Monday, April 6, 2026
3 C
London
Home Blog Page 60

Prayer for the Morning (Friday, December 17)

Prayer for the Morning

The Lord comes! Come, let us pray.

 

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

 

Come, quickly come, dread Judge of all;

For, awful though thine advent be,

All shadows from the truth will fall,

And falsehood die, in sight of thee:

Come, quickly come: for doubt and fear

Like clouds dissolve when thou are near.

 

Come, quickly come, great King of all;

Reign all around us, and within;

Let sin no more our souls enthrall,

Let pain and sorrow die with sin;

Come, quickly come: for thou alone

Can make thy scattered people one.

 

Psalm 50:1-6

 

The coastlands see, and fear;/ the ends of the earth tremble:/ these things are near, they come to pass. (Is 41:5)

The time grows short, the messenger’s cry urgent: the Lord is very near! Those who hope to delay his coming until “later, when I have time to get ready,” find this late Advent cry disconcerting. Those who look for him not only in the past but also in the present and the future rejoice at the news: God’s promises are kept within the boundaries of time.

 

The God of gods, the Lord,

has spoken and summoned the earth,

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion’s perfect beauty he shines.

 

Our God comes, he keeps silence no longer.

 

Before him fire devours,

around him tempest rages.

He calls on the heavens and the earth

to witness his judgment of his people.

 

“Summon before me my people

who made covenant with me by sacrifice.”

The heavens proclaim his justice,

for God himself is the judge.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. 1 Chronicles 16:33-36

 

Then shall all the trees of the forest exult/ before the Lord, for he comes:/ he comes to rule the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,/ for his kindness endures forever;/ And say, “Save us, O God, our savior,/ gather us and deliver us from the nations,/ That we may give thanks to your holy name/ and glory in praising you.”/ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,/ through all eternity!/ Let all the people say, Amen! Alleluia.

Your kindness should be known to all.

The Lord is near. (Phil 4:5)

 

Canticle of Zechariah

 

Near is the great day of the Lord,/ near and very swiftly coming. (Zep 1:14)

 

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

 

As we enter into the final stages of Advent, let us pray with eager hearts for the coming of the Lord:

R/Come, O Lord, in beauty!

To those who have lost hope:

– come in faithfulness to your promises. R/

To those who have lost sight of any goal but material gain:

– come bearing the gift of true life. R/

To those who think you long ago and far away:

– come in the experience of the present. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

God of promises given and promises kept, you said long ago that you would send us one who would be both King and Messiah. Come to meet us in our preparation for the celebration of his birth, that we may see you in him who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Read More

Express your admiration for Our Lady with this prayer

This Priest Testifies to His Vision of God following a Horrific Accident

Prayer for the Evening (Thursday, December 16)

Prayer for the Evening

Praised be 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. Alleluia!

 

Hymn

 

Behold th’amazing gift of love

The Father has bestowed

On us, the sinful sons of men,

To call us sons of God!

 

Concealed as yet this honor lies,

By this dark world unknown,

A world that knew not when he came,

E’en God’s eternal Son.

 

Our souls, we know, when he appears

Shall bear his image bright;

For all his glory full disclosed

Shall open to our sight.

 

Canticle of Sirach 36:1-5, 10-13

 

Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,/ break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor. (Is 54:1)

By the mercy of God, she who was childless gave birth to the first-born of our race!

 

Come to our aid, O God of the universe,

and put all the nations in dread of you!

Raise your hand against the heathen,

that they may realize your power.

 

As you have used us to show them your holiness,

so now use them to show us your glory.

Thus they will know, as we know,

that there is no God but you.

 

Give new signs and work new wonders;

show forth the splendor of your right hand and arm.

 

Gather all the tribes of Jacob,

that they may inherit the land as of old.

Show mercy to the people called by your name;

Israel, whom you named your first-born.

 

Take pity on your holy city,

Jerusalem, your dwelling place.

Fill Zion with your majesty,

your temple with your glory.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Romans 8:29-30

 

Those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

He is the head of the body, the church./

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. (Col 1:18)

 

Canticle of Mary

 

He is the image of the invisible God,/ the firstborn of all creation. (Col 1:15)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

Intercessions

 

With enduring love, God has compassion on us. Children of the promise, let us turn and pray:

R/Father, hear your children’s prayer!

We are servants made heirs in Christ:

– raise us up as faithful children of your household. R/

We are the fruit of your compassion:

– make us compassionate toward all who feel unwanted and abandoned. R/

We are those who hope in you:

– bring us to the home you have prepared for us. R/

 

Personal intentions

 

Our Father….

 

May the Lord be kind and faithful to us. Amen. (cf. 2 Sm 2:6)

 

Marian Antiphon

 

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

 

Read More

Is it okay to fall asleep during night prayers or is it sinful?

A Night prayer to Our Blessed Mother

Prayer for the Morning (Thursday, December 16)

Prayer for the Morning

Behold, the Bridegroom comes:

let us give thanks and praise!

 

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

 

Hymn

 

Great love divine, whose compass broad

Involves the utmost point from God;

Wide as the sun its radiance sheds,

Broad as the night its darkness spreads;

Far as the heav’ns creation span

Reaches the love of God for man.

 

Great love divine, far reaching, vast,

To endless time from ages past;

As far as stretches human need,

Far as the sin of man can lead;

No wandering soul outstrips its pace,

Or gains the limit of its grace.

 

Psalm 19:2-7

 

He who has become your husband is your Maker;/ his name is the Lord of hosts;/ Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,/ called God of all the earth. (Is 54:5)

The tangled covenant love story of God and his people will be brought at last to fulfillment in the wedding feast of the Lamb, the unbreakable communion of divinity and humanity in the one Body of Christ. Our Advent hope stands on tiptoe, searching the horizon for that glorious day.

 

The heavens proclaim the glory of God

and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

and night unto night makes known the message.

 

No speech, no word, no voice is heard

yet their span extends through all the earth,

their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

 

There he has placed a tent for the sun;

it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent,

rejoices like a champion to run its course.

 

At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun;

to the furthest end of the sky is its course.

There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Hosea 2:21-22

 

I will espouse you to me for­ever:/ I will espouse you in right and in justice,/ in love and in mercy;/ I will espouse you in fidelity,/ and you shall know the Lord.

My love shall never leave you/ nor my covenant

of peace be shaken,/ says the Lord. (Is 54:10)

 

Canticle of Zechariah

 

Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. (Rv 19:9)

 

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

 

With joy we pray:

R/Come and save your people!

You have loved us with an everlasting love:

– grant us fidelity to the bond of our baptism. R/

You have made us your own in love and mercy:

– instill in us a love that the winds of change cannot extinguish. R/

You will come for us in your glory:

– teach us to await you in hope. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Lord God almighty, fulfill in time the timeless covenant of love which you have made with us through the ­Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Read More

Pope calls on Mother Teresa’s intercession so that we might care for the homeless in this crisis

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18)

 

Prayer for the Evening (Wednesday, December 15)

Prayer for the Evening

The reign of God is at hand: come, let us rejoice!

 

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

 

Look up, O drooping hearts, today,

The King is very near;

O cast your griefs and fears away,

For, lo, your help is here!

Hope on, O broken hearts, at last

The King comes in his might;

He loved us in the ages past

When we lay wrapped in night.

 

Psalm 9:8-13

 

Turn to me and be safe,/ all you ends of the earth,/ for I am God; there is no other! (Is 45:22)

The people of John the Baptist’s day expected some other God than the one who came in human flesh not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. His might is love—a power that the world of our day does not yet appreciate as strength rather than weakness.

 

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 peoples 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.

 

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.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Luke 4:18-19

 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,/ because he has anointed me/ to bring glad tidings to the poor./ He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives/ and recovery of sight to the blind,/ to let the oppressed go free,/ and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

The people who walked in darkness/

have seen a great light;/ Upon those who dwelt

in the land of gloom/ a light has shone. (Is 9:1)

 

Canticle of Mary

 

Jesus said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (cf. Lk 4:21)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

[he] has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

Intercessions

 

The Lord will judge with justice, setting right all wrongs. In faith let us pray:

R/You will never forsake those who seek you.

For the poor:

– may the generosity of others be a sign to them that the Gospel is truth. R/

For captives of every kind:

– may the compassion of those who work in prisons and courts, in rehabilitation programs and health care institutions, bring them your gift of freedom. R/

For the blind of eye, the blind of mind, and the blind of heart:

– may the light of your people’s lives shine upon their darkness and give them hope. R/

For the oppressed:

– may the courage of those who work for justice ­proclaim to them that your reign is at hand. R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

May the Lord, our God, bless us in all our works and undertakings. Amen. (cf. Dt 15:10)

 

Marian Antiphon

 

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

Prayer for the Morning (Wednesday, December15)

Prayer for the Morning

Love and truth walk in God’s presence:

come, let us adore him!

 

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

 

When the King shall come again

All his power revealing,

Splendor shall announce his reign,

Life and joy and healing:

Earth no longer in decay,

Hope no more frustrated;

This is God’s redemption-day

Longingly awaited.

 

Strengthen feeble hands and knees;

Fainting hearts, be cheerful!

God who comes for such as these

Seeks and saves the fearful.

Deaf ears hear the silent tongues

Sing away their weeping;

Blind eyes see the lifeless ones

Walking, running, leaping.

 

Psalm 89:12-17

 

Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.” (cf. Lk 7:22)

We are not asked to put our faith in words alone but in all the signs that Jesus worked and works still in our midst to show us that the reign of God is real and is the source of all joy for a world that still cannot quite imagine the wholeness salvation offers.

 

The heavens are yours, the world is yours.

It is you who founded the earth and all it holds;

it is you who created the North and the South.

Tabor and Hermon shout with joy at your name.

 

Yours is a mighty arm, O Lord;

your hand is strong, your right hand ready.

Justice and right are the pillars of your throne,

love and truth walk in your presence.

 

Happy the people who acclaim such a king,

who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

who find their joy every day in your name,

who make your justice the source of their bliss.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Isaiah 35:4-6

 

Say to those whose hearts are frightened:/ Be strong, fear not!/ Here is your God,/ he comes with vindication;/ With divine recompense/ he comes to save you./ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,/ the ears of the deaf be cleared;/ Then will the lame leap like a stag,/ then the tongue of the dumb will sing.

Streams will burst forth in the desert,/ and rivers in the steppe.

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

 

Canticle of Zechariah

 

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me. (Lk 7:23)

 

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

 

As morning dawns, we pray:

R/Justice and right are the pillars of your throne.

You come to judge in love and in truth:

– may we rejoice in the hope of your coming. R/

You come to release all those bound by sin, sickness, and suffering:

– may we find the lamp of your love shining in dark places. R/

You come as the Morning Star rising on a darkened world:

– may we watch for you with hope and work for the coming of the light. R/

You come as good news for the poor:

– may we seek you where you are to be found. R/

 

Personal intentions

 

Our Father….

 

Great God of the universe, you sent your only Son as light and hope for all peoples. May our lives testify to your love and your truth as we prepare to celebrate the wonder of his coming, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Read More

A beautiful prayer to place your life in God’s hands

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16)

Prayer for the Morning (Tuesday, December 14)

Saint John of the Cross

Prayer for the Morning

 

The Lord of hosts is with us:

come, let us adore!

 

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

 

Hail Carmel’s Doctor, great Saint John,

Raising your standard of the Cross,

Leading our spirits daily on

To heavenly gain from earthly loss!

 

Lit by a living flame of love,

Guide of our Mother’s founding zeal,

E’en though th’ascent at times be steep,

Dark night will fade on Carmel’s peak.

 

Your burning canticles of praise

Tell how the Father-God above

Spoke his eternal saving Word,

Spoke through the Spirit of their Love.

 

Psalm 46

 

They found abundant and good pastures, and the land was spacious, quiet, and peaceful. (1 Chr 4:40)

In his exploration of the movement through the dark night of the soul to union with God, Saint John used the imagery of a house grown still and silent to describe the soul so centered in God by prayer that it is free to leave the self behind and become absorbed in the presence of the promised Prince of Peace. From this inward stillness flows the outward peace for which the world longs.

 

God is for us a refuge and strength,

a helper close at hand, in time of distress:

so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,

though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea,

even though its waters rage and foam,

even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

 

The Lord of hosts is with us:

the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

 

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within, it cannot be shaken;

God will help it at the dawning of the day.

Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken:

he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

 

The Lord of hosts is with us:

the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

 

Come, consider the works of the Lord,

the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.

He puts an end to wars over all the earth;

the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.

He burns the shields with fire.

“Be still and know that I am God,

supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”

 

The Lord of hosts is with us:

the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Isaiah 33:20, 22

 

Look to Zion, the city of our festivals;/ let your eyes see Jerusalem/ as a quiet abode, a tent not to be struck,/ Whose pegs will never be pulled up,/ nor any of its ropes severed./ Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic;/ yes, the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver,/ the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.

The Lord of hosts is with us:/

the God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Ps 46:8)

 

Canticle of Zechariah

 

When peaceful stillness compassed everything/ and the night in its swift course was half spent,/ Your all-powerful word bounded to earth from heaven’s royal throne. (cf. Wis 18:14-15)

 

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

 

In peace let us pray:

R/You are a helper close at hand in time of distress.

From outward turmoil and inner disturbance:

– deliver us, O Lord. R/

From quarreling in our homes and war among nations:

– deliver us, O Lord. R/

From the bustle that keeps us from prayer in this busy season:

– deliver us, O Lord. R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

O God of peace, you sent Saint John to teach the way to inner silence and outward peace. Through his intercession, renew in your Church a deep spirit of prayer as we prepare to welcome your Word, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the Evening (Monday, December 13)

Prayer for the Evening

Christ is our light: let us give thanks and praise!

 

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

 

Listen to the cloud that brightens

Hearts that stumble in the shade.

Hear the cloud of great believers,

Heed the witness they have made:

Prophets who have raged in judgment,

Martyrs killed by flame and sword,

Bold reformers through the ages,

Common folk who loved the Lord.

 

Here they made their costly witness,

Here upon this trodden ground

Where the one whose path they followed

With a wreath of thorns was crowned.

Now they call from that dominion

Past the range of mortal sight,

Joined with Christ in one communion

Of eternal song and light.

 

Psalm 13

 

Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,/ and every eye will see him. (Rv 1:7)

What Saint Lucy saw with the eyes of her heart, she lived with a courage that shines as a beacon to all who await the good news of salvation. Yet her light is no more than a reflection of the light of Christ’s face, shining upon her in love.

 

How long, O Lord, will you forget me?

[How] long will you hide your face?

How long must I bear grief in my soul,

this sorrow in my heart day and night?

How long shall my enemy prevail?

 

Look at me, answer me, Lord my God!

Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death,

lest my enemy say: “I have overcome him”;

lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.

 

As for me, I trust in your merciful love.

Let my heart rejoice in your saving help:

Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me,

singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

 

“What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,/ and what has not entered the human heart,/ what God has prepared for those who love him,”

this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

I had heard of you by word of mouth,/

but now my eye has seen you. (Jb 42:5)

 

Canticle of Mary

 

I shall deliver you from this people, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. (cf. Acts 26:17-18)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

[he] has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

Intercessions

 

Let us pray for the gift of light for the whole world.

R/Give light to all eyes!

You deliver your martyrs from death to life:

– open the eyes of those who persecute your faithful ones to see the light of your truth. R/

You call your disciples to be light to the world:

– let the fire of your love burn within us and shine forth in deeds of charity. R/

You are the light of life:

– enlighten in joy all those who have passed into the darkness of death. R/

 

(Personal intentions)

 

Our Father….

 

May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to God’s call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. Amen. (cf. Eph 1:18)

 

Marian Antiphon

 

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

Evening Prayer (Sunday, December 12)

Evening Prayer

 

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

 

Hymn

 

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Announces that the Lord is nigh;

Come then and hearken, for he brings

Glad tidings from the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every Christian breast,

And furnished for so great a guest!

Yea, let us each his heart prepare

For Christ to come and enter there.

For thou art our salvation, Lord,

Our refuge and our great reward;

Without thy grace our souls must fade,

And wither like a flower decayed.

Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,

And make us rise to fall no more;

Once more upon thy people shine,

And fill the world with love divine.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee,

Whose Advent sets thy people free,

Whom, with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Ghost, for evermore.

 

Psalm 109 (110)

 

The Messiah, king and priest

See, the Lord will come. He will sit with princes and he will mount the glorious throne.

The Lord has said to my lord:

“Sit at my right hand

while I make your enemies your footstool.”

From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,

and you will rule in the midst of your foes.

Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,

among the sacred splendours.

Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:

“You are a priest for ever,

a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”

The Lord is at your right hand,

and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will drink from the stream as he goes –

he will hold his head high.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

See, the Lord will come. He will sit with princes and he will mount the glorious throne.

 

Psalm 110 (111)

 

Great are the works of the Lord

The mountains will bring forth joy and the hills justice; for the Lord, the light of the world, comes in strength.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart

in the council of the upright and the assembly.

Great are the works of the Lord,

to be studied by all who delight in them.

His works are splendour and majesty,

his righteousness lasts for ever and ever.

He gives us a record of the wonders he has worked,

the Lord, the kind and compassionate.

He gives food to those who fear him:

for all ages he will remember his covenant.

He has shown to his people the power of his deeds,

he has given them the inheritance of the nations.

Steadfastness and justice

are the works of the Lord.

All his precepts are to be trusted,

they stand firm for ever and ever:

they were laid down in faithfulness and justice.

He has sent deliverance to his people;

he has set up his covenant for ever.

Holy is his name, and much to be feared.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

To those who fear him comes true understanding,

and his praise endures for ever and ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The mountains will bring forth joy and the hills justice; for the Lord, the light of the world, comes in strength.

 

Canticle (Apocalypse 19)

 

The wedding of the Lamb

Let us live justly and honestly while we are awaiting, in hope, the coming of the Lord.

Alleluia.

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

because his judgements are true and just.

Alleluia.

Alleluia.

Praise our God, all his servants,

and you who fear him, small and great.

Alleluia.

Alleluia.

For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty:

let us rejoice and exult and give him glory.

Alleluia.

Alleluia.

The marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his spouse has made herself ready.

Alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Let us live justly and honestly while we are awaiting, in hope, the coming of the Lord.

 

Short Reading. Philippians 4:4-5

I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near.

 

Short Responsory

 

Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

And grant us your salvation.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

 

Canticle Magnificat

 

My soul rejoices in the Lord

John answered. ‘Someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn.’ (Year C)

Or: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect another?’ ‘Tell John what you hear and see: the blind see again, the lame walk, and the good news is preached to those who are poor in spirit.’ Alleluia.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

John answered. ‘Someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn.’ (Year C)

Or: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect another?’ ‘Tell John what you hear and see: the blind see again, the lame walk, and the good news is preached to those who are poor in spirit.’ Alleluia.

 

Prayers and intercessions

 

We pray to our Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

– Come, and remain with us, Lord.

Gabriel announced your coming to the Virgin Mary:

Son of the most High, come to claim your kingdom.

– Come, and remain with us, Lord.

John the Baptist rejoiced to see your day:

come, bring us your salvation.

– Come, and remain with us, Lord.

Simeon acknowledged you, Light of the World:

bring your light to all men of goodwill.

– Come, and remain with us, Lord.

We look for you as watchmen look for the dawn:

you are the sun that will wake the dead to new life.

– Come, and remain with us, Lord.

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.

Grant, almighty God,

that looking forward in faith to the feast of our Lord’s birth,

we may feel all the happiness our Saviour brings

and celebrate his coming with unfailing joy.

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.

The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

 

Read More

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (SATURDAY, AUGUST 15)

A Night prayer to Our Blessed Mother

Learn these four practices from Saints to sleep better at night

Prayer for the Evening (Saturday, December 11)

Prayer for the Evening

 

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

 

Hymn

 

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Announces that the Lord is nigh;

Come then and hearken, for he brings

Glad tidings from the King of kings.

 

Then cleansed be every Christian breast,

And furnished for so great a guest!

Yea, let us each his heart prepare

For Christ to come and enter there.

 

For thou art our salvation, Lord,

Our refuge and our great reward;

Without thy grace our souls must fade,

 

And wither like a flower decayed.

Stretch forth thine hand, to heal our sore,

And make us rise to fall no more;

Once more upon thy people shine,

And fill the world with love divine.

 

All praise, eternal Son, to thee,

Whose Advent sets thy people free,

Whom, with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Ghost, forevermore.

 

Psalm 112 (113)

 

Praise of the Lord’s name

Rejoice greatly, Jerusalem, for your Saviour will come to you. Alleluia.

Praise, servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord.

 

Let the Lord’s name be blessed,

now and for ever.

From the sun’s rising to its setting,

the Lord’s name is to be praised.

 

The Lord is high over all peoples,

his glory is above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high,

who bends down to watch over heaven and earth?

He raises the weak from the ground,

the poor from the dunghill,

raises them among the princes,

the princes of his people.

 

He gives the barren woman a household,

makes her the happy mother of children.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Rejoice greatly, Jerusalem, for your Saviour will come to you. Alleluia.

 

Psalm 115 (116B)

 

Thanksgiving in the Temple

I, the Lord, am coming to deliver you: I am already near and my saving act will not be delayed.

Still I trusted, even when I said

“I am greatly afflicted,”

when I said in my terror,

“all men are liars.”

How shall I repay the Lord

for all he has done for me?

I will take up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord

before all his people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

O Lord, I am your servant,

your maidservant’s son.

You have torn apart my chains:

I will make you a sacrifice of praise,

[I will] call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord

before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

within your walls, Jerusalem.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I, the Lord, am coming to deliver you: I am already near and my saving act will not be delayed.

 

Canticle Philippians 2

 

Christ, God’s servant

Send, Lord, the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from the Rock in the desert to the mountain of the daughter of Sion.

Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature,

did not try to cling to his equality with God;

but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave,

and became like a man:

not in appearance only,

for he humbled himself by accepting death,

even death on a cross.

 

For this, God has raised him high,

and given him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend,

in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,

and every tongue will proclaim

“Jesus Christ is Lord,”

to the glory of God the Father.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Send, Lord, the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from the Rock in the desert to the mountain of the daughter of Sion.

 

Short Reading (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

 

May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.

 

Short Responsory

 

Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

And grant us your salvation.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Show us, Lord, your steadfast love.

 

Canticle Magnificat

 

My soul rejoices in the Lord

When all the people asked John, ‘What must we do?’ he answered, ‘If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none, and the one with something to eat must do the same.’ (Year C)
Or: Before me there was no God nor will there be after me. Every knee shall bend before me and every tongue shall acknowledge me.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

When all the people asked John, ‘What must we do?’ he answered, ‘If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none, and the one with something to eat must do the same.’ (Year C)

Or: Before me there was no God nor will there be after me. Every knee shall bend before me and every tongue shall acknowledge me.

 

Prayers and intercessions

 

The Son of God is coming with great power: all mankind shall see his face and be reborn.

– Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

You will bring us wisdom, fresh understanding and new vision.

– Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

You will bring us good news, and power which will transform our lives.

– Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

You will bring us truth, showing us the way to our Father.

– Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

Born of a woman, you will open in our flesh the way to eternal life and joy.

– Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

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.

Grant, almighty God,

that looking forward in faith to the feast of our Lord’s birth,

we may feel all the happiness our Saviour brings

and celebrate his coming with unfailing joy.

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.

The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Prayer for the Evening (Thursday, December 9)

Prayer for the Evening

Let us speak of the glory of God’s reign

and declare the Lord’s might!

 

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

 

Herald of the joyful tidings,

Stand upon the mountain high.

Lift your voice, O be not frightened,

Bravely raise the Gospel cry:

God himself will come to save us

From our grave iniquities.

Soon our longing eyes will see him:

Jesus, Savior, Prince of peace.

 

Psalm 63:2-9

 

The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,/ their tongues are parched with thirst./ I, the Lord, will answer them;/ I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. (Is 41:17)

John the Baptist is a desert prophet. He speaks of fire and not of rain. Yet in this Advent season, when our longing for God is captured powerfully in the image of the desert lands yearning for the relief of water, the Baptist’s promise of the One to come falls on our hearts like dew on parched land. We know the truth he speaks: we must be prepared by repentance for the transformation that will come.

 

O God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.

 

For your love is better than life,

my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life,

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,

my mouth shall praise you with joy.

 

On my bed I remember you.

On you I muse through the night

for you have been my help;

in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand holds me fast.

 

Glory to the Father….

 

Word of God. Isaiah 51:3

 

Yes, the Lord shall comfort Zion/ and have pity on all her ruins;/ Her deserts he shall make like Eden,/ her wasteland like the garden of the Lord;/ Joy and gladness shall be found in her,/ thanksgiving and the sound of song.

 

That all may see and know,/ observe and understand,/

That the hand of the Lord has done this. (Is 41:20)

 

Canticle of Mary

 

The dripping clouds restore them all,/ and the scattered dew enriches the parched land. (Sir 43:23)

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

 

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

 

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

 

He has shown the strength of his arm,

[he] has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

 

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

 

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Glory to the Father…

 

Intercessions

 

Christ comes like refreshing dew upon parched earth. As evening falls, let us pray that he will come to the darkened land:

R/You are our help.

O Lord, the world is weary under the burden of sin and pain:

– come to set sufferers free. R/

O Lord, our hearts are parched by the empty clamor of the season:

– come to refresh us with your silent peace. R/

O Lord, the hungry cry out at the specter of greed and waste around them:

– come to feed them with your compassionate love. R/

O Lord, refugees walk in uncertainty and fear along the roads of exile:

– come to take them by the hand and guide them to a place they can call home. R/

 

Personal intentions

 

Our Father….

 

May the God in whose ways/ our fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,/ The God who has been our shepherd/ from our birth to this day,/ The Angel who has delivered us from all harm,/ bless us and keep us in peace. Amen. (cf. Gn 48:15-16)

 

Marian Antiphon

 

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer

 

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us, poor sinners.