PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8)

Prayer for the Morning

Here God dwells in our midst:

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

O may my soul, uncrushed by care,

Direct her gaze to where thou art,

And in thy splendor find, O Christ,

The strength of life thou can impart.

And freed from sin’s depressing load,

May I pursue the path divine,

And rise above the cares of earth

Until my life is merged in thine.

Unsullied life thy servant grant

Who tunes his harp to sound thy praise,

And still my life shall hymn thy love,

And glory to the Father raise.

And when I rest in glory bright,

The burden of my labor past,

In hymns I’ll praise thee more and more

While the eternal ages last.

PSALM 25:1-11

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (cf. Jn 14:6)

Let us turn from the paths of selfishness into the way of Christ, ­following him in faith and in hope toward the promised Kingdom of God.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

I trust you, let me not be disappointed;

do not let my enemies triumph.

Those who hope in you shall not be disappointed,

but only those who wantonly break faith.

Lord, make me know your ways.

Lord, teach me your paths.

Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:

for you are God my savior.

In you I hope all day long

because of your goodness, O Lord.

Remember your mercy, Lord,

and the love you have shown from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth.

In your love remember me.

The Lord is good and upright.

He shows the path to those who stray,

he guides the humble in the right path;

he teaches his way to the poor.

His ways are faithfulness and love

for those who keep his covenant and law.

Lord, for the sake of your name

forgive my guilt, for it is great.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Hebrews 11:1-2; 12:1)

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and ­evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested.

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.

Hold firm and take heart./ Hope in the Lord!

(Ps 27:14)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

We look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)

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 to the Lord who is the origin, companion, and goal of our life’s journey.

R/Stay with us, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you accompanied your doubting disciples on the road to Emmaus:

– sustain your Church in our daily journey of faith. R/

You do not disappoint those who hope in your mercy:

– remember that we are slow to believe, and strengthen our faith. R/

You guide those who walk in darkness:

– teach your paths to all those who seek the road to life. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God, you are our guide and guard along life’s paths. Lead us in the ways of justice and love, righteousness and peace, 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.