Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

Mar 19, Invitatory for Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Antiphon: 1043 Psalm: 1298 Christian Prayer: Antiphon: 687 Psalm: 820 Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Psalm 67 O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. The earth has yielded its fruit for God, our God, has blessed us. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him. Ant. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts. 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. Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.

Mar 19, Office of Readings for Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1045 Proper of Seasons: 311 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1570 Office of Readings for Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent 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. HYMN I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud Let the Heavens rain down righteousness Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit; Let the Heavens rain down righteousness I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness I the Lord have created it. I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud Let the Heavens rain down righteousness Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit; Let the Heavens rain down righteousness I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness I the Lord have created it. 𝄞"Isaiah 45" by Kathleen Lundquist [http://www.mystagogia.net] • Available for Purchase [https://music.apple.com/gh/artist/kathleen-lundquist/99063754] • Title: Isaiah 45; Lyrics adapted from Revised Standard Version of the Bible; Composer: Kathleen Lundquist; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Used with permission. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Sing of Mary PSALMODY Ant. 1 Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face. Psalm 44 The misfortunes of God’s people We triumph over all these things through him who loved us (Romans 8:37). I We heard with our own ears, O God, our fathers have told us the story of the things you did in their days, you yourself, in days long ago. To plant them you uprooted the nations: to let them spread you laid peoples low. No sword of their own won the land; no arm of their own brought them victory. It was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face: for you loved them. It is you, my king, my God, who granted victories to Jacob. Through you we beat down our foes; in your name we trampled our aggressors. For it was not in my bow that I trusted nor yet was I saved by my sword: it was you who saved us from our foes, it was you who put our foes to shame. All day long our boast was in God, and we praised your name without ceasing. 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. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face. Ant. 2 Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face. II Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us: you no longer go forth with our armies. You make us retreat from the foe and our enemies plunder us at will. You make us like sheep for the slaughter and scatter us among the nations. You sell your own people for nothing and make no profit by the sale. You make us the taunt of our neighbors, the laughing stock of all who are near. Among the nations, you make us a byword, among the peoples a thing of derision. All day long my disgrace is before me: my face is covered with shame at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer, at the sight of the foe and avenger. 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. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face. Ant. 3 Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever. III This befell us though we had not forgotten you; though we had not been false to your covenant, though we had not withdrawn our hearts; though our feet had not strayed from your path. Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows and covered us with the shadow of death. Had we forgotten the name of our God or stretched our hands to another god would not God have found this out, he who knows the secrets of the heart? It is for you that we face death all day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep? Arise, do not reject us for ever! Why do you hide your face from us and forget our oppression and misery? For we are brought down low to the dust; our body lies prostrate on the earth. Stand up and come to our help! Redeem us because of your love! 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 foretold that we would share in the persecutions that brought you to a violent death. The Church formed at the cost of your precious blood is even now conformed to your Passion; may it be transformed, now and eternally, by the power of your resurrection. Ant. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever. 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. Whoever meditates on the law of the Lord. — Will bring forth much fruit at harvest time. READINGS First reading From the book of Numbers 12:16—13:3, 17-33 A scouting party is sent to Canaan The people set out from Hazeroth and encamped in the desert of Paran. The Lord said to Moses, “Send men to reconnoiter the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites. You shall send one man from each ancestral tribe, all of them princes.” So Moses dispatched them from the desert of Paran, as the Lord had ordered. All of them were leaders among the Israelites. In sending them to reconnoiter the land of Canaan, Moses said to them, “Go up here in the Negeb, up into the highlands, and see what kind of land it is. Are the people living there strong or weak, few or many? Is the country in which they live good or bad? Are the towns in which they dwell open or fortified? Is the soil fertile or barren, wooded or clear? And do your best to get some fruit of the land.” It was then the season for early grapes. So they went up and reconnoitered the land from the desert of Zin as far as where Rehob adjoins Labo of Hamath. Going up by way of the Negeb, they reached Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, descendants of the Anakim, were living. [Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.] They also reached the Wadi Eshcol, where they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes on it, which two of them carried on a pole, as well as some pomegranates and figs. It was because of the cluster the Israelites cut there that they called the place Wadi Eshcol. After reconnoitering the land for forty days they returned, met Moses and Aaron and the whole community of the Israelites in the desert of Paran at Kadesh, made a report to them all, and showed them the fruit of the country. They told Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us. It does indeed flow with milk and honey, and here is its fruit. However, the people who are living in the land are fierce, and the towns are fortified and very strong. Besides, we saw descendants of the Anakim there. Amalekites live in the region of the Negeb; Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites dwell in the highlands, and Canaanites along the seacoast and the banks of the Jordan.” Caleb, however, to quiet the people toward Moses, said, “We ought to go up and seize the land, for we can certainly do so.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us.” So they spread discouraging reports among the Israelites about the land they had scouted, saying, “The land that we explored is a country that consumes its inhabitants. And all the people we saw there are huge men, veritable giants [the Anakim were a race of giants]; we felt like mere grasshoppers, and so we must have seemed to them.” RESPONSORY Deuteronomy 1:31, 32, 26, 27 The Lord your God carried you in the desert, as a man carries his child, — but still you would not trust him. You refused to go up to the land he had promised you, you defied the Lord your God. — But still you would not trust him. Second reading From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope Contemplating the Lord’s passion True reverence for the Lord’s passion means fixing the eyes of our heart on Jesus crucified and recognizing in him our own humanity. The earth — our earthly nature — should tremble at the suffering of its Redeemer. The rocks — the hearts of unbelievers — should burst asunder. The dead, imprisoned in the tombs of their mortality, should come forth, the massive stones now ripped apart. Foreshadowings of the future resurrection should appear in the holy city, the Church of God: what is to happen to our bodies should now take place in our hearts. No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ. His prayer brought benefit to the multitude that raged against him. How much more does it bring to those who turn to him in repentance. Ignorance has been destroyed, obstinacy has been overcome. The sacred blood of Christ has quenched the flaming sword that barred access to the tree of life. The age-old night of sin has given place to the true light. The Christian people are invited to share the riches of paradise. All who have been reborn have the way open before them to return to their native land, from which they had been exiled. Unless indeed they close off for themselves the path that could be opened before the faith of a thief. The business of this life should not preoccupy us with its anxiety and pride, so that we no longer strive with all the love of our heart to be like our Redeemer, and to follow his example. Everything that he did or suffered was for our salvation: he wanted his body to share the goodness of its head. First of all, in taking our human nature while remaining God, so that the Word became man, he left no member of the human race, the unbeliever excepted, without a share in his mercy. Who does not share a common nature with Christ if he has welcomed Christ, who took our nature, and is reborn in the Spirit through whom Christ was conceived? Again, who cannot recognize in Christ his own infirmities? Who would not recognize that Christ’s eating and sleeping, his sadness and his shedding of tears of love are marks of the nature of a slave? It was this nature of a slave that had to be healed of its ancient wounds and cleansed of the defilement of sin. For that reason the only-begotten Son of God became also the son of man. He was to have both the reality of a human nature and the fullness of the godhead. The body that lay lifeless in the tomb is ours. The body that rose again on the third day is ours. The body that ascended above all the heights of heaven to the right hand of the Father’s glory is ours. If then we walk in the way of his commandments, and are not ashamed to acknowledge the price he paid for our salvation in a lowly body, we too are to rise to share his glory. The promise he made will be fulfilled in the sight of all: Whoever acknowledges me before men, I too will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. RESPONSORY 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 To those who are on the way to destruction, the message of the cross is foolishness; — but we who are on the way to salvation see it as the proof of God’s power. We preach a crucified Christ: an obstacle to the Jews, sheer madness to the Gentiles. — But we who are on the way to salvation see it as the proof of God’s power. CONCLUDING PRAYER We invoke your mercy in humble prayer, O Lord, that you may cause us, your servants, corrected by penance and schooled by good works, to persevere sincerely in your commands and come safely to the paschal festivities. 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.

Mar 19, Morning Prayer for Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1049 Proper of Seasons: 315 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1574 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 Proper of Seasons: 354 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 968 Morning Prayer for Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent 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. HYMN O saving Victim, op'ning wide The gate of heav'n to us below, Our foes press on from every side; Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow. All praise and thanks to thee ascend Forevermore, blest One in Three; O grant us life that shall not end In our true native land with thee. Amen. 𝄞"O Saving Victim" by Rebecca Hincke • Title: O Saving Victim; Author: Thomas Aquinas; Translator: Edward Caswall; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2025 by Surgeworks, Inc PSALMODY Ant. 1 At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord. Psalm 143:1-11 Prayer in distress A man is not justified by observance of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal. You are faithful, you are just; give answer. Do not call your servant to judgment for no one is just in your sight. The enemy pursues my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead, long forgotten. Therefore my spirit fails; my heart is numb within me. I remember the days that are past: I ponder all your works. I muse on what your hand has wrought and to you I stretch out my hands. Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you. Lord, make haste and answer; for my spirit fails within me. Do not hide your face lest I become like those in the grave. In the morning let me know your love for I put my trust in you. Make me know the way I should walk: to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will for you, O Lord, are my God. Let your good spirit guide me in ways that are level and smooth. For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life; in your justice save my soul from distress. 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, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgment with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice. Ant. At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord. Ant. 2 The Lord will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem. Canticle – Isaiah 66:10-14a Joys of heaven The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman and our mother (Galatians 4:26). Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts! For thus says the Lord: Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort. When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bodies flourish like the grass. 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 will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem. Ant. 3 Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God. Psalm 147:1-11 The loving kindness of God who can do all he wills You are God: we praise you; you are the Lord: we acclaim you. Praise the Lord for he is good; sing to our God for he is loving: to him our praise is due. The Lord builds up Jerusalem and brings back Israel’s exiles, he heals the broken-hearted, he binds up all their wounds. He fixes the number of the stars; he calls each one by its name. Our Lord is great and almighty; his wisdom can never be measured. The Lord raises the lowly; he humbles the wicked to the dust. O sing to the Lord giving thanks; sing psalms to our God with the harp. He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares the rain for the earth, making mountains sprout with grass and with plants to serve man’s needs. He provides the beasts with their food and young ravens that call upon him. His delight is not in horses nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength. The Lord delights in those who revere him, in those who wait for his love. 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 our Father, great builder of the heavenly Jerusalem, you know the number of the stars and call each of them by name. Heal hearts that are broken, gather together those who have been scattered, and enrich us all from the plenitude of your eternal wisdom. Ant. Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God. READING 1 Kings 8:51-53a We are your people, O Lord, and your inheritance, O Lord. Thus may your eyes be open to the petition of your servant and to the petition of your people Israel. Hear us whenever we call upon you, because you have set us apart among all the peoples of the earth for your inheritance. 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 God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare. — God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare. From those who would trap me with lying words — and from the hunter’s snare. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. John bore testimony to the truth, and although I have no need of human testimony, says the Lord, I remind you of this for your own salvation. 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. John bore testimony to the truth, and although I have no need of human testimony, says the Lord, I remind you of this for your own salvation. INTERCESSIONS God has revealed himself in Christ. Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts: Remember us, Lord, for we are your children. Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church, — that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation. Remember us, Lord, for we are your children. Lover of mankind, inspire us to work for human progress, — seeking to spread your kingdom in all we do. Remember us, Lord, for we are your children. May our hearts thirst for Christ, — the fountain of living water. Remember us, Lord, for we are your children. Forgive us our sins, — and direct our steps into the ways of justice and sincerity. Remember us, Lord, for we are your children. 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 We invoke your mercy in humble prayer, O Lord, that you may cause us, your servants, corrected by penance and schooled by good works, to persevere sincerely in your commands and come safely to the paschal festivities. 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. DISMISSAL May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. — Amen.

Mar 19, Midmorning Prayer for Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1054 Complementary Psalmody: 1651 (Midmorning) Proper of Seasons: 316 (antiphon, reading, concluding prayer) Midmorning Prayer for Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent, 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. HYMN Father, Lord of earth and heaven, King to whom all gifts belong, Give your greatest Gift, your Spirit, God the holy, God the strong. Son of God, enthroned in glory, Send your promised Gift of grace, Make your Church your holy Temple, God the Spirit’s dwelling place. Spirit, come, in peace descending As at Jordan, heav’nly Dove, Seal your Church as God’s anointed, Set our hearts on fire with love. Stay among us, God the Father, Stay among us, God the Son, Stay among us, Holy Spirit: Dwell within us, make us one. 𝄞"Father Lord of Earth and Heaven" by Erika Provinzano • Title: Father Lord of Earth and Heaven; Text: James Quinn, S.J.; Music: S. P. Waddington; Artist: Erika Provinzano; Used with permission from Erika Provinzano. PSALMODY Ant. 1 The time of penance has come, the time to atone for our sins and to seek our salvation. 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. 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. 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. The time of penance has come, the time to atone for our sins and to seek our salvation. READING Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; Let him turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. 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. Create in me a clean heart, O God. — Renew in me a steadfast spirit. CONCLUDING PRAYER We invoke your mercy in humble prayer, O Lord, that you may cause us, your servants, corrected by penance and schooled by good works, to persevere sincerely in your commands and come safely to the paschal festivities. 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 (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.

Mar 19, Midday Prayer for Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II: Ordinary: 1054 Proper of Seasons: 317 (Midday) Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1579 Midday Prayer for Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent, using the 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. 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. 𝄞"Prayer for Protection" 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 for Protection ; 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. As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the sinner to die but to turn back to me and live. Psalm 119:153-160 XX (Resh) See my affliction and save me for I remember your law. Uphold my cause and defend me; by your promise give me life. Salvation is far from the wicked who are heedless of your commands. Numberless, Lord, are your mercies; with your decrees give me life. Though my foes and oppressors are countless I have not swerved from your will. I look at the faithless with disgust; they ignore your promise. See how I love your precepts; in your mercy give me life. Your word is founded on truth: your decrees are eternal. 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 Help us always to rejoice in your promise, Father, and to praise the glory of your deeds. Keep us united in the love of your peace; then we shall have little to fear from the threats of the mighty. Psalm 128 Happiness of family life rooted in God “May the Lord bless you from Zion” refers to 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; your 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. Psalm-prayer Give lasting happiness, Lord, to those who reverence your name, so that our life and work may be such as to deserve your commendation, and bring us, laden with good fruit, to our everlasting home. Psalm 129 God’s people reaffirm their trust in time of affliction The voice of the Church lamenting its suffering is heard in this psalm (Saint Augustine). “They have pressed me hard from my youth,” this is Israel’s song. “They have pressed me hard from my youth but could never destroy me. They ploughed my back like ploughmen, drawing long furrows. But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed the yoke of the wicked.” Let them be shamed and routed, those who hate Zion! Let them be like grass on the roof that withers before it flowers. With that no reaper fills his arms, no binder makes his sheaves and those passing by will not say: “On you the Lord’s blessing!” “We bless you in the name of the 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. Psalm-prayer Lord Jesus, living in glory as the Son of Man, remember that when our sins had ploughed long furrows on your back, your death broke the bonds of sin and Satan for ever. Bless your Church, wounded in its members, and strengthen it by your invincible power and grace. Ant. As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the sinner to die but to turn back to me and live. READING Deuteronomy 30:2-3a Provided that you and your children return to the Lord, your God, and heed his voice with all your heart and all your soul, just as I now command you, the Lord, your God, will change your lot and take pity on you. 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. Turn your face away from my sins. — Blot out all my guilt. CONCLUDING PRAYER We invoke your mercy in humble prayer, O Lord, that you may cause us, your servants, corrected by penance and schooled by good works, to persevere sincerely in your commands and come safely to the paschal festivities. 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 (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.