Divine Office Office of Readings

Jan 12, Invitatory for Monday of the 1st week of Ordinary Time

Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 24 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. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. 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. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. 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. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory! Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. Who is the king of glory? The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, the Lord, the valiant in war. Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory! Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. Who is he, the king of glory? He, the Lord of armies, he is the king of glory. Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: — as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Let us approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving.

Jan 12, Office of Readings for Monday of the 1st week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 651 Proper of Seasons: 53 Psalter: Monday, Week I, 702 Office of Readings for Monday 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 For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r, Sun and moon, and stars of light, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For each perfect gift of Thine, to our race so freely given, graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven. Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 𝄞"For The Beauty Of The Earth" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NTPV36S/ref=dm_ws_tlw_trk12] • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/For-the-Beauty-of-the-Earth.pdf] • Title: For the Beauty of the Earth; Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835–1917; Music: Conrad Kocher, 1786–1872; Tune: DIX; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2017 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Show me your mercy, Lord, and keep me safe. Psalm 6 A suffering man cries to God for mercy I am filled with dismay… Father, save me from this hour (John 12:27). Lord, do not reprove me in your anger: punish me not in your rage. Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no strength; Lord, heal me, my body is racked; my soul is racked with pain. But you, O Lord…how long? Return, Lord, rescue my soul. Save me in your merciful love, for in death no one remembers you; from the grave, who can give you praise? I am exhausted with my groaning; every night I drench my pillow with tears; I bedew my bed with weeping. My eye wastes away with grief; I have grown old surrounded by my foes. Leave me, all who do evil; for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; The Lord will accept my prayer. All my foes will retire in confusion, foiled and suddenly confounded. 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, you love mercy and tenderness; you give life and overcome death. Look upon the many wounds of your church; restore it to health by your risen Son, so that it may sing a new song in your praise. Ant. Show me your mercy, Lord, and keep me safe. Ant. 2 The poor are not alone in their distress; God is here to help them. Psalm 9A Thanksgiving for victory You will come again to judge the living and the dead. I I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will recount all your wonders. I will rejoice in you and be glad, and sing psalms to your name, O Most High. See how my enemies turn back, how they stumble and perish before you. You upheld the justice of my cause; you sat enthroned, judging with justice. You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked; you have wiped out their name for ever and ever. The foe is destroyed, eternally ruined. You uprooted their cities: their memory has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned for ever. He has set up his throne for judgment; he will judge the world with justice, he will judge the people with his truth. For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold, a stronghold in times of distress. Those who know your name will trust you: you will never forsake those who seek 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. Ant. The poor are not alone in their distress; God is here to help them. Ant. 3 I will be the herald of your praises, Lord, where the people of Zion gather. II Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion. Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples; for the Avenger of blood has remembered them, has not forgotten the cry of the poor. Have pity on me, Lord, see my sufferings, you who save me from the gates of death; that I may recount all your praise at the gates of the city of Zion and rejoice in your saving help. The nations have fallen in the pit which they made, their feet caught in the snare they laid. The Lord has revealed himself, and given judgment. The wicked are snared in the works of their own hands. Let the wicked go down among the dead, all the nations forgetful of God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten nor the hopes of the poor be in vain. Arise, Lord, let men not prevail! Let the nations be judged before you. Lord, strike them with terror, let the nations know they are but men. 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, when you judge, do not be deaf to the shouts of the poor; bring havoc to the madness of oppressors. Look at our wounds and save us from the gates of death, so that we may always rejoice in your help and speak your praise in the gates of Zion. Ant. I will be the herald of your praises, Lord, where the people of Zion gather. 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. Give me insight, Lord, to know your will. — Then I will cherish it with all my heart. READINGS First reading The beginning of the book of Sirach 1:1-18 The mystery of divine wisdom All wisdom comes from the Lord and with him it remains forever. The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain, the days of eternity: who can number these? Heaven’s height, earth’s breadth, the depths of the abyss: who can explore these? Before all things else wisdom was created; and prudent understanding, from eternity. To whom has wisdom’s root been revealed? Who knows her subtleties? There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring, seated upon his throne: It is the Lord; he created her, has seen her and taken note of her. He has poured her forth upon all his works, upon every living thing according to his bounty; he has lavished her upon his friends. Fear of the Lord is glory and splendor, gladness and a festive crown. Fear of the Lord warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days. He who fears the Lord will have a happy end; even on the day of his death he will be blessed. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, which is formed with the faithful in the womb. With devoted men was she created from of old, and with their children her beneficence abides. Fullness of wisdom is fear of the Lord; she inebriates men with her fruits. Her entire house she fills with choice foods, her granaries with her harvest. Wisdom’s garland is fear of the Lord, with blossoms of peace and perfect health. Knowledge and full understanding she showers down; she heightens the glory of those who possess her. The root of wisdom is fear of the Lord; her branches are length of days. RESPONSORY Sirach 1:7, 10, 1, 9 To whom has the root of wisdom been revealed? Who has seen it clearly in all its subtleties? God Most High has poured her out on all his works; — and he has given her as a gift to all who love him. All wisdom is from the Lord, who created her through the Holy Spirit. — And he has given her as a gift to all who love him. Second reading From the letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, pope The Word of God on high, fountain of wisdom For his chosen ones scattered throughout the world, we shall make our constant prayer to the Creator of the universe. May he allow none of them to fall away, but preserve them all through his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, through whom he called us out of darkness into light, out of ignorance to the knowledge of his glorious name. Give us grace, Lord, to hope in your Name, to which all creatures owe their being. Open the eyes of our heart to know you alone, the Most High in the highest heavens, the holy One, whose dwelling is in the holy. You abase the arrogance of the proud, frustrate the designs of the godless, exalt the lowly and humble the lofty. You give men wealth and take it away; you slay them, save them and give them new life. Alone the Benefactor of spirits and God of all flesh, your gaze penetrates the depths, you observe the doings of men. Helper of those in peril, Savior of those in despair, you created and still keep watch over all that draws breath. You cause the peoples on the earth to multiply, and from them all choose those who love you through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him you have instructed us, sanctified us, honored us. Lord, we entreat you to help us. Come to the aid of the afflicted, pity the lowly, raise up the fallen, show your face to the needy, heal the sick, convert the wayward, feed the hungry, deliver the captives, support the weak, encourage the fainthearted. Let all nations know that you alone are God; Jesus Christ is your Son, and we are your people and the sheep of your pasture. Lord, you created the world according to the eternal decree now revealed in your works. Faithful throughout all generations, you are just in judgment, wonderful in power and majesty. You formed your creation with wisdom, established it with prudence. Everything we see proclaims your goodness. You are kind and compassionate, and never fail those who put their trust in you. Forgive us for our failings and for our sins. Do not hold all the transgressions of your servants against them, but purify us by your truth, and so guide our footsteps that by walking in holiness and justice and simplicity of heart we may do what is good and pleasing in your sight and in the sight of our leaders. Lord, let the light of your face shine upon us, so that we may enjoy your blessings in peace, protected by your strong hand, and freed from all sin by your outstretched arm; and deliver us from those who hate us unjustly. Give peace and concord to us and to all mankind, even as you gave it to our ancestors when they devoutly called upon you in faith and truth. Lord, you alone are able to bestow these and even greater benefits upon us. We praise you through Jesus Christ, our high priest and the champion of our souls. Through him be glory and majesty to you now and throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. RESPONSORY Psalm 77:14-16 What god so great as our God? — You are the God who works wonders. You have shown your power to the nations; with your strong arm, you have redeemed your people. — You are the God who works wonders. CONCLUDING PRAYER Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks. […]

Jan 13, Invitatory for Tuesday of the 1st week of Ordinary Time

Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us worship our mighty King and Lord. Psalm 100 Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy. Ant. Come, let us worship our mighty King and Lord. Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock. Ant. Come, let us worship our mighty King and Lord. Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. Ant. Come, let us worship our mighty King and Lord. Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age. Ant. Come, let us worship our mighty King and Lord. 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 our mighty King and Lord.

Jan 13, Office of Readings for Tuesday of the 1st week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 651 Proper of Seasons: 57 Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 722 Office of Readings for Tuesday 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 God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Beneath the shadow of Your throne Your saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is your arm alone, And our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame, From everlasting you are God, To endless years the same. A thousand ages in your sight Are like an evening gone; Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun. Time, like an ever rolling stream, Bears all our lives away; They fly, forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day. O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be now our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home. 𝄞"O God, Our Help in Ages Past" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss [https://divineoffice.org/melinda-kirigin-voss/], Vince Clark • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/O-God-Our-Help-in-Ages-Past.pdf] • Title: O God, Our Help in Ages Past; Text: Based on Psalm 90; Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, Psalms of David..., 1719, alt.; Tune: ST. ANNE, CM; later form of melody (rhythm adapted), attr. to William Croft, 1678-1727, A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms, 1708; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss, Vince Clark; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 The Lord is just; he will defend the poor. Psalm 10 Prayer of thanksgiving Blessed are the poor; the kingdom of heaven is theirs (Luke 6:20). I Lord, why do you stand afar off and hide yourself in times of distress? The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked: he is caught in the schemes that others have made. For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires; the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord. In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish. There is no God.” Such are his thoughts. His path is ever untroubled; your judgment is far from his mind. His enemies he regards with contempt. He thinks: “Never shall I falter; misfortune shall never be my lot.” His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression, mischief and deceit under his tongue. He lies in wait among the reeds; the innocent he murders in secret. His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man. He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair; he lurks in hiding to seize the poor; he seizes the poor man and drags him away. He crouches, preparing to spring, and the helpless fall beneath his strength. He thinks in his heart: “God forgets, he hides his face, he does not see.” 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 is just; he will defend the poor. Ant. 2 Lord, you know the burden of my sorrow. II Arise then, Lord, lift up your hand! O God, do not forget the poor! Why should the wicked spurn the Lord and think in his heart: “He will not punish”? But you have seen the trouble and sorrow, you note it, you take it in hand. The helpless trusts himself to you; for you are the helper of the orphan. Break the power of the wicked and the sinner! Punish his wickedness till nothing remains! The Lord is king for ever and ever. The heathen shall perish from the land he rules. Lord, you hear the prayer of the poor; you strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear to protect the rights of the orphan and oppressed so that mortal man may strike terror 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 Rise up, Lord, in defense of your people, do not hide your face from our troubles. Father of orphans, wealth of the poor, we rejoice in making you known; may we find comfort and security in times of pain and anxiety. Ant. Lord, you know the burden of my sorrow. Ant. 3 The words of the Lord are true, like silver from the furnace. Psalm 12 A cry for God’s help against powerful oppressors The Father sent his Son into the world to defend the poor (Saint Augustine). Help, O Lord, for good men have vanished: truth has gone from the sons of men. Falsehood they speak one to another, with lying lips, with a false heart. May the Lord destroy all lying lips, the tongue that speaks high-sounding words, those who say: “Our tongue is our strength; our lips are our own, who is our master?” “For the poor who are oppressed and the needy who groan I myself will arise,” says the Lord. “I will grant them the salvation for which they thirst.” The words of the Lord are words without alloy, silver from the furnace, seven times refined. It is you, O Lord, who will take us in your care and protect us for ever from this generation. See how the wicked prowl on every side, while the worthless are prized highly by the sons of men. 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 Your light is true light, Lord, and your truth shines like the day. Direct us to salvation through your life-giving words. May we be saved by always embracing your word. Ant. The words of the Lord are true, like silver from the furnace. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. The Lord teaches the humble his way. — He guides the gentle-hearted along the right path. READINGS First reading From the book of Sirach 11:12-28 Put your trust in God alone Another goes his way a weakling and a failure, with little strength and great misery – Yet the eyes of the Lord look favorably upon him; he raises him free of the vile dust, Lifts up his head and exalts him to the amazement of the many. Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the Lord. Wisdom and understanding and knowledge of affairs, love and virtuous paths are from the Lord. Error and darkness were formed with sinners from their birth, and evil grows old with evildoers. The Lord’s gift remains with the just; his favor brings continued success. A man may become rich through a miser’s life, and this is his allotted reward: When he says: “I have found rest, now I will feast on my possessions,” He does not know how long it will be till he dies and leaves them to others. My son, hold fast to your duty, busy yourself with it, grow old while doing your task. Admire not how sinners live, but trust in the Lord and wait for his light; For it is easy with the Lord suddenly, in an instant, to make a poor man rich. God’s blessing is the lot of the just man, and in due time his hopes bear fruit. Say not: “What do I need? What further pleasure can be mine?” Say not: “I am independent. What harm can come to me now?” The day of prosperity makes one forget adversity; the day of adversity makes one forget prosperity. For it is easy with the Lord on the day of death to repay man according to his deeds. A moment’s affliction brings forgetfulness of past delights; when a man dies, his life is revealed. Call no man happy before his death, for by how he ends, a man is known. RESPONSORY Sirach 11:19, 20; Luke 12:17, 18 When the wealthy man says: Now I can rest and enjoy my goods, — he does not know how long this will last before he must die and leave his wealth to others. The rich man says in his heart: I will pull down my barns and build them even greater, and there I will store all my possessions. — He does not know how long this will last before he must die and leave his wealth to others. Second reading From the Detailed Rules for Monks by Saint Basil the Great, bishop The ability to love is within each of us Love of God is not something that can be taught. We did not learn from someone else how to rejoice in light or want to live, or to love our parents or guardians. It is the same – perhaps even more so – with our love for God: it does not come by another’s teaching. As soon as the living creature (that is, man) comes to be, a power of reason is implanted in us like a seed, containing within it the ability and the need to love. When the school of God’s law admits this power of reason, it cultivates it diligently, skillfully nurtures it, and with God’s help brings it to perfection. For this reason, as by God’s gift, I find you with the zeal necessary to attain this end, and you on your part help me with your prayers. I will try to fan into flame the spark of divine love that is hidden within you, as far as I am able through the power of the Holy Spirit. First, let me say that we have already received from God the ability to fulfill all his commands. We have then no reason to resent them, as if something beyond our capacity were being asked of us. We have no reason either to be angry, as if we had to pay back more than we had received. When we use this ability in a right and fitting way, we lead a life of virtue and holiness. But if we misuse it, we fall into sin. This is the definition of sin: the misuse of powers given us by God for doing good, a use contrary to God’s commands. On the other hand, the virtue that God asks of us is the use of the same powers based on a good conscience in accordance with God’s command. Since this is so, we can say the same about love. Since we received a command to love God, we possess from the first moment of our existence an innate power and ability to love. The proof of this is not to be sought outside ourselves, but each one can learn this from himself and in himself. It is natural for us to want things that are good and pleasing to the eye, even though at first different things seem beautiful and good to different people. In the same way, we love what is related to us or near to us, though we have not been taught to do so, and we spontaneously feel well disposed to our benefactors. What, I ask, is more wonderful than the beauty of God? What thought is more pleasing and wonderful than God’s majesty? What desire is as urgent and overpowering as the desire implanted by God in a soul that is completely purified of sin and cries out in its love: I am wounded by love? The radiance of divine beauty is altogether beyond the power of words to describe. RESPONSORY Psalm 18:2-3 I love you, Lord, my strength; — O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my savior. God is my rock; I take refuge in him. — O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my savior. CONCLUDING PRAYER Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, that they may see what must be done and gain strength to do what they have seen. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.