Liturgy of the Hours
Tuesday in the 5th week of Lent
Prayer Hours
▶Invitatory
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Antiphon: 1043
Psalm: 1044
Christian Prayer:
Antiphon: 687
Psalm: 688
Lord, open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Psalm 95
Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
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.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
▶Office of Readings
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1045
Proper of Seasons: 356
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 1120
Office of Readings for Tuesday of the 5th week of Lent
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Beneath the shadow of Your throne
Your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting you are God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in your sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all our lives away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be now our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
| 𝄞 | "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss, Vince Clark • Musical Score • Title: O God, Our Help in Ages Past; Text: Based on Psalm 90; Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, Psalms of David..., 1719, alt.; Tune: ST. ANNE, CM; later form of melody (rhythm adapted), attr. to William Croft, 1678-1727, A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms, 1708; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss, Vince Clark; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord is just; he will defend the poor.
Psalm 10
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are the poor; the kingdom of heaven is theirs (Luke 6:20).
I
Lord, why do you stand afar off
and hide yourself in times of distress?
The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:
he is caught in the schemes that others have made.
For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;
the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.
In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish.
There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.
His path is ever untroubled;
your judgment is far from his mind.
His enemies regard him with contempt.
He thinks: “Never shall I falter;
misfortune shall never be my lot.”
His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression,
mischief and deceit under his tongue.
He lies in wait among the reeds;
the innocent he murders in secret.
His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.
He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair;
he lurks in hiding to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor man and drags him away.
He crouches, preparing to spring,
and the helpless fall beneath his strength.
He thinks in his heart: “God forgets,
he hides his face, he does not see.”
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.
Ant. The Lord is just; he will defend the poor.
Ant. 2 Lord, you know the burden of my sorrow.
II
Arise then, Lord, lift up your hand!
O God, do not forget the poor!
Why should the wicked spurn the Lord
and think in his heart: “He will not punish”
But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,
you note it, you take it in hand.
The helpless trusts himself to you;
for you are the helper of the orphan.
Break the power of the wicked and the sinner!
Punish his wickedness till nothing remains!
The Lord is king for ever and ever.
The heathen shall perish from the land he rules.
Lord, you hear the prayer of the poor;
you strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear
to protect the rights of the orphan and oppressed
so that mortal man may strike terror no more.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Rise up, Lord, in defense of your people; do not hide your face from our troubles. Father of orphans, wealth of the poor, we rejoice in making you known; may we find comfort and security in times of pain and anxiety.
Ant. Lord, you know the burden of my sorrow.
Ant. 3 The words of the Lord are true, like silver from the furnace.
Psalm 12
A cry for God’s help against powerful oppressors
The Father sent his Son into the world to defend the poor(Saint Augustine).
Help, O Lord, for good men have vanished:
truth has gone from the sons of men.
Falsehood they speak one to another,
with lying lips, with a false heart.
May the Lord destroy all lying lips,
the tongue that speaks high sounding words,
those who say: “Our tongue is our strength;
our lips are our own, who is our master?”
“For the poor who are oppressed and the needy who groan
I myself will arise,” says the Lord.
“I will grant them the salvation for which they thirst.”
The words of the Lord are words without alloy,
silver from the furnace, seven times refined.
It is you, O Lord, who will take us in your care
and protect us for ever from this generation.
See how the wicked prowl on every side,
while the worthless are prized highly by the sons of men.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Your light is true light, Lord, and your truth shines like the day. Direct us to salvation through your life-giving words. May we be saved by always embracing your word.
Ant. The words of the Lord are true, like silver from the furnace.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
This is the favorable time.
— This is the day of salvation.
READINGS
First reading
From the letter to the Hebrews
3:1-19
Jesus, the apostle of our faith
Holy brothers who share a heavenly calling, fix your eyes on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we acknowledge in faith, who was faithful to him who appointed him. Moses, too, “was faithful in all God’s household,” but Jesus is more worthy of honor than he, as the founder of a house is more honorable than the house itself. Every house is founded by someone, but God is the founder of all. Moses “was faithful in all God’s household” as a servant charged with the task of witnessing to what would be spoken; but Christ was faithful as the Son placed over God’s house. It is we who are that house if we hold fast to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Wherefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you should hear his voice,
harden not your hearts as at the revolt
in the day of testing in the desert,
When your fathers tested and tried me,
and saw my works for forty years.
Because of this I was angered with that generation
and I said, ‘They have always been of erring heart,
and have never known my ways.’
Thus I swore in my anger,
‘They shall never enter into my rest.’”
Take care, my brothers, lest any of you have an evil and unfaithful spirit and fall away from the living God. Encourage one another daily while it is still “today,” so that no one grows hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ only if we maintain to the end that confidence with which we began.
When Scripture says,
“Today, if you should hear his voice,
harden not your hearts as at the revolt,”
who were those that revolted when they heard that voice? Was it not all whom Moses had led out of Egypt? With whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert? To whom but to the disobedient did he swear that they would not enter into his rest? We see, moreover, that it was their unbelief that kept them from entering.
RESPONSORY Hebrews 3:6; Ephesians 2:21
As a faithful son, Christ looks after his Father’s house;
— and we are that house.
Through him the whole fabric is bound together, and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
— And we are that house.
Second reading
From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope
The cross of Christ is the source of all blessings, the cause of all graces
Our understanding, which is enlightened by the Spirit of truth, should receive with purity and freedom of heart the glory of the cross as it shines in heaven and on earth. It should see with inner vision the meaning of the Lord’s words when he spoke of the imminence of his passion: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Afterward he said: Now my soul is troubled, and what am I to say? Father, save me from this hour. But it was for this that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your Son. When the voice of the Father came from heaven, saying, I have glorified him, and will glorify him again, Jesus said in reply to those around him: It was not for me that this voice spoke, but for you. Now is the judgment of the world, now will the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.
How marvellous the power of the cross; how great beyond all telling the glory of the passion: here is the judgment-seat of the Lord, the condemnation of the world, the supremacy of Christ crucified.
Lord, you drew all things to yourself so that the devotion of all peoples everywhere might celebrate, in a sacrament made perfect and visible, what was carried out in the one temple of Judea under obscure foreshadowings.
Now there is a more distinguished order of Levites, a greater dignity for the rank of elders, a more sacred anointing for the priesthood, because your cross is the source of all blessings, the cause of all graces. Through the cross the faithful receive strength from weakness, glory from dishonor, life from death.
The different sacrifices of animals are no more: the one offering of your body and blood is the fulfillment of all the different sacrificial offerings, for you are the true Lamb of God: you take away the sins of the world. In yourself you bring to perfection all mysteries, so that, as there is one sacrifice in place of all other sacrificial offerings, there is also one kingdom gathered from all peoples.
Dearly beloved, let us then acknowledge what Saint Paul, the teacher of the nations, acknowledged so exultantly: This is a saying worthy of trust, worthy of complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.
God’s compassion for us is all the more wonderful because Christ died, not for the righteous or the holy but for the wicked and the sinful, and, though the divine nature could not be touched by the sting of death, he took to himself, through his birth as one of us, something he could offer on our behalf.
The power of his death once confronted our death. In the words of Hosea the prophet: Death, I shall be your death; grave, I shall swallow you up. By dying he submitted to the laws of the underworld; by rising again he destroyed them. He did away with the everlasting character of death so as to make death a thing of time, not of eternity. As all die in Adam, so all will be brought to life in Christ.
RESPONSORY Colossians 2:14-15; John 8:25
Christ has canceled the decree that was against us by nailing it to the cross.
— He disarmed the principalities and powers, and made of them a public spectacle, leading them off captive in his triumphal procession.
When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am he.
— He disarmed the principalities and powers, and made of them a public spectacle, leading them off captive in his triumphal procession.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Grant us,
we pray, O Lord,
perseverance in obeying your will,
that in our days the people dedicated to your service
may grow in both merit and number.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
▶Morning Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1049
Proper of Seasons: 360
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 1124
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Proper of Seasons: 371
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 728
Morning Prayer for Tuesday of the 5th week of Lent
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
The beauty of the rising sun
Begins to tint the world with light,
Awakened nature glows with life
As form and color reappear.
Lord Jesus Christ, you far surpass
The sun that shines since time began;
We turn to you with joyous song
That you may bless us with your smile.
You are God's knowledge infinite,
His Word, through whom all things were made;
Their wondrous order speaks to us
And draws our hearts and minds to you.
Give us your light that like true sons
Intrepid we may tread life's path.
May all our ways and actions show
The gift of God the Father's grace.
Let every word our lips may say
Prove our sincerity and truth,
That our serenity of soul
May radiate our inward joy.
To you, O Christ, most kindly King,
And to the Father, glory be;
Praise to the Spirit Paraclete,
In every age, eternally. Amen.
| 𝄞 | "The Beauty of the Rising Sun" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: The Beauty of the Rising Sun; Text: Pergrata mundo nuntiat; Translation: St. Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The man whose deeds are blameless and whose heart is pure will climb the mountain of the Lord.
Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed(Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him .
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.
O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.
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.
Psalm-prayer
King of glory, Lord of power and might, cleanse our hearts from all sin, preserve the innocence of our hands, and keep our minds from vanity, so that we may deserve your blessing in your holy place.
Ant. The man whose deeds are blameless and whose heart is pure will climb the mountain of the Lord.
Ant. 2 Praise the eternal King in all your deeds.
Canticle – Tobit 13:1-8
God afflicts but only to heal
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great love for us has brought us to a new birth (1 Peter 1:3).
Blessed be God who lives forever,
because his kingdom lasts for all ages.
For he scourges and then has mercy;
he casts down to the depths of the nether world,
and he brings up from the great abyss.
No one can escape his hand.
Praise him, you Israelites, before the Gentiles,
for though he has scattered you among them,
he has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him before every living being,
because he is the Lord our God,
our Father and God forever.
He scourged you for your iniquities,
but will again have mercy on you all.
He will gather you from all the Gentiles
among whom you have been scattered.
When you turn back to him with all your heart,
to do what is right before him,
then he will turn back to you,
and no longer hide his face from you.
So now consider what he has done for you,
and praise him with full voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of the ages.
In the land of my exile I praise him,
and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.
“Turn back, you sinners! do the right before him:
perhaps he may look with favor upon you and show you mercy.
“As for me, I exalt my God,
and my spirit rejoices in the King of heaven.
Let all men speak of his majesty,
and sing his praises in Jerusalem.”
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.
Ant. Praise the eternal King in all your deeds.
Ant. 3 The loyal heart must praise the Lord.
Psalm 33
Song of praise for God’s continual care
Through the Word all things were made (John 1:3).
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
O sing him a song that is new,
play loudly, with all your skill.
For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.
By his word the heavens were made,
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He collects the waves of the ocean;
he stores up the depths of the sea.
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.
A king is not saved by his army,
nor a warrior preserved by his strength.
A vain hope for safety is the horse;
despite its power it cannot save.
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy.
We trust in his holy name.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Nourish your people, Lord, for we hunger for your word. Rescue us from the death of sin and fill us with your mercy, that we may share your presence and the joys of all your saints.
Ant. The loyal heart must praise the Lord.
READING Zechariah 12:10-11a
I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and petition; and they shall look on him whom they have thrust through, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a first-born. On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be great.
Sacred Silence(indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare.
— God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare.
From those who would trap me with lying words
— and, from the hunter’s snare.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. When you have lifted up the Son of Man, says the Lord, you will know that I am he.
Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner
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, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. When you have lifted up the Son of Man, says the Lord, you will know that I am he.
INTERCESSIONS
Praise to Christ, who has given us himself as the bread from heaven. Let us pray to him, saying:
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
Lord, feed us at the banquet of the eucharist,
— with all the gifts of your paschal sacrifice.
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
Give us a perfect heart to receive your word,
— that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
Make us eager to work with you in building a better world,
— so that it may listen to your Church and its gospel of peace.
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
— wash us clean by your gift of salvation.
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Concluding Prayer
Grant us,
we pray, O Lord,
perseverance in obeying your will,
that in our days the people dedicated to your service
may grow in both merit and number.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
▶Midmorning Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1054
Complementary Psalmody: 1651 (Midmorning)
Proper of Seasons: 362 (antiphon, reading, concluding prayer)
Midmorning Prayer for Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent, using the Complementary Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come
From Thy bright heav’nly throne;
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all Thine own.
Thou who art called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The living spring, the living fire,
Sweet unction and true love.
Thou who art sevenfold in Thy grace,
Finger of God’s right hand;
His promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand.
O guide our minds with Thy blest light,
With love our hearts inflame;
And with Thy strength, which ne’er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our deadly foe;
True peace unto us bring;
And through all perils lead us safe
Beneath Thy sacred wing.
Through Thee may we the Father know,
Through Thee th’eternal Son,
And Thee the Spirit of them both,
Thrice-blessèd Three in One.
All glory to the Father be,
With His co-equal Son:
The same to Thee, great Paraclete,
While endless ages run.
| 𝄞 | "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, Come" by Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath • Musical Score • Title: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, Come; Text: Attributed to Rhabanus Maurus, circa 800 (Veni Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita); Translated from Latin to English by an anonymous author in Hymns for the Year, 1867; Music: Thomas Tallis, circa 1567; Artists: Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath; Used with permission. |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The time of penance has come, the time to atone for our sins and to seek our salvation.
Psalm 120
Longing for peace
To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”
What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.
Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.
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.
Psalm 121
Guardian of his people
Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.
The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.
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.
Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”
For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.
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.
Ant. The time of penance has come, the time to atone for our sins and seek our salvation.
READING See 1 Corinthian 1:18-19
The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those that are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God. Scripture says,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and thwart the cleverness of the clever.”
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
— Renew in me a steadfast spirit.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Grant us,
we pray, O Lord,
perseverance in obeying your will,
that in our days the people dedicated to your service
may grow in both merit and number.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
▶Midday Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1054
Proper of Seasons: 362 (Midday)
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 1131
Midday Prayer for Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent, using the Current Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
| 𝄞 | "Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty; Text: Reginald Heber Music: John B. Dykes Tune: NICAEA; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 4 |
PSALMODY
Ant. As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the sinner to die but to turn back to me and live.
Psalm 119:1-8
I (Aleph)
Meditation on God’s law Loving God means keeping his commandments (1 John 5:3).
They are happy whose life is blameless,
who follow God’s law!
They are happy who do his will,
seeking him with all their hearts,
who never do anything evil
but walk in his ways.
You have laid down your precepts
to be obeyed with care.
May my footsteps be firm
to obey your statutes.
Then I shall not be put to shame
as I heed your commands.
I will thank you with an upright heart
as I learn your decrees.
I will obey your statutes:
do not forsake me.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, you proclaim victorious those whose lives are blameless and give your law to those who seek it. Make us seek your righteous ways in our hearts.
Psalm 13
The lament of the just man who does not lose hope in God
May the God of hope fill you with every joy (Romans 15:13).
How long, O Lord, will you forget me?
How long will you hide your face?
How long must I bear grief in my soul,
this sorrow in my heart day and night?
How long shall my enemy prevail?
Look at me, answer me, Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death,
lest my enemy say: “I have overcome him”;
lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.
As for me, I trust in your merciful love.
Let my heart rejoice in your saving help:
Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me,
singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Saving God, by the resurrection of your Son, you have given light to our eyes, and they shall not sleep in death for ever. Look upon the sufferings of your Church so that our hearts may rejoice in your saving help and sing you songs of praise.
Psalm 14
The foolishness of sinners
Sin has increased but grace has far surpassed it (Romans 5:20).
The fool has said in his heart:
“There is no God above.”
Their deeds are corrupt, depraved;
not a good man is left.
From heaven the Lord looks down
on the sons of men
to see if any are wise,
if any seek God.
All have left the right path,
depraved, every one:
there is not a good man left,
no, not even one.
Will the evil-doers not understand?
They eat up my people
as though they were eating bread:
they never pray to the Lord.
See how they tremble with fear
without cause for fear:
for God is with the just.
You may mock the poor man’s hope,
but his refuge is the Lord.
O that Israel’s salvation might come from Zion!
When the Lord delivers his people from bondage,
then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.
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.
Psalm-prayer
God of wisdom and truth, without you neither truth nor holiness can survive. Safeguard the Church you have gathered into one and make us glad in proclaiming you.
Ant. As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the sinner to die but to turn back to me and live.
READING 1 Corinthians 1:22-24
Yes, Jews demand “signs” and Greeks look for “wisdom,” but we preach Christ crucified – a stumbling block to Jews, and an absurdity to Gentiles; but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
Turn your face away from my sins.
— Blot out all my guilt.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Grant us,
we pray, O Lord,
perseverance in obeying your will,
that in our days the people dedicated to your service
may grow in both merit and number.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
▶Midafternoon Prayer
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1054
Complementary Psalmody: 1655 (Midafternoon)
Proper of Seasons: 363 (antiphon, reading, concluding prayer)
Midafternoon Prayer for Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent, using Complementary Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
I am bending my knee
In the eye of the Father who made me;
In the eye of the Son who redeemed me;
In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me;
And I'm asking the Three
That my living shall be
In the likeness of Jesus, my Lord.
Chorus:
In His love towards God, the affection of God
And the smile of God in His face.
In the Wisdom of God and the will of God
To make this earth a holy place.
O Christ be with me in my sleeping
And in my awaking
And Christ be with me in my rising
And may Christ be with me in my going.
And I'm asking the Three
That my living shall be
In the likeness of Jesus, my Lord.
Chorus:
In His love towards God, the affection of God
And the smile of God in His face.
In the Wisdom of God and the will of God
To make this earth a holy place.
And I am bending my knee
In the eye of the Father who made me;
In the eye of the Son who redeemed me;
In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me;
And I'm asking the Three
That my living shall be
In the likeness of Jesus, my Lord.
| 𝄞 | "In the Likeness of Jesus" by Briege O'Hare And Marie Cox • Available on iTunes • Available for Purchase • Title: In The Likeness of Jesus; Text: Briege O'Hare, OSC, inspired by The Carmina Gadelica; Album: The Peace of God. Songs from a Celtic Monastery; Composed and arranged by: Briege O'Hare, OSC; Sung by: Marie Cox,RSM; (c) 2006 Hermitage Production; Used by permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Peace of God |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Armed with God’s justice and power, let us prove ourselves through patient endurance.
Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.
The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves
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.
Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)
If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
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.
Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)
O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!
On Israel, peace!
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.
Ant. Armed with God’s justice and power, let us prove ourselves through patient endurance.
READING 1 Corinthians 1:25, 27a
God’s folly is wiser than men, and his weakness more powerful than men. God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
My sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit.
— A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Grant us,
we pray, O Lord,
perseverance in obeying your will,
that in our days the people dedicated to your service
may grow in both merit and number.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
▶Evening Prayer I - Solemnity
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1064
All from Proper of Saints: 1733
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from Proper of Saints: 1114
Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of the Annunciation
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
HYMN
Sing of Mary, pure and lowly,
Virgin mother undefiled,
Sing of God's own Son most holy,
Who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
Takes our nature by his birth.
Sing of Jesus, son of Mary,
In the home at Nazareth.
Toil and labour cannot weary
Love enduring unto death.
Constant was the love he gave her,
Though he went forth from her side,
Forth to preach, and heal, and suffer,
Till on Calvary he died.
Glory be to God the Father;
Glory be to God the Son;
Glory be to God the Spirit;
Glory to the Three in One.
From the heart of blessed Mary,
From all saints the song ascends,
And the Church the strain reechoes
Unto earth's remotest ends.
| 𝄞 | "Sing of Mary" by Gretchen Harris • Anon., c.1914; Tune: PLEADING SAVIOR; Composer: Joshua Leavitt, "Christian Lyre," 1830; (C) 2007 Overhead Records, Used with permission from Gretchen Harris • Albums that contain this Hymn: Sing of Mary |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 A shoot will spring forth from the stock of Jesse, and a flower will blossom from his root. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him.
Psalm 113
Praise the name of the Lord
He has cast down the mighty and has lifted up the lowly (Luke 1:52).
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!
High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?
From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from his misery he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.
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.
Ant. A shoot will spring forth from the stock of Jesse, and a flower will blossom from his root. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him.
Ant. 2 The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will reign for ever.
Psalm 147:12-20
The restoration of Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9).
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates,
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
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.
Ant. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will reign for ever.
Ant. 3 The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
Canticle – Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS 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.
Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
READING 1 John 1:1-2
This is what we proclaim to you:
what was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we have looked upon
and our hands have touched—
we speak of the word of life.
This life became visible;
we have seen and bear witness to it,
and we proclaim to you the eternal life
that was present to the Father
and became visible to us.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.
— A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.
The Virgin has given birth to the Savior,
— and a star has risen from Jacob.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary; and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
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, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary; and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
INTERCESSIONS
On this day the eternal Father sent his angel to bring Mary the good news of our salvation. Let us turn to God and pray with confidence:
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
You chose the Virgin Mary as the mother of your Son,
— have mercy on all who look for your gift of salvation.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
You sent Gabriel to give Mary your message of peace and joy,
— give to the whole world the joy of salvation and your gift of true peace.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
Mary gave her consent, the Holy Spirit overshadowed her, and your Word came to dwell among us,
— touch our hearts that we may welcome Christ as Mary did.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
You look with love on the humble, and fill the hungry with your gifts,
— raise up the downcast, help all in need, comfort and strengthen the dying.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
Lord our God, you alone work wonders and with you all things are possible,
— give us the fullness of salvation when you raise up the dead on the last day.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Concluding Prayer
O God,
who willed that your Word should take on
the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man,
may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
▶Night Prayer I
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol II:
Page 1619
Christian Prayer:
Page 1034
Night Prayer after Evening Prayer I in Lent
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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.
Examination of conscience:
We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.
Lord, Jesus you healed the sick:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy
Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy
HYMN
Come, come to me all you whose hearts are weary.
Come, come to me and I will give you rest.
Come learn from me for I am gentle and lowly.
Take my yoke upon you and your soul will be at rest.
Come, come to me all you whose hearts are weary.
Come, come to me and I will give you rest.
Come learn from me for I am gentle and lowly.
Take my yoke upon you and your soul will be at rest.
Come, come to me all you whose hearts are weary.
Come, come to me and I will give you rest.
Come learn from me for I am gentle and lowly.
Take my yoke upon you and your soul will be at rest.
Take my yoke upon you and your soul will be at rest.
| 𝄞 | "Come to Me" by Briege O'Hare And Marie Cox • Available on iTunes • Available for Purchase • ;Composed and arranged by: Briege O'Hare, OSC; Sung by: Marie Cox,RSM; (c) 1966 Briege O'Hare; Used by permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: Lord, Teach Us To Pray |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4
Thanksgiving
The resurrection of Christ was God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work (Saint Augustine).
When I call, answer me, O God of justice;
from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!
O men, how long will your hearts be closed,
will you love what is futile and seek what is false?
It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;
the Lord hears me whenever I call him.
Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still
Make justice your sacrifice, and trust in the Lord.
“What can bring us happiness?” many say.
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord.
You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.
I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
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.
Ant. Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.
Ant. 2 In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.
Psalm 134
Evening prayer in the temple
Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great (Revelation 19:5).
O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord through the night.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.
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.
Ant. In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.
READING Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Gospel Canticle
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
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.
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Concluding Prayer
Lord,
we beg you to visit this house
and banish from it
all the deadly power of the enemy.
May your holy angels dwell here
to keep us in peace,
and may your blessing be upon us always.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.
Blessing
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
— Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1 audio recording available
Mass Readings
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
First Reading
Numbers 21:4-9
From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in com...
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
Refrain: O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Gospel
John 8:21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your si...
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Daily Meditation
Always Do What Is Pleasing to Him
By Mary Wolff
Scripture: John 8:21-30
Audio duration: 5:47
Today's Bible Readings from the USCCB The Order of the Mass <a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/rcdailymeditations/2647410/">March 24, 2026 – Always Do What Is Pleasing to Him | RSS.com</a> Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent John 8:21-30 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus sai...