
O praise him, O praise him!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou rushing winds that are so strong.
Ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice:
Refrain:
O praise him! O praise him!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Tune: Vigiles et Sancti 887.88 with Refrain
Music: Kölner Gesangbuch, 1623
Text: Saint Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226
Translation: William H. Draper, 1855-1933, alt.