PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (SATURDAY, JANUARY 2)

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. First Saturday of the Month

Prayer for the Morning

Jesus Christ is the wisdom 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

Wisdom from the living word

Shine upon us as we pray;

May the Spirit’s voice be heard

In the dark and cloudy day:

Wisdom from the living word

Be the light upon our way.

Faith be strong and doubt depart,

Fear and unbelief be gone;

Peace possess the anxious heart

Where the light of Christ has shone:

Faith be strong and doubt depart,

Lead your pilgrim people on.

Canticle of Sirach 14:20-21, 24-27; 15:2-6

I, Wisdom, dwell with experience,/ and judicious knowledge I attain. (Prv 8:12)

Saints Basil and Gregory dwelt with wisdom through study and prayer, first in the silence of the monastic life and later in the midst of their pastoral responsibilities as bishops. From her abundance they still feed all those who seek to know God through their teaching of Christ’s doctrine.

Happy the man who meditates on wisdom,

and reflects on knowledge;

Who ponders her ways in his heart,

and understands her paths;

Who encamps near her house,

and fastens his tent pegs next to her walls;

Who pitches his tent beside her,

and lives as her welcome neighbor;

Who builds his nest in her leafage,

and lodges in her branches;

Who takes shelter with her from the heat,

and dwells in her home.

Motherlike she will meet him,

like a young bride she will embrace him,

Nourish him with the bread of understanding,

and give him the water of learning to drink.

He will lean upon her and not fall,

he will trust in her and not be put to shame.

She will exalt him above his fellows;

in the assembly she will make him eloquent.

Joy and gladness he will find,

an everlasting name inherit.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Proverbs 9:1-6)

Wisdom has built her house,/ she has set up her seven columns;/ She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,/ yes, she has spread her table./ She has sent out her maidens; she calls/ from the heights out over the city:/ “Let whoever is simple turn in here;/ to him who lacks understanding, I say,/ Come, eat of my food,/ and drink of the wine I have mixed!/ Forsake foolishness that you may live;/ advance in the way of understanding.”

He who fears the Lord will do this;/ he who is ­practiced in the law will come to wisdom. (Sir 15:1)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,/ seated upon his throne. (Sir 1:6)

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

Through the intercession of Saints Basil and Gregory, seekers and servants of God’s wisdom, let us pray:

R/Wisdom of God, lead us in the path of understanding.

For those who seek to know God:

– lead them to ponder your ways in the prayerful reading of your Word. R/

For those who devote themselves to the study of theology:

– keep them in the ways of truth and love. R/

For those who lack understanding:

– draw them to the table of your Word. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

O God of truth, you blessed Saints Basil and Gregory with the gifts of wisdom and understanding. Through their intercession and example, inspire students and teachers of your Church to seek you above every other reward and to serve you faithfully in the work of leading others to true belief, through Christ our Lord. Amen.