The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

Prayer for the Morning

The heavens proclaim the glory of God:

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

From heaven’s height Christ spoke to call

The Gentiles’ great Apostle, Paul,

Whose doctrine, like the thunder, sounds

To the wide world’s remotest bounds.

O bliss of Paul, beyond all thought,

To paradise, yet living, caught!

He hears the heavenly mysteries there,

Which mortal tongue cannot declare.

The word’s good seed abroad he flings;

Straight’way a mighty harvest springs,

And fruits of holy deeds supply

God’s everlasting granary.

The lamp his burning faith displays

Has filled the world with glorious rays;

That darkness’ realm may be o’erthrown,

And Christ may reign, and reign alone.

PSALM 19:2-7

A great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. (Acts 22:6)

Paul literally saw the light on the road to Damascus. The love of the risen Christ transformed him and impelled him to illumine the whole world by the light of the Gospel.

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 (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the ­scriptures.

Go into the whole world and proclaim

the gospel to every creature. (Mk 16:15)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH 

The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard. (Acts 22:14-15)

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

Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, sends the word of light into a world of darkness to enlighten, to transform, to heal, and to save. With grateful joy, we pray:

R/In your light we see light.

Lord Jesus Christ, you turned Saint Paul’s zeal for the way of his ancestors into zeal for you, who are the Way and the Truth:

– open the minds of all people of good will to receive your transforming word. R/

Lord Jesus Christ, you called Saint Paul out of darkness into your marvelous light:

– enlighten all those who hate and persecute in the name of religious righteousness. R/

Lord Jesus Christ, you sent Saint Paul to preach the Good News to unbelievers:

– send eloquent preachers among the unchurched, the unconvinced, the indifferent. R/

Lord Jesus Christ, you commissioned Saint Paul to bring new life to Jew and Gentile, man and woman, slave and free:

– speak the word of life and love to all who dwell apart from you and are hostile to one another. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Great God of glory, you called Saint Paul to preach the Gospel to all nations. By the power of the Gospel he preached, draw all peoples to yourself, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prayer for the Morning

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

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

HYMN

Sweet is the work, my God, my King,

To praise your name, give thanks, and sing,

To show your love by morning light

And talk of all your truth at night.

Sweet is the day of sacred rest,

No mortal cares shall seize my breast.

O may my heart in tune be found,

Like David’s harp of solemn sound!

My heart shall triumph in my Lord

And bless his works and bless his Word.

Your works of grace, how bright they shine!

How deep your counsels, how divine!

And I shall share a glorious part,

When grace has well refined my heart;

And fresh supplies of joy are shed,

Like holy oil, to cheer my head.

PSALM 33:8-15

This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mk 1:15)

The disciples are called to live with Jesus and learn his heart as well as his message, that they may devote their lives as well as their words to the proclamation of the Gospel. Without constant prayer and conversion to the ways of God’s Kingdom, we will be poor servants of the Good News.

Let all the earth fear the Lord,

all who live in the world revere him.

He spoke; and it came to be.

He commanded; it sprang into being.

He frustrates the designs of the nations,

he defeats the plans of the peoples.

His own designs shall stand for ever,

the plans of his heart from age to age.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

the people he has chosen as his own.

From the heavens the Lord looks forth,

he sees all the children of men.

From the place where he dwells he gazes

on all the dwellers on the earth,

he who shapes the hearts of them all

and considers all their deeds.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (1 Peter 3:13-16)

Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.

Go and proclaim the kingdom of God! (Lk 9:60)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? (1 Cor 6:9)

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

Let us pray that we may live the life of the Kingdom we proclaim in Christ:

R/Shape our hearts and our deeds, O Lord!

May we live in prayer and good works today: R/

May we live in love and compassion today: R/

May we live in truth, justice, and peace today: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God, you reign in love and light in that future into which you have called us in Jesus Christ. May we whom you have named your own serve you in love and light during our days on earth, that we may rejoice with you through all eternity, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Vincent; Saint Marianne Cope;Blessed Virgin Mary

Prayer for the Morning

With the Holy Name of Mary always on our lips,

we put our trust in you, O 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

Daily, daily sing to Mary,

Sing, my soul, her praises due:

All her feasts, her actions honor

With the heart’s devotion true.

Lost in wondering contemplation,

Be her majesty confessed:

Call her Mother, call her Virgin,

Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

She is mighty in her pleading,

Tender in her loving care;

Ever watchful, understanding,

All our sorrows she will share.

Advocate and loving mother,

Mediatrix of all grace:

Heaven’s blessings she dispenses

On our sinful human race.

All our graces flow through Mary;

All then join her praise to sing:

Fairest work of all creation,

Mother of creation’s King.

Sing in songs of peace unending,

Call upon her lovingly:

Seat of wisdom, Gate of heaven,

Morning star upon the sea.

PSALM 71:14-17, 22-24a

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. (cf. Lk 1:28)

The Holy Name of Mary is powerful. The tradition of the Church and the teaching of the Magisterium urge us to frequent recitation of the Hail Mary and the rosary. By keeping the name of Mary on our lips, we show our devotion to her. Mary’s mantle is always present to protect those who are her own. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the jewel of God’s creation, the holiest woman ever to live. When we repeat her name, we greatly honor God her Creator. Mary never keeps any glory for herself. Her soul magnifies the Lord (cf. Lk 1:46).

As for me, I will always hope

and praise you more and more.

My lips will tell of your justice

and day by day of your help

though I can never tell it all.

I will declare the Lord’s mighty deeds

proclaiming your justice, yours alone.

O God, you have taught me from my youth

and I proclaim your wonders still.

So I will give you thanks on the lyre

for your faithful love, my God.

To you will I sing with the harp

to you, the Holy One of Israel.

When I sing to you my lips shall rejoice

and my soul, which you have redeemed.

And all the day long my tongue

shall tell the tale of your justice.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Luke 1:30b-33)

Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now

and at the hour of our death.

Canticle of Zechariah

Your name spoken is a spreading perfume. (Sg 1:3)

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

We bring all our cares and place them before our heavenly Father, saying:

R/Hear us and answer our prayer.

That, when we are tempted to vainglory,

– we may gain the Blessed Virgin Mary’s humility. R/

That, when our efforts seem fruitless,

– we may remember to call upon the names of Jesus and Mary for strength. R/

That, when we feel lonely or discouraged,

– the name of Mary may give us comfort and encouragement. R/

That our relationship to the Mother of God

– may bring us ever closer to her Son, Jesus. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Almighty Father, you greatly bless the names of those who do your will. Keep us close to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose name is blessed among all generations. May we, by calling on her name, gain some share of her blessing. 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.