INTRODUCTION
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
Let heav’n exult with highest praise,
let earth with joy and gladness ring:
this sacred hour extols in song
the Apostles’ glory on this feast.
O righteous judges of the age,
true lights sent forth to all the world,
we raise our hearts in fervent prayer;
with kindness hear our humble plea.
By word you bar the gate of heav’n,
by word you draw and loose the bolt;
by your command, we beg of you:
Release us from the pow’r of sin.
The health and weakness of us all
is subject to your gracious care;
restore our virtue and our strength
and heal the sick in mind and heart,
That when the end of time has come
and Christ our Lord shall sit as Judge,
he may bestow on us a share
in joy that lasts for evermore.
All praise and glory be to God,
who grants us through your gracious aid
to learn the Gospel’s sacred truths
and seek the heav’nly things above. Amen.
Tune: Tune: DEO GRACIAS (AGINCOURT), 8 8 8 8
Music: English ballad melody, Trinity College manuscript, 15th c.
or Mode II, melody 20; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Exsultet cælum laudibus, aout 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way? Jesus replied: I am the way, the truth and the life.
Psalm 116:10-19
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Through Christ let us offer God a continual sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I trusted, even when I said: *
“I am sorely afflicted,”
and when I said in my alarm: *
“No man can be trusted.”
How can I repay the Lord *
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise; *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord *
is the death of his faithful.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I; *
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make: *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, *
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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, precious in your sight is the death of the saints, but precious above all is the love with which Christ suffered to redeem us. In this life we fill up in our own flesh what is still lacking in the sufferings of Christ; accept this as our sacrifice of praise, and we shall even now taste the joy of the new Jerusalem.
Ant. Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way? Jesus replied: I am the way, the truth and the life.
Ant. 2 Thomas, who was called the Twin, was not present when Jesus appeared to the apostles; so they told him: We have seen the Lord, alleluia.
Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Just as you share in sufferings, so you will share in the divine glory (2 Corinthians 1:7).
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, *
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
on our lips there were songs.
The heathens themselves said: “What marvels *
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us! *
Indeed we were glad.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage *
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears *
will sing when they reap.
They go out, they go out, full of tears, *
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song, *
carrying their sheaves.
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, you have raised us from the earth; may you let the seeds of justice, which we have sown in tears, grow and increase in your sight. May we reap in joy the harvest we hope for patiently.
Ant. Thomas, who was called the Twin, was not present when Jesus appeared to the apostles; so they told him: We have seen the Lord, alleluia.
Ant. 3 With your hand, touch the mark of the nails; doubt no longer, but believe, alleluia.
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him *
before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us *
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom *
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out *
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on 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.
Ant. With your hand, touch the mark of the nails; doubt no longer, but believe, alleluia.
READING
Ephesians 4:11-13
Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in roles of service for the faithful to build up the body of Christ, till we become one in faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, and form that perfect man who is Christ come to full stature.
RESPONSORY
Tell all the nations how glorious God is.
— Tell all the nations how glorious God is.
Make known his wonders to every people.
— How glorious God is.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Tell all the nations how glorious God is.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. I touched the mark of the nails with my fingers; I put my hand into his side and said: My Lord and my God, alleluia.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, †
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children 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. I touched the mark of the nails with my fingers; I put my hand into his side and said: My Lord and my God, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
My brothers and sisters, we build on the foundation of the apostles. Let us pray to our almighty Father for his holy people and say:
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
Father, you wanted your Son to be seen first by the apostles after the resurrection from the dead,
— we ask you to make us his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to preach your good news to the poor,
— help us to preach this Gospel to every creature.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to sow the seed of unending life,
— grant that we who work at sowing the seed may share the joy of the harvest.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to reconcile all to you through his blood,
— help us all to work toward achieving this reconciliation.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
Your Son sits at your right hand in heaven,
— let the dead enter your kingdom of joy.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)
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
Almighty Father,
as we honor Thomas the apostle,
let us always experience the help of his prayers.
May we have eternal life by believing in Jesus,
whom Thomas acknowledged as Lord,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
Grant, almighty God,
that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas,
so that we may always be sustained by his intercession
and, believing, may have life
in the name of Jesus Christ your Son,
whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.