Morning Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 654
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 920
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 884
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 824
Morning Prayer for Thursday 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
Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high,
That he, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm today.
Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife;
From anger's din would hide our life;
From all ill sights would turn our eyes,
Would close our ears to vanities;
Would keep our inmost conscience pure;
Our souls from folly would secure;
Would bid us check the pride of sense
With due and holy abstinence.
So we, when this new day is gone,
And night in turn is drawing on,
With conscience by the world unstained
Shall praise his name for vict'ry gained.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete. Amen.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Psalm 80
Lord, come, take care of your vineyard
Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
to plant it you drove out the nations.
Before it you cleared the ground;
it took root and spread through the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow,
the cedars of God with its boughs.
It stretched out its branches to the sea,
to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.
Then why have you broken down its walls?
It is plucked by all who pass by.
It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,
devoured by the beasts of the field.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.
May they perish at the frown of your face.
May your hand be on the man you have chosen,
the man you have given your strength.
And we shall never forsake you again:
give us life that we may call upon your name.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
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 God, eternal shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us remain in your Son as branches on the vine, that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere.
Ant. Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Ant. 2 The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Canticle — Isaiah 12:1-6
Joy of God’s ransomed people
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37).
I give you thanks, O Lord;
though you have been angry with me,
your anger has abated, and you have consoled me.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
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. The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Ant. 3 Ring out your joy to God our strength.
Psalm 81
Solemn renewal of the Covenant
See that no one among you has a faithless heart (Hebrews 3:12).
Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
the sweet-sounding harp and the lute,
blow the trumpet at the new moon,
when the moon is full, on our feast.
For this is Israel’s law,
a command of the God of Jacob.
He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,
when he went out against the land of Egypt.
A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.
I answered, concealed in the storm cloud,
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, to my warning,
O Israel, if only you would heed!
Let there be no foreign god among you,
no worship of an alien god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people did not heed my voice
and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
to follow their own designs.
O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.
The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last forever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock.”
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 God, open our mouths to proclaim your glory. Help us to leave sin behind and to rejoice in professing your name.
Ant. Ring out your joy to God our strength.
READING Romans 14:17-19
The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and wins the esteem of men. Let us, then, make it our aim to work for peace and to strengthen one another.
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
In the early hours of the morning, I think of you, O Lord.
— In the early hours of the morning, I think of you, O Lord.
Always you are there to help me.
— I think of you, O Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— In the early hours of the morning, I think of you, O Lord.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. Give your people knowledge of salvation, Lord, and forgive us our sins.
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. Give your people knowledge of salvation, Lord, and forgive us our sins.
INTERCESSIONS
Blessed be God, our Father, who protects his children and never spurns their prayers. Let us humbly implore him:
Enlighten us, Lord.
We thank you, Lord, for enlightening us through your Son,
— fill us with his light throughout the day.
Enlighten us, Lord.
Let your wisdom lead us today, Lord,
— that we may walk in the newness of life.
Enlighten us, Lord.
May we bear hardships with courage for your name’s sake,
— and be generous in serving you.
Enlighten us, Lord.
Direct our thoughts, feelings and actions this day,
— help us to follow your providential guidance.
Enlighten us, 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,
true light and source of all light,
listen to our morning prayer.
Turn our thoughts to what is holy
and may we ever live in the light of your love.
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.
Midmorning Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 659
Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning)
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 930 (Midmorning)
Midmorning Prayer for Thursday 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
New every morning is the love
our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
restored to life and power and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
new thoughts of God, new hopes above.
If on our daily course our mind
be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.
Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
as more of heaven in each we see;
some softening gleam of love and prayer
shall dawn on every cross and care.
The trivial round, the common task,
will furnish all we ought to ask:
room to deny ourselves; a road
to bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,
fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
to live more nearly as we pray.
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 Galatians 5:13-14
My brothers remember that you have been called to live in freedom – but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh. Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service. The whole law has found its fulfillment in this one saying: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
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.
Lightly I run in the way that you have shown.
— For my heart is filled with joy.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Lord,
in midmorning you gave your Holy Spirit
to the apostles gathered in prayer.
Give us a share in the life and love
that your Spirit brings.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
Midday Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 659
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 926 (Midday)
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 890 (Midday)
Midday Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using 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
Jesus, only begotten Son and Lamb of God the Father
Thou didst give Thy body and blood to buy me from the grave
Chorus:
My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler,
Each day and night, each dark and light.
My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler,
Each day and night, my Christ.
Jesus, Son of Mary, be near me and uphold me
in my standing, in my lying and in my sleeping.
Chorus:
My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler,
Each day and night, each dark and light.
My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler,
Each day and night, my Christ.
My helper, my encircler,
My strength everlasting.
My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler,
Each day and night, my Christ.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.
Psalm 119
IX (Teth)
Lord, you have been good to your servant
according to your word.
Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.
Before I was afflicted I strayed
but now I keep your word.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your commandments.
Though proud men smear me with lies
yet I keep your precepts.
Their minds are closed to good
but your law is my delight.
It was good for me to be afflicted,
to learn your will.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
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, teach us goodness, discipline and wisdom, and these gifts will keep us from becoming hardened by evil, weakened by laziness or ignorant because of foolishness.
Ant. More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.
Ant. 2 I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.
Psalm 56
Trust in God’s word
This psalm shows Christ in his passion (Saint Jerome).
Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;
they fight me all day long and oppress me.
My foes crush me all day long,
for many fight proudly against me.
When I fear, I will trust in you,
in God whose word I praise.
In God I trust, I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?
All day long they distort my words,
all their thought is to harm me.
They band together in ambush,
track me down and seek my life.
You have kept an account of my wanderings;
you have kept a record of my tears;
are they not written in your book?
Then my foes will be put to flight
on the day that I call to you.
This I know, that God is on my side.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?
I am bound by the vows I have made you.
O God, I will offer you praise
for you rescued my soul from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling
that I may walk in the presence of God
and enjoy the light of the living.
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 Christ, victim for our sins, you trusted in your Father’s protection and kept silent when you were tormented. Give us that same confidence and we will gladly suffer with you and for you, offering the Father our sacrifice of praise and walking before him in the light of the living.
Ant. I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.
Ant. 3 Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.
Psalm 57
Morning prayer in affliction
This psalm tells of our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).
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 God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
May God send his truth and his 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,
I will praise you among the nations,
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine 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.
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.
Ant. Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.
READING Galatians 5:16-17
Live in accord with the spirit and you will not yield to the cravings of the flesh. The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; the two are directly opposed. That is why you do not do what your will intends.
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.
O God, you are good, and all goodness flows from you.
— O Lord, teach me the ways of holiness.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
All-powerful and ever-living God,
with you there is no darkness,
from you nothing is hidden.
Fill us with the radiance of your light:
may we understand the law you have given us
and live it with generosity and faith.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
Midafternoon Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 659
Complementary Psalmody: 1295 (Midafternoon)
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 931 (Midafternoon)
Midafternoon Prayer for Thursday 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
O God, creation’s secret force,
Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source,
Who from the morn till evening's ray
Through all its changes guid’st the day:
Grant us, when this short life is past,
The glorious evening that shall last;
That, by a holy death attained,
Eternal glory may be gained.
O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;
With the Holy Spirit and Thee,
Shall live and reign eternally.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.
Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (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.
Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.
Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.
Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)
If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
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 build our house and watch over our city.
Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)
O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!
On Israel, 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. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
READING Galatians 5:22,23a,25
The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patient endurance, kindness, generosity, faith, mildness, and chastity. Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s lead.
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 the path I must follow.
— Let the Spirit guide me to my true home.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Lord,
help us to follow the example
of your Son’s patience and endurance.
May we face all life’s difficulties
with confidence and faith.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
Evening Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 668
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 931
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 895
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 830
Evening Prayer for Thursday 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
O Lord our God who made the day
To gladden us with its fair light,
We praise your name, imploring aid,
For day will soon give place to night.
The evening shadows grow apace,
Advancing, they will hide the sun,
As darkness creeps upon the earth
When daylight hours their course have run.
We beg you, Lord and God Most High,
Protect us with your presence blessed,
Though weary, keep our souls in peace
And not by gloom of night oppressed.
Let not the setting sun go down
On hearts distressed with sin, and sore,
But sheltered by your gentle grace,
May we behold the day once more.
To you, O Christ, most kindly King,
And to the Father, glory be,
Praise to the Spirit Paraclete,
In every age, eternally. Amen.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 72
The Messiah’s royal power
Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).
I
O God, give your judgment to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgment.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and save the children of the needy
and crush the oppressor.
He shall endure like the sun and the moon
from age to age.
He shall descend like rain on the meadow,
like raindrops on the earth.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Before him his enemies shall fall,
his foes lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts
shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve 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. I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Ant. 2 The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.
II
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.
May corn be abundant in the land
to the peaks of the mountains.
May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;
may men flourish in the cities
like grass on the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.
Amen! Amen!
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
We call upon your name, Father, and pronounce it blessed above the earth. Give your people the fullness of peace and justice in your kingdom.
Ant. The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.
Ant. 3 Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.
Canticle – Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
The judgment of God
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
you have begun your reign.
The nations have raged in anger,
but then came your day of wrath
and the moment to judge the dead:
The time to reward your servants the prophets
and the holy ones who revere you,
the great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come,
the reign of our God and the authority
of his Anointed One.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
and you that dwell therein!
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. Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.
READING 1 Peter 1:18-23
By obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a genuine love of your brothers; therefore; love one another constantly from the heart. Your rebirth has come, not from a destructible but from an indestructible seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
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
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall want for nothing.
— The Lord is my shepherd, I shall want for nothing.
He has brought me to green pastures.
— I shall want for nothing.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— The Lord is my shepherd, I shall want for nothing.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. If you hunger for holiness, God will satisfy your longing, good measure, and flowing over.
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. If you hunger for holiness, God will satisfy your longing, good measure, and flowing over.
INTERCESSIONS
Lift up your hearts to our Lord and Savior who gives his people every spiritual blessing. In the spirit of devotion, let us ask him:
Bless your people, Lord.
Merciful God, strengthen our Pope, and all our bishops,
— keep them free from harm,
Bless your people, Lord.
Look favorably on our country, Lord,
— free us from all evil.
Bless your people, Lord.
Call men to serve at your altar,
— and to follow you more closely in chastity, poverty and obedience.
Bless your people, Lord.
Take care of your handmaidens vowed to virginity,
— that they may follow you, the divine Lamb, wherever you go.
Bless your people, Lord.
May the dead rest in eternal peace,
— may their union with us be strengthened through the sharing of spiritual goods.
Bless your people, 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
Father of mercy,
hear our evening prayer of praise,
and let our hearts never waver
from the love of your law.
Lead us on through night’s darkness
to the dawning of eternal life.
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.
Night Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, Page 1183
Vol II, Page 1642
Vol III, Page 1283
Vol IV, Page 1247
Christian Prayer:
Page 1049
General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.
Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.
Night Prayer for Thursday
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.
Examination of conscience:
We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.
Lord Jesus raise us to new life:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy
Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus you feed us with your body and blood:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy
HYMN
Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the king of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear, now to his temple draw near;
Joining in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who over all things is wondrously reigning;
And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
Sent by his gracious ordaining?
Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
As with his love he befriends you.
Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again,
Gladly forever adore Him.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.
Psalm 16
God is my portion, my inheritance
The Father raised up Jesus from the dead and broke the bonds of death (Acts 2:24).
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: “You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone.”
He has put into my heart a marvelous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
Never will I offer their offerings of blood.
Never will I take their name upon my lips.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight:
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness 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. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.
READING 1 Thessalonians 5:23
May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Gospel Canticle
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Concluding Prayer
Lord God,
send peaceful sleep
to refresh our tired bodies.
May your help always renew us
and keep us strong in your service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.
Blessing
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
— Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Ave Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui, Jesus
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria Mater Dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Ora, ora pro nobis
Ora ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
In hora mortis, nostrae
In hora mortis mortis nostrae
In hora mortis, nostrae
Ave Maria!
English Translation
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou amongst women,
and 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.
| 𝄞 | "Ave Maria" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Title: Ave Maria; Composer: Franz Schubert; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission |