Prayer for the Morning

The Lord comes! Come, let us pray.

Glory to the Father…. 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 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, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the Evening

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

Glory to the Father…. 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

Antiphon for the Solemnity of Christmas, December 25

This day a Virgin inviolate

has brought forth God for us,

clothed in tender members,

whom she was found worthy to suckle;

let us all adore him,

who has come to save us.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae 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.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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,

Splendour 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, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the Morning

The Lord hears the cry of the poor:

let us give thanks and praise!

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

HYMN

God in his glory shall appear,

When Zion he builds and repairs;

He shall regard and lend his ear

Unto the needy’s humble prayers.

The needy’s prayer he will not scorn.

All times shall this be on record:

And generations yet unborn

Shall praise and magnify the Lord.

What grateful offering shall we bring?

What shall we render to the Lord?

Loud hallelujah let us sing,

And praise his name on every chord.

CANTICLE (1 Sm 2:1-2, 7-8b, 8d-10)

I will leave as a remnant in your midst/ a people humble and lowly,/ Who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord. (Zep 3:12)

The prophet Zephaniah makes clear that the world is in sore need of the redeeming presence of Christ who will be revealed not among the powerful who use their power for evil but among the poor and powerless who seek the Lord in poverty of heart. These are the remnant who remain faithful through all hardships.

My heart exults in the Lord,

my horn is exalted in my God.

I have swallowed up my enemies;

I rejoice in my victory.

There is no Holy One like the Lord;

there is no Rock like our God.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich,

he humbles, he also exalts.

He raises the needy from the dust;

from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,

to seat them with nobles

and make a glorious throne their heritage.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and he has set the world upon them.

He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall perish in the darkness.

For not by strength does man prevail;

the Lord’s foes shall be shattered.

The Most High in heaven thunders;

the Lord judges the ends of the earth.

Now may he give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Isaiah 26:4-7)

Trust in the Lord forever!/ For the Lord is an eternal Rock./ He humbles those in high places,/ and the lofty city he brings down;/ He tumbles it to the ground,/ levels it with the dust./ It is trampled underfoot by the needy,/ by the footsteps of the poor.

The way of the just is smooth;/ the path of the just you make level.

Therefore, wait for me, says the Lord. (Zep 3:8a)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

In my pastures the poor shall eat,/ and the needy lie down in safety. (Is 14:30a)

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 days when public attention concentrates powerfully on the use of money, let us pray to him who came as gift to all in need:

R/You will never forsake those who seek you.

For the poor who are oppressed by the commercialism of the season:

– may they be filled with the liberating power of your gifts. R/

For all those who are oppressed by the pressures of the season:

– may they be filled with your peace. R/

For all those who are oppressed by the prospect of loneliness at this season:

– may they be filled with the comfort of friendship and companionship and of your presence. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

Lord Jesus Christ, you hear the cry of the poor. Hear us in our poverty as we bring before you our need for your redeeming love, who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.