PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (MONDAY, JUNE 29)

Saints Peter and Paul

Prayer for the Morning

Sing God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful!

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

Blest day by suff’ring sanctified:

Christ’s chosen high apostles died.

Today Saint Peter wins renown.

Today Saint Paul accepts the crown.

Together, equally, they bled:

Together: the victorious dead.

They followed God and sacrificed

And now their faith is crowned by Christ.

Saint Peter holds the highest place,

Yet Paul is not the less by grace.

An equal faith was giv’n to Paul:

The chosen vessel of God’s call.

Saint Peter, downward crucified—

To honor God in how he died—

Securely tied, he sees unfold

The death his Shepherd once foretold.

On such foundations Rome may claim

The highest service of God’s name:

His noble blood has dignified

The city where this prophet died.

PSALM 149

We do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. (2 Cor 4:5)

Armed with the two-edged sword of God’s word, Saints Peter and Paul bound the hands of evil and brought the nations to joyful faith in Jesus Christ. The Church, built upon their faith and fidelity, continues to bear responsibility for their task.

Sing a new song to the Lord,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its maker,

let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

Let them praise his name with dancing

and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.

He crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips

and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations

and punishment on all the peoples;

to bind their kings in chains

and their nobles in fetters of iron;

to carry out the sentence pre-ordained:

this honor is for all his faithful.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Romans 10:14-15)

How can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring [the] good news!”

If today you hear God’s voice,/ harden not your hearts! (cf. Ps 95:7-8)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH 

Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. (2 Tm 4:2)

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…

INTERCESSIONS 

You sent your Apostles to preach the Gospel to all ­nations. With gratitude, we pray:

R/Your word, O Lord, is spirit and life!

For the pope and bishops, to whom you have continued to entrust the apostolic task so faithfully

carried out by Saints Peter and Paul:

– strengthen them to preach your Gospel by word and deed. R/

For the whole Church, to whom you have given the word of life through the ministry of the Apostles:

– confirm your people in fidelity and zeal. R/

For the world, which awaits the Good News:

– illumine those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Father in heaven, who still leads the Church through Saints Peter and Paul, bless each of us and especially our leaders, that, like those holy men we celebrate today, we might all value your perfect will above our own. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.