WEEK A

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening - From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 47
Clap your hands, all you peoples;*
shout to God with a cry of joy.
For the Lord Most High is to be feared;*
he is the great king over all the earth.
He subdues the peoples under us,*
and the nations under our feet.
He chooses our inheritance for us,*
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
God has gone up with a shout,*
the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;*
sing praises to our king, sing praises.
For God is king of all the earth;*
sing praises with all your skill.
God reigns over the nations;*
God sits upon his holy throne.
The nobles of the peoples have gathered together*
with the people of the God of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,*
and he is highly exalted.
Glory to the Father . . .

Blessed are you, God of all the earth; you have called us out of every people and nation to be a royal priesthood and citizens of your holy city. May our words of praise call the world to turn to the joy of fellowship with you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Genesis 26: 1-6, 12-33
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you. Reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfil the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these lands; and all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.’

So Isaac settled in Gerar.

Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in the same year reaped a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich; he prospered more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. (Now the Philistines had stopped up and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham.) And Abimelech said to Isaac, ‘Go away from us; you have become too powerful for us.’

So Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar and settled there. Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham; for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the names that his father had given them. But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, the herders of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herders, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So he called the well Esek,because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarrelled over that one also; so he called it Sitnah. He moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying, ‘Now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’

From there he went up to Beer-sheba. And that very night the Lordappeared to him and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham’s sake.’ So he built an altar there, called on the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. Isaac said to them, ‘Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?’ They said, ‘We see plainly that the Lord has been with you; so we say, let there be an oath between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you so that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.’ So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths; and Isaac set them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug, and said to him, ‘We have found water!’ He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-shebato this day.

Hebrews 13: 17-25
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls and will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with sighing—for that would be harmful to you.

Pray for us; we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honourably in all things. I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you very soon.

Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free; and if he comes in time, he will be with me when I see you. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with all of you.

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has remembered* his holy covenant.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
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 that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
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 all 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 be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God has remembered* his holy covenant.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

Week A

O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!*
you are clothed with majesty and splendour

Opening (from Psalm 104)
You appointed the moon to mark the seasons,*
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
You make darkness that it may be night,*
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;*
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
May these words of mine please him;*
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 8
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children*
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries,*
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,*
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What is man that you should be mindful of him?*
the son of man that you should seek him out?
You have made him but little lower than the angels;*
you adorn him with glory and honour;
You give him mastery over the works of your hands;*
you put all things under his feet;
All sheep and oxen,*
even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,*
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Glory to the Father . . .

Blessed are you, creator of heaven and earth; amid the immensity of the universe, you are mindful of us and seek us out. Blessed are you for the gift of your Son, who humbled himself to share our life that we might be raised with him to glory and splendour. Blessed be your holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 John 4)
Beloved let us love one another,*
for love is of God;
And those who love are born of God*
and know God.
Those who do not love do not know God,*
for God is love.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us,*
that God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.
In this is love: not that we loved God,*
but that God loved us and sent his Son
to be the expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,*
we also ought to love one another.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!*
you are clothed with majesty and splendour

READING

John 7: 37-52
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ The police answered, ‘Never has anyone spoken like this!’ Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?’ They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:105)
V. Your word is a lantern to my feet.
R. Your word is a lantern to my feet.
V. A light upon my path.
R. A lantern to my feet.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Your word is a lantern to my feet.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: My soul proclaims* the greatness of the Lord.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour 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 forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: My soul proclaims* the greatness of the Lord.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

WEEK A

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening - From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,*
for he has done marvellous things.
With his right hand and his holy arm*
has he won for himself the victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;*
his righteousness has he openly shown in
the sight of the nations.
He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to
the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the earth have seen the
victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;*
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,*
with the harp and the voice of song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn*
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,*
the lands and those who dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands,*
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.
In righteousness shall he judge the world*
and the peoples with equity.
Glory to the Father . . .

Lord God, we see your righteous rule in all your works, and we join our voices with the song of your whole creation in praising you, in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Genesis 25: 19-34
These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord.And the Lord said to her,
‘Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.’
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Hebrews 13: 1-16
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?’

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them. We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has set us free* to worship him.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
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 that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
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 all 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 be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God has set us free* to worship him.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

Week A

O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!*
you are clothed with majesty and splendour

Opening (from Psalm 104)
You appointed the moon to mark the seasons,*
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
You make darkness that it may be night,*
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;*
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
May these words of mine please him;*
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 8
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children*
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries,*
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,*
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What is man that you should be mindful of him?*
the son of man that you should seek him out?
You have made him but little lower than the angels;*
you adorn him with glory and honour;
You give him mastery over the works of your hands;*
you put all things under his feet;
All sheep and oxen,*
even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,*
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor,*
how exalted is your name in all the world!
Glory to the Father . . .

Blessed are you, creator of heaven and earth; amid the immensity of the universe, you are mindful of us and seek us out. Blessed are you for the gift of your Son, who humbled himself to share our life that we might be raised with him to glory and splendour. Blessed be your holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 John 4)
Beloved let us love one another,*
for love is of God;
And those who love are born of God*
and know God.
Those who do not love do not know God,*
for God is love.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us,*
that God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.
In this is love: not that we loved God,*
but that God loved us and sent his Son
to be the expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,*
we also ought to love one another.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!*
you are clothed with majesty and splendour

READING

Luke 5: 1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:105)
V. Your word is a lantern to my feet.
R. Your word is a lantern to my feet.
V. A light upon my path.
R. A lantern to my feet.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Your word is a lantern to my feet.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Abide with us Lord,* for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour 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 forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: Abide with us Lord,* for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know  you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

WEEK A

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Opening - From Psalm 104
You spread out the heavens like a curtain;*
you lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
You make the clouds your chariot;*
you ride on the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers*
and flames of fire your servants.
You have set the earth upon its foundations,*
so that it never shall move at any time.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 146
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!*
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,*
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,*
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!*
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in
them;*
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,*
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;*
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;*
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,*
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

God our creator and redeemer, inspire your people, in prosperity or adversity, to turn always to you, eternal source of life, health, and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 45))
Thus says the Lord who created the heavens,*
who formed the earth and made it;
who did not create it a chaos,*
but formed it to be inhabited -
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;*
for I am God: there is no other.
From my mouth has gone forth in righteousness*
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,*
every tongue shall swear”.’
In the Lord all the offspring of Israel*
shall triumph and glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.

READINGS

Numbers 13: 1-2, 27-33
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.’ And they told him, ‘We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan.’

But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.’ So they brought to the Israelites an unfavourable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, ‘The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.’

Philippians 2: 12-28
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But Timothy’s worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.

Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow-soldier, your messenger and minister to my need; for he has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

Silence

Response (Ps. 92.4)
V. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.
V. I will sing for joy because of the works of your hands.
R. You have made me glad.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. In all you have done, O Lord, you have made me glad.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has raised up for us* a mighty saviour

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
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 that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
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 all 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 be to the Father.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

Week D

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

Opening (from Psalm 119)
Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;*
you established the earth, and it abides.
By your decree these continue to this day,*
for all things are your servants.
I will never forget your commandments,*
because by them you give me life.
I see that all things come to an end,*
but your commandment has no bounds.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 42
As the deer longs for the water-brooks,*
so longs my soul for you, O God.
My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God;*
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
My tears have been my food day and night,*
while all day long they say to me,
‘Where now is your God?’
I pour out my soul when I think on these things:*
how I went with the multitude and led them into the
house of God,
With the voice of praise and thanksgiving,*
among those who keep holy-day.
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
My soul is heavy within me;*
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.
One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts;*
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.
The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime;*
in the night season his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
I will say to the God of my strength,
‘Why have you forgotten me?*
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?’
While my bones are being broken,*
my enemies mock me to my face;
All day long they mock me*
and say to me, ‘Where now is your God?’
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Glory to the Father . . .

Gracious God, in the night of distress we forget the days of sun and joy. Even when we do not know your presence, preserve us from the dark torrent of despair. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Psalm 43
Give judgement for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people;*
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.
For you are the God of my strength;
why have you put me from you?*
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?
Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me,*
and bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling;
That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness;*
and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God.
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?
Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Glory to the Father . . .

God of mercy, deliver those who are weighed down by fear and depression, and give them joy and gladness in your presence. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Revelation 5 and 15)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty;*
just and true are your ways, O King of the ages!
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?*
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence,*
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

READING

John 7: 14-36

About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, ‘How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?’ Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.

‘Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?’ The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?’ Jesus answered them, ‘I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.’

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:89)
V. Lord, your word is everlasting.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.
V. It stands firm in the heavens.
R. Your word is everlasting.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God has come to the aid of his servant Israel,*
as he promised to Abraham and his children.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour 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 forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: God has come to the aid of his servant Israel,*
as he promised to Abraham and his children.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

WEEK D

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

Opening - (From Psalm 5)
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;*
early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.
Through the greatness of your mercy I will go into your
house;*
I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
All who take refuge in you will be glad;*
they will sing out their joy for ever.
You will shelter them,*
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 119:73-96
Your hands have made me and fashioned me;*
give me understanding, that I may learn your
commandments.
Those who fear you will be glad when they see me,*
because I trust in your word.
I know, O Lord, that your judgements are right*
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
Let your loving-kindness be my comfort*
as you have promised to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me, that I may live,*
for your law is my delight.
Let the arrogant be put to shame, for they wrong me
with lies;*
but I will meditate on your commandments.
Let those who fear you turn to me,*
and also those who know your decrees.
Let my heart be sound in your statutes,*
that I may not be put to shame.
Kaph
My soul has longed for your salvation;*
I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes have failed from watching for your promise,*
and I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’
I have become like a leather flask in the smoke,*
but I have not forgotten your statutes.
How much longer must I wait?*
when will you give judgement against those who
persecute me?
The proud have dug pits for me;*
they do not keep your law.
All your commandments are true;*
help me, for they persecute me with lies.
They had almost made an end of me on earth,*
but I have not forsaken your commandments.
In your loving-kindness, revive me,*
that I may keep the decrees of your mouth.
Lamedh
O Lord, your word is everlasting;*
it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;*
you established the earth, and it abides.
By your decree these continue to this day,*
for all things are your servants.
If my delight had not been in your law,*
I should have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your commandments,*
because by them you give me life.
I am yours; oh, that you would save me!*
for I study your commandments.
Though the wicked lie in wait for me to destroy me,*
I will apply my mind to your decrees.
I see that all things come to an end,*
but your commandment has no bounds.
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 66)
Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her,*
all you who love her.
Share her joy with all your heart,*
all you who mourn over her.
Then you may suck and be fed from her breasts,*
delighting in her plentiful milk.
For thus says the Lord, I will send peace flowing over her like
a river,*
and the wealth of nations like a stream in flood;
you shall be carried in her arms,*
and rocked upon her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,*
so will I myself comfort you, and you shall find strength
in Jerusalem.
This you shall see and be glad at heart;*
your limbs shall be as the fresh grass in spring.*
Then I myself will gather all nations;*
and they shall come and behold my glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

READINGS

Genesis 24: 28-38, 49-67
Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose-ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, ‘Thus the man spoke to me’, he went to the man; and there he was, standing by the camels at the spring. He said, ‘Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?’ So the man came into the house; and Laban unloaded the camels, and gave him straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, ‘I will not eat until I have told my errand.’ He said, ‘Speak on.’

So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.” Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’

Then Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good. Look, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as theLord has spoken.’

When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the Lord. And the servant brought out jewellery of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they rose in the morning, he said, ‘Send me back to my master.’ Her brother and her mother said, ‘Let the girl remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.’ But he said to them, ‘Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my journey successful; let me go, that I may go to my master.’ They said, ‘We will call the girl, and ask her.’ And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
‘May you, our sister, become
thousands of myriads;
may your offspring gain possession
of the gates of their foes.’
Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Hebrews 12: 12-29
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled. See to it that no one becomes like Esau, an immoral and godless person, who sold his birthright for a single meal. You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears.

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.’ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
V. On those who wait upon his love.
R. On those who fear him.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God will guide us* in the way of peace.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
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 that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
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 all 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 be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: God will guide us* in the way of peace.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

Week D

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

Opening (from Psalm 119)
Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;*
you established the earth, and it abides.
By your decree these continue to this day,*
for all things are your servants.
I will never forget your commandments,*
because by them you give me life.
I see that all things come to an end,*
but your commandment has no bounds.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my
supplication,*
because he has inclined his ear to me
whenever I called upon him.
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me;*
I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:*
‘O Lord, I pray you, save my life.’
Gracious is the Lord and righteous;*
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord watches over the innocent;*
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul,*
for the Lord has treated you well.
For you have rescued my life from death,*
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord*
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
‘I have been brought very low.’*
In my distress I said, ‘No one can be trusted.’
How shall I repay the Lord*
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord*
is the death of his servants.
O Lord, I am your servant;*
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving*
and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord*
in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the Lord’s house,*
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Eternal God, faithful in your tender compassion, you give us hope for our life here and hereafter through the victory of your only Son. When we share his cup of salvation, revive in us the joy of this everlasting gift. We ask this in his name. Amen

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;*
laud him, all you peoples.
For his loving-kindness toward us is great,*
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

Faithful God, your loving kindness for all people is revealed in Jesus Christ. Let your kingdom come now in peace and justice in all the world. We ask this in his name. Amen

Conclusion (from Revelation 5 and 15)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty;*
just and true are your ways, O King of the ages!
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?*
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence,*
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

READING

John 7: 1-13
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.’ After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, ‘Where is he?’ And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, ‘He is a good man’, others were saying, ‘No, he is deceiving the crowd.’ Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:89)
V. Lord, your word is everlasting.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.
V. It stands firm in the heavens.
R. Your word is everlasting.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the mighty* and lifted up the lowly

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour 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 forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the mighty* and lifted up the lowly

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

WEEK D

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

Opening - (From Psalm 5)
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;*
early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.
Through the greatness of your mercy I will go into your
house;*
I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
All who take refuge in you will be glad;*
they will sing out their joy for ever.
You will shelter them,*
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,*
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,*
and forget not all his benefits.
He forgives all your sins*
and heals all your infirmities;
He redeems your life from the grave*
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
He satisfies you with good things,*
and your youth is renewed like an eagle’s .
The Lord executes righteousness*
and judgement for all who are oppressed.
He made his ways known to Moses*
and his works to the children of Israel.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,*
slow to anger and of great kindness.
He will not always accuse us,*
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,*
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,*
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,*
so far has he removed our sins from us.
As a father cares for his children,*
so does the Lord care for those who fear him.
For he himself knows whereof we are made;*
he remembers that we are but dust.
Our days are like the grass;*
we flourish like a flower of the field;
When the wind goes over it, it is gone,*
and its place shall know it no more.
But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever
on those who fear him,*
and his righteousness on children’s children;
On those who keep his covenant*
and remember his commandments and do them.
The Lord has set his throne in heaven,*
and his kingship has dominion over all.
Bless the Lord, you angels of his,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,*
and hearken to the voice of his word.
Bless the Lord, all you his hosts,*
you ministers of his who do his will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion;*
bless the Lord, O my soul.
Glory to the Father . . .

God of infinite mercy and forgiveness, by the cross and resurrection of Jesus your Son, wash away our sins and deliver us from our infirmities of body and spirit, that we may live with him his risen life, to the praise and glory of your holy name. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 66)
Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her,*
all you who love her.
Share her joy with all your heart,*
all you who mourn over her.
Then you may suck and be fed from her breasts,*
delighting in her plentiful milk.
For thus says the Lord, I will send peace flowing over her like
a river,*
and the wealth of nations like a stream in flood;
you shall be carried in her arms,*
and rocked upon her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,*
so will I myself comfort you, and you shall find strength
in Jerusalem.
This you shall see and be glad at heart;*
your limbs shall be as the fresh grass in spring.*
Then I myself will gather all nations;*
and they shall come and behold my glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness;*
make your way straight before me.

READINGS

Genesis 24: 1-27
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, ‘Put your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but will go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.’ The servant said to him, ‘Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?’ Abraham said to him, ‘See to it that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, “To your offspring I will give this land”, he will send his angel before you; you shall take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.’ So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all kinds of choice gifts from his master; and he set out and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water; it was towards evening, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. I am standing here by the spring of water, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.Let the girl to whom I shall say, “Please offer your jar that I may drink”, and who shall say, “Drink, and I will water your camels”—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.’

Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder. The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Please let me sip a little water from your jar.’ ‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.’ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half-shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, and said, ‘Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?’ She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’ She added, ‘We have plenty of straw and fodder and a place to spend the night.’ The man bowed his head and worshipped the Lord and said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness towards my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kin.’

Hebrews 12: 3-11
Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—
‘My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
or lose heart when you are punished by him;
for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,
and chastises every child whom he accepts.’
Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.
V. On those who wait upon his love.
R. On those who fear him.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: In tender compassion,* God’s dawn has broken

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
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 that hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
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 all 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 be to the Father.

Benedictus Antiphon: In tender compassion,* God’s dawn has broken

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

Collects
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal. Amen.

Week D

V. O God, make speed to save us;
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

Opening (from Psalm 119)
Your faithfulness remains from one generation to another;*
you established the earth, and it abides.
By your decree these continue to this day,*
for all things are your servants.
I will never forget your commandments,*
because by them you give me life.
I see that all things come to an end,*
but your commandment has no bounds.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 81
Sing with joy to God our strength*
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,*
the merry harp, and the lyre.
Blow the ram’s-horn at the new moon,*
and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
For this is a statute for Israel,*
a law of the God of Jacob.
He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph,*
when he came out of the land of Egypt.
I heard an unfamiliar voice saying,*
‘I eased his shoulder from the burden;
his hands were set free from bearing the load.’
You called on me in trouble, and I saved you;*
I answered you from the secret place of thunder
and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you:*
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
There shall be no strange god among you;*
you shall not worship a foreign god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said,*
‘Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.’
And yet my people did not hear my voice,*
and Israel would not obey me.
So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts,*
to follow their own devices.
Oh, that my people would listen to me!*
that Israel would walk in my ways!
I should soon subdue their enemies*
and turn my hand against their foes.
Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,*
and their punishment would last for ever.
But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat*
and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
Glory to the Father . . .

Father, forgive our foolish ways, and feed us always with that living bread which is given for the life of the world, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Revelation 5 and 15)
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty;*
just and true are your ways, O King of the ages!
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?*
for you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence,*
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

Antiphon: As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,*
so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

READING

John 6: 60-71

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Silence

Response (Psalm 119:89)
V. Lord, your word is everlasting.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.
V. It stands firm in the heavens.
R. Your word is everlasting.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Lord, your word is everlasting.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Show, O Lord, the strength of your arm;*
scatter the proud and exalt the lowly.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour 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 forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father

Magnificat Antiphon: Show, O Lord, the strength of your arm;*
scatter the proud and exalt the lowly.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Collects
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.