Saint Thomas; First Friday of the Month
Prayer for the Morning
Come, let us praise the God of our salvation!
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
Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and
nothing more,
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.
Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived:
How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed;
What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;
Truth himself speaks truly or there’s nothing true.
On the cross thy godhead made no sign to men,
Here thy very manhood steals from human ken:
Both are my confession, both are my belief,
And I pray the prayer of the dying thief.
I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see,
But can plainly call thee Lord and God as he;
Ever deeper faith, Lord, give me from above,
Daily make me harder hope and dearer love.
PSALM 31:2-8
Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (cf. Jn 20:27)
Saint Thomas’ experience gives meaning to the medieval mystics’ reflections on Christ’s glorified wounds as a refuge in which one is safe from the snares of sin and death. This psalm invites us to entrust ourselves in faith to the protective care of the Savior’s all-powerful but wounded hands.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
O God of truth, you detest
those who worship false and empty gods.
As for me, I trust in the Lord:
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Romans 5:1-2)
Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Blessed are they who put their trust in God. (Ps 2:12b)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
I do believe, help my unbelief! (Mk 9:24)
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
By Christ’s wounds, we were healed. In faith, let us pray:
R/Let us be glad and rejoice in your love!
You sent your Apostles to preach the Good News to all the world:
– grant the gift of faith to those who hear your word. R/
You had compassion on Thomas’ lack of faith and healed him:
– grant the gift of faith to those who cannot believe without proof. R/
You called blessed those who would believe without seeing:
– grant the gift of faith to all who seek you without knowing you. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
God of compassion, you sent your only Son to bring the Good News of your reign to believer and unbeliever, Jew and Gentile, alike. Open the hearts of all peoples to receive your Word in faith and love, 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.
