Divine Office Morning Prayer (Lauds)

Dec 17, Morning Prayer for Wednesday of the 3rd week of Advent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I: Ordinary: 653 Proper of Seasons: 322 Psalter: Wednesday, Week III, 979 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 Proper of Seasons: 116 Psalter: Wednesday, Week III, 886 Morning Prayer for December 17, Wednesday in the 3rd week of Advent 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 come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem From every foe deliver them That trust your mighty power to save; Bring them in victory through the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind; Oh, bid our sad divisions cease And be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. 𝄞"O come, O come, Emmanuel" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss [https://divineoffice.org/melinda-kirigin-voss/], Vince Clark • Title: O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Text: Unknown, 12th c.; Tr. John Mason (1851); Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss and Vince Clark; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 The Lord, the mighty God, will come forth from Zion to set his people free. Psalm 86 The prayer of the poor man in distress Blessed be God who comforts us in all our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4). Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am faithful: save the servant who trusts in you. You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. Give joy to your servant, O Lord, for to you I lift up my soul. O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of love to all who call. Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice. In the day of distress I will call and surely you will reply. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; nor work to compare with yours. All the nations shall come to adore you and glorify your name, O Lord: for you are great and do marvellous deeds, you who alone are God. Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth. Guide my heart to fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart and glorify your name for ever; for your love to me has been great: you have saved me from the depths of the grave. The proud have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life: to you they pay no heed. But you, God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger, O Lord, abounding in love and truth, turn and take pity on me. O give your strength to your servant and save your handmaid’s son. Show me a sign of your favor that my foes may see to their shame that you console me and give me your help. 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 of mercy and goodness, when Christ called out to you in torment, you heard him and gave him victory over death because of his love for you. We already know the affection you have for us; fill us with a great love of your name, and we will proclaim you more boldly before men and happily lead them to celebrate your glory. Ant. The Lord, the mighty God, will come forth from Zion to set his people free. Ant. 2 I shall not cease to plead with God for Zion until he sends his Holy One in all his radiant beauty. Canticle – Isaiah 33:13-16 God’s flawless judgment What God has promised is for you, for your children, and for those still far away (Acts 2:39). Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my might. On Zion sinners are in dread, trembling grips the impious; “Who of us can live with the consuming fire? Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?” He who practices virtue and speaks honestly, who spurns what is gained by oppression, brushing his hands free of contact with a bribe, stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed, closing his eyes lest he look on evil. He shall dwell on the heights, his stronghold shall be the rocky fastness, his food and drink in steady supply. 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 shall not cease to plead with God for Zion until he sends his Holy One in all his radiant beauty. Ant. 3 The Spirit of the Lord rests upon me; he has sent me to preach his joyful message to the poor. Psalm 98 The Lord triumphs in his judgment This psalm tells of the Lord’s first coming and that people of all nations will believe in him (Saint Athanasius). Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy. Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord. Let the sea and all within it thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy. Rejoice at the presence of the Lord, for he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness. 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, you have revealed your justice to all nations. We stood condemned and you came to be judged in our place. Send your saving power on us and when you come in glory bring your mercy to those for whom you were condemned. Ant. The Spirit of the Lord rests upon me; he has sent me to preach his joyful message to the poor. READING Isaiah 11:1-3a A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. This audio file has a longer reading taken from the single volume Christian Prayer book. 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 Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. You will see his glory within you; — the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand; I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming. 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. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand; I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming. INTERCESSIONS Let us pray to God our Father, who from of old has called his people to salvation: Lord, protect your people. You promised to plant the seed of justice among your people, — protect the holiness of your Church. Lord, protect your people. Lord, teach all men and women to listen to your word, — and help believers to persevere in holiness. Lord, protect your people. Keep us in the love of your Spirit, — that we may know the mercy of your Son who is to come. Lord, protect your people. Father most merciful, strengthen us to the last, — until the day of the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, protect your people. 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 O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favor on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 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.

Dec 18, Morning Prayer for Thursday of the 3rd week of Advent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I: Ordinary: 653 Proper of Seasons: 330 Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 998 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 Proper of Seasons: 119 Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 897 Morning Prayer for December 18, Thursday in the 3rd week of Advent 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 I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity. By invocation of the same, The Three in One, the One in Three. I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead. God's eye to watch, God's might to stay. God's heavenly host to be my guard. Chorus: Christ be with me; Christ within me; Christ behind me; Christ before me; Christ to comfort and restore me; Christ beneath me and above me; Christ in hearts of all that love me; Christ in mouth of friend and stranger; I bind unto myself the name the strong name of the Trinity. By invocation of the same, The Three in One, the One in Three. Of whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word. Praise to the Lord of my salvation. Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Chorus: Christ be with me; Christ within me; Christ behind me; Christ before me; Christ to comfort and restore me; Christ beneath me and above me; Christ in hearts of all that love me; Christ in mouth of friend and stranger; 𝄞"Prayer of St. Patrick" by Briege O'Hare And Marie Cox • Available on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/peace-god-songs-from-celtic/id445853947] • Available for Purchase [https://www.poorclaresireland.org/Hermitage_Arts.html] • Title: Prayer of St. Patrick; Text: Briege O'Hare, OSC, inspired by The Carmina Gadelica; Album: The Peace of God. Songs from a Celtic Monastery; Composed and arranged by: Briege O'Hare, OSC; Sung by: Marie Cox,RSM; (c) 2006 Hermitage Production; Used by permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Peace of God PSALMODY Ant. 1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength. Psalm 87 Jerusalem is mother of us all The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26). On the holy mountain is his city cherished by the Lord. The Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all Jacob’s dwellings. Of you are told glorious things, O city of God! Babylon and Egypt I will count among those who know me; Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, these will be her children and Zion shall be called Mother for all shall be her children.” It is he, the Lord Most High, who gives each his place. In his register of peoples he writes: These are her children, and while they dance they will sing: In you all find their home. 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, your only Son wept over ancient Jerusalem, soon to be destroyed for its lack of faith. He established the new Jerusalem firmly upon the rock and made it the mother of the faithful. Make us rejoice in your Church, and grant that all people may be reborn into the freedom of your Spirit. Ant. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength. Ant.2 Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets prove to be true. Canticle – Isaiah 40:10-17 The Good Shepherd: God most high and most wise See, I come quickly; I have my reward in hand (Revelation 22:12). Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. Who has cupped in his hand the waters of the sea, and marked off the heavens with a span? Who has held in a measure the dust of the earth, weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the spirit of the Lord, or has instructed him as his counselor? Whom did he consult to gain knowledge? Who taught him the path of judgment, or showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations count as a drop of the bucket, as dust on the scales; the coastlands weigh no more than powder. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor its animals be enough for holocausts. Before him all the nations are as nought, as nothing and void he accounts 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. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets prove to be true. Ant. 3 Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people. Psalm 99 Holy is the Lord our God Christ, higher than the Cherubim, when you took our lowly nature you transformed our sinful world (Saint Athanasius). The Lord is king; the peoples tremble. He is throned on the cherubim; the earth quakes. The Lord is great in Zion. He is supreme over all the peoples. Let them praise his name, so terrible and great, he is holy, full of power. You are a king who loves what is right; you have established equity, justice and right; you have established them in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before Zion, his footstool. He the Lord is holy. Among his priests were Aaron and Moses, among those who invoked his name was Samuel. They invoked the Lord and he answered. To them he spoke in the pillar of cloud. They did his will; they kept the law, which he, the Lord, had given. O Lord our God, you answered them. For them you were a God who forgives; yet you punished their offenses. Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before his holy mountain for the Lord our God is holy. 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, you are the source of all holiness. Though no one can see you and live, you give life most generously, and in an even greater way restore it. Sanctify your priests through your life-giving Word, and consecrate your people in his blood until our eyes see your face. Ant. Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people. READING Romans 13:11-12 It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith. The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 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 Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. You will see his glory within you; — the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Let everything within you watch and wait for the Lord our God draws near. 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. Let everything within you watch and wait for the Lord our God draws near. INTERCESSIONS To the Lord Jesus Christ, judge of the living and the dead, let us pray: Come, Lord Jesus! Lord Jesus, you came to save sinners, — protect us in times of temptation. Come, Lord Jesus! You will come in glory to be our judge, — show in us your power to save. Come, Lord Jesus! Help us to keep the precepts of your law with the strength of the Spirit, — and to look forward in love to your coming. Come, Lord Jesus! You are praised throughout the ages; in your mercy help us to live devoutly and temperately in this life, — as we wait in joyful hope for the revelation of your glory. Come, Lord Jesus! 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 Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who are weighed down from of old by slavery beneath the yoke of sin, may be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 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.

Dec 12, Invitatory for Friday of the 2nd week of Advent

Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. Psalm 95 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come.

Dec 16, Morning Prayer for Tuesday of the 3rd week of Advent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I: Ordinary: 653 Proper of Seasons: 322 Psalter: Tuesday, Week III, 962 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 Proper of Seasons: 116 Psalter: Tuesday, Week III, 877 Morning Prayer for December 17, Tuesday in the 3rd Week of Advent 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 come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem From every foe deliver them That trust your mighty power to save; Bring them in victory through the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind; Oh, bid our sad divisions cease And be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel. 𝄞"O come, O come, Emmanuel" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss [https://divineoffice.org/melinda-kirigin-voss/], Vince Clark • Title: O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Text: Unknown, 12th c.; Tr. John Mason (1851); Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss and Vince Clark; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 The Lord will come from his holy place to save his people. Psalm 85 Our salvation is near God blessed the land when our Savior came to earth (Origen). O Lord, you once favored your land and revived the fortunes of Jacob, you forgave the guilt of your people and covered all their sins. You averted all your rage, you calmed the heat of your anger. Revive us now, God, our helper! Put an end to your grievance against us. Will you be angry with us for ever, will your anger never cease? Will you not restore again our life that your people may rejoice in you? Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace, peace for his people and his friends and those who turn to him in their hearts. His help is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land. Mercy and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven. The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him and peace shall follow his steps. 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 Show us your mercy, Lord; our misery is known to us. May no evil desires prevail over us, for your glory and love dwell in our hearts. Ant. The Lord will come from his holy place to save his people. Ant. 2 Zion is our mighty citadel, our saving Lord its wall and its defense; throw open the gates, for our God is here among us, alleluia. Canticle – Isaiah 26:1-4, 7-9, 12 after the defeat of the enemy The city wall had twelve foundation stones (see Revelation 21:14). A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock. The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level. Yes, for your way and your judgments, O Lord, we look to you; your name and your title are the desire of our souls. My soul yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you; when your judgment dawns upon the earth, the world’s inhabitants learn justice. O Lord, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done. 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. Zion is our mighty citadel, our saving Lord its wall and its defense; throw open the gates, for our God is here among us, alleluia. Ant. 3 Lord, make known your will throughout the earth; proclaim your salvation to every nation. 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. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. 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. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. 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. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. 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 Be gracious and bless us, Lord, and let your face shed its light on us, so that we can make you known with reverence and bring forth a harvest of justice. Ant. Lord, make known your will throughout the earth; proclaim your salvation to every nation. READING Isaiah 11:1-3a A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. This audio file has a longer reading taken from the single volume Christian Prayer book. 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 Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. You will see his glory within you; — the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand; I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming. 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. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand; I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming. INTERCESSIONS Let us pray to God our Father, who from of old has called his people to salvation: Lord, protect your people. You promised to plant the seed of justice among your people, — protect the holiness of your Church. Lord, protect your people. Lord, teach all men and women to listen to your word, — and help believers to persevere in holiness. Lord, protect your people. Keep us in the love of your Spirit, — that we may know the mercy of your Son who is to come. Lord, protect your people. Father most merciful, strengthen us to the last, — until the day of the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, protect your people. 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 O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favor on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 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.