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

Jan 31, Invitatory for Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light. 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 God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light. 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 God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light. 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 God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light. Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age. Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light. 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 God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Jan 31, Office of Readings for Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 651 Proper of Seasons: 135 Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1103 Office of Readings for Saturday 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 Ave Maria, gratia plena Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus Sancta Maria, Mater Dei Ora pro nobis peccatoribus Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae Amen. English Translation: Hail Mary, full of grace The Lord is with thee Blessed are thou among women 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 Amen. 𝄞"Ave Maria" by Gretchen Harris [http://www.gretchen-harris.com] • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/Ave-Maria-CHANT-Mode-I-DivOfcOrg-C-orig.pdf] • Title: Ave Maria (Chant); Album: Sing of Mary; Music; Plainsong mode I; vocal: Gretchen Harris; Used with permission; Visit and thank Gretch at http://www.gretchen-harris.com; PSALMODY Ant. 1 Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men. Psalm 107 Thanksgiving for deliverance This is God’s message to the sons of Israel; the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36). I “O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love endures for ever.” Let them say this, the Lord’s redeemed, whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe and gathered from far-off lands, from east and west, north and south. Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness, finding no way to a city they could dwell in. Hungry they were and thirsty; their soul was fainting within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their need and he rescued them from their distress and he led them along the right path to reach a city they could dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men. For he satisfies the thirsty soul; he fills the hungry with good things. Some lay in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and chains, Having defied the words of God and spurned the counsels of the Most High. He crushed their spirit with toil; they stumbled; there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their need and he rescued them from their distress. He led them forth from darkness and gloom and broke their chains to pieces. Let them thank the Lord for his goodness, for the wonders he does for men: for he bursts the gates of bronze and shatters the iron bars. 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 praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men. Ant. 2 Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done. II Some were sick on account of their sins and afflicted on account of their guilt. They had a loathing for every food; they came close to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their need and he rescued them from their distress. He sent forth his word to heal them and saved their life from the grave. Let them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men. Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks and tell of his deeds with rejoicing. Some sailed to the sea in ships to trade on the mighty waters. These men have seen the Lord’s deeds, the wonders he does in the deep. For he spoke; he summoned the gale, raising up the waves of the sea. Tossed up to heaven, then into the deep; their soul melted away in their distress. They staggered, reeled like drunken men, for all their skill was gone. Then they cried to the Lord in their need and he rescued them from their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper: all the waves of the sea were hushed. They rejoiced because of the calm and he led them to the haven they desired. Let them thank the Lord for his love, the wonders he does for men. Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people and praise him in the meeting of all the elders. 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. Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done. Ant. 3 Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness. III He changes streams into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, fruitful land into a salty waste, for the wickedness of those who live there. But he changes desert into streams, thirsty ground into springs of water. There he settles the hungry and they build a city to dwell in. They sow fields and plant their vines; these yield crops for the harvest. He blesses them; they grow in numbers. He does not let their herds decrease. He pours contempt upon princes, makes them wander in trackless wastes. They diminish, are reduced to nothing by oppression, evil and sorrow. But he raises the needy from distress; makes families numerous as a flock. The upright see it and rejoice but all who do wrong are silenced. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the love 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 You fill the hungry with good things, Lord God, and break the sinner’s chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need and lead your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunrise to sunset that we may grow together in faith and love and give lasting thanks for your kindness. Ant. Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness. 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. Your truth, O God, is high as the clouds. — Lord, your goodness is deep as the ocean. READINGS First reading From the book of Deuteronomy 32:48-52; 34:1-12 The death of Moses The Lord said to Moses, “Go up on Mount Nebo, here in the Abarim Mountains (it is in the land of Moab facing Jericho), and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as their possession. Then you shall die on the mountain you have climbed, and shall be taken to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and there was taken to his people; because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the desert of Zin by failing to manifest my sanctity among the Israelites. You may indeed view the land at a distance, but you shall not enter that land which I am giving to the Israelites.” Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the headland of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land—Gilead, and as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, the circuit of the Jordan with the lowlands at Jericho, city of palms, and as far as Zoar. The Lord then said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that I would give to their descendants. I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over.” So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the Lord, died as the Lord had said; and he was buried in the ravine opposite Beth-peor in the land of Moab, but to this day no one knows the place of his burial. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. For thirty days the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab, till they had completed the period of grief and mourning for Moses. Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, thus carrying out the Lord’s command to Moses. Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He had no equal in all the signs and wonders the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, and for the might and the terrifying power that Moses exhibited in the sight of all Israel. RESPONSORY John 1:14, 16, 17; Sirach 24:23 Full of grace, full of truth, the Word lived among us, and from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law was given through Moses, — but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Moses commanded the observance of the law as the heritage of the assemblies of Jacob. — But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Second reading From the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world of the Second Vatican Council The mystery of death In the face of death the enigma of human existence reaches its climax. Man is not only the victim of pain and the progressive deterioration of his body; he is also and more deeply, tormented by the fear of final extinction. But the instinctive judgment of his heart is right when he shrinks from, and rejects, the idea of a total collapse and definitive end of his own person. He carries within him the seed of eternity, which cannot be reduced to matter alone, and so he rebels against death. All efforts of technology, however useful they may be, cannot calm his anxieties; the biological extension of his life-span cannot satisfy the desire inescapably present in his heart for a life beyond this life. Imagination is completely helpless when confronted with death. Yet the Church, instructed by divine revelation, affirms that man has been created by God for a destiny of happiness beyond the reach of earthly trials. Moreover, the Christian faith teaches that bodily death, to which man would not have been subject if he had not sinned, will be conquered; the almighty and merciful Savior will restore man to the wholeness that he had lost through his own fault. God has called man, and still calls him, to be united in his whole being in perpetual communion with himself in the immortality of the divine life. This victory has been gained for us by the risen Christ, who by his own death has freed man from death. Faith, presented with solid arguments, offers every thinking person the answer to his questionings concerning his future destiny. At the same time, it enables him to be one in Christ with his loved ones who have been taken from him by death and gives him hope that they have entered into true life with God. Certainly, the Christian is faced with the necessity, and the duty, of fighting against evil through many trials, and of undergoing death. But by entering into the paschal mystery and being made like Christ in death, he will look forward, strong in hope, to the resurrection. This is true not only of Christians but also of all men of good will in whose heart grace is invisibly at work. Since Christ died for all men, and the ultimate vocation of man is in fact one, that is, a divine vocation, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being united with this paschal mystery in a way known only to God. Such is the great mystery of man, enlightening believers through the Christian revelation. Through Christ and in Christ light is thrown on the enigma of pain and death which overwhelms us without his Gospel to teach us. Christ has risen, destroying death by his own death; he has given us the free gift of life so that as sons in the Son we may cry out in the Spirit, saying: Abba, Father! RESPONSORY Psalm 27:1; 23:4 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? — The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom should I be afraid? Even if I walk in the dark valley, I shall fear no evil, for you are there beside me. — The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom should I be afraid? CONCLUDING PRAYER Almighty ever-living God, direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son we may abound in good works. 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 31, Morning Prayer for Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 654 All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1107 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 618 All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1071 Christian Prayer (single volume) Ordinary: 689 All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 916 Morning Prayer for Saturday 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 The dawn is sprinkling in the east Its golden shower, as day flows in; Fast mount the pointed shafts of light: Farewell to darkness and to sin! Away, ye midnight phantoms all! Away, despondence and despair! Whatever guilt the night has brought Now let it vanish into air. So that last morning, dread and great, Which we with trembling hope await With blessed light for us shall glow Who chant the song we sang below. 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. 𝄞"The Dawn is Sprinkling in the East" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NTRJGTH/ref=dm_ws_tlw_trk15] • Musical Score [https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/divineoffice/The_Dawn_is_Sprinkling_in_the_East.pdf] • Title: The Dawn is Sprinkling in the East; Text: Aurora iam spargit polum, 7th-8th c.; Tr. Edward Caswall; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true. Psalm 119 XIX (Koph) I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me, I will keep your commands; I call upon you, save me and I will do your will. I rise before dawn and cry for help, I hope in your word. My eyes watch through the night to ponder your promise. In your love hear my voice, O Lord; give me life by your decrees. Those who harm me unjustly draw near: they are far from your law. But you, O Lord, are close: your commands are truth. Long have I known that your will is established 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-prayer Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts. Ant. Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true. Ant.2 Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me. Canticle – Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11 Lord, give me wisdom I will inspire you with wisdom which your adversaries will be unable to resist (Luke 21:15). God of my fathers, Lord of mercy, you who have made all things by your word and in your wisdom have established man to rule the creatures produced by you, to govern the world in holiness and justice, and to render judgment in integrity of heart: Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne, and reject me not from among your children: for I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws. Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men, if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem. Now with you is Wisdom who knows your works and was present when you made the world; who understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is conformable with your commands. Send her forth from your holy heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her that she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is your pleasure. For she knows and understands all things, and will guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her glory. 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. Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me. Ant. 3 The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever. Psalm 117 Praise for God’s loving compassion I affirm that… the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9). O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him, all you peoples! Strong is his love for us; he is faithful 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-prayer God, our Father, may all nations and peoples praise you. May Jesus, who is called faithful and true and who lives with you eternally, possess our hearts forever. Ant. The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever. READING Philippians 2:14-15 In everything you do, act without grumbling or arguing; prove yourselves innocent and straightforward, children of God beyond reproach in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky. 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 I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge. — I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge. You are all I desire in the land of the living, — for you are my refuge. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. 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. Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. INTERCESSIONS With confidence let us pray to the Father who willed that the Virgin Mary should surpass all creatures in heaven and earth: Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer. We are grateful to you, Father of mercy, for you gave us Mary to be our mother and our model, — through her intercession cleanse our hearts. Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer. You inspired Mary to be attentive to your word and faithful in your service, — through her intercession give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer. You strengthened Mary at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of your Son, — through her intercession relieve our distress and strengthen our hope. Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer. 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 God our Father, fountain and source of our salvation, may we proclaim your glory every day of our lives, that we may sing your praise for ever in heaven. 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.

Jan 31, Midmorning Prayer for Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning) Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1115 (Midmorning) Midmorning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using 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 Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure, until with thee I have one will, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly thine, till all this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine. Breathe on me, Breath of God, so shall I never die, but live with thee the perfect life of thine eternity. 𝄞"O Breathe on Me, Breath of God" by Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath • Musical Score [https://divineoffice.org/wp-content/uploads/O-Breathe-on-Me-Breath-of-God.pdf] • Title: Breathe on Me, Breath of God; Text: Edwin Hatch, 1835-1889; Music: Robert Jackson, 1842-1914; Tune: TRENTHAM, Meter: SM; Artist: Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath; Used by permission 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 1 Samuel 15:22 Does the Lord so delight in holocausts and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. 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. A sacrifice of praise will give me glory. — To the pure of heart I will show myself a savior. CONCLUDING PRAYER God, all-powerful Father, fill your people with the light of your Holy Spirit, that, safe from every enemy, we may rejoice in singing your praises. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.

Jan 31, Midday Prayer for Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1112 (Midday) Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 623 All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1076 (Midday) Midday Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time 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. Alleluia. HYMN Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street But the crowd pressed in to see The Man condemned to die on Calvary. He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head And He bore with every step The scorn of those who cried out for His death. Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King, But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary. Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalén Los soldados le abrian paso a Jesus Mas la gente se acercaba Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz. Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Señor Y fue El quién quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem. Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary. 𝄞"Via Dolorosa" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss [https://divineoffice.org/melinda-kirigin-voss/] • Title: Via Dolorsa; Text: Billy Sprague and Niles Borop; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Copyright Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission. PSALMODY Ant. 1 Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant. Psalm 119 XVI (Ain) I have done what is right and just: let me not be oppressed. Vouch for the welfare of your servant lest the proud oppress me. My eyes yearn for your saving help and the promise of your justice. Treat your servant with love and teach me your commands. I am your servant, give me knowledge; then shall I know your will. It is time for the Lord to act for your law has been broken. That is why I love your commands more than finest gold, why I rule my life by your precepts: I hate the ways of falsehood. 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 The light of your words, Father, gives understanding to little ones. Prepare our hearts to receive the Advocate, your Holy Spirit. Ant. Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant. Ant. 2 Look to the Lord and be enlightened. Psalm 34 God the savior of the just You have tasted the sweetness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:3). I I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad. Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free. Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called; the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress. The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him. Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him. Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing. 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. Look to the Lord and be enlightened. Ant. 3 When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you. II Come, children, and hear me that I may teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is he who longs for life and many days, to enjoy his prosperity? Then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn aside from evil and do good; seek and strive for peace. The Lord turns his face against the wicked to destroy their remembrance from the earth. The Lord turns his eyes to the just and his ears to their appeal. They call and the Lord hears and rescues them in all their distress. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed he will save. Many are the trials of the just man but from them all the Lord will rescue him. He will keep guard over all his bones, not one of his bones shall be broken. Evil brings death to the wicked; those who hate the good are doomed. The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants. Those who hide in him shall not be condemned. 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 Graciously hear us, Lord, for we seek only you. You are near to those whose heart is right. Open yourself to accept our sorrowful spirit; calm our bodies and minds with the peace which surpasses understanding. Ant. When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you. READING Galatians 5:26; 6:2 Let us never be boastful, or challenging, or jealous toward one another. Help carry one another’s burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 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. What joy to see a family united in love! — The blessing of God rests upon it. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord, fill us with the resplendent light of your eternal love. May we love you above all things, and our brothers for your sake. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.