Week C

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: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

Opening (from Psalm 139)
You trace my journeys and my resting-places*
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed there is not a word on my lips,*
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,*
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;*
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul;*
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!
you are clothed with majesty and splendour.
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak*
and 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.
You covered it with the deep as with a mantle;*
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled;*
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath,*
to the places you had appointed for them.
You set the limits that they should not pass;*
they shall not again cover the earth.
You send the springs into the valleys;*
they flow between the mountains.
All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them,*
and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air make their nests*
and sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high;*
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.
You make grass grow for flocks and herds*
and plants to serve mankind;
That they may bring forth food from the earth,*
and wine to gladden our hearts,
Oil to make a cheerful countenance,*
and bread to strengthen the heart.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap,*
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
In which the birds build their nests,*
and in whose tops the stork makes his dwelling.
The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats,*
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.
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.
The lions roar after their prey*
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they slip away*
and lay themselves down in their dens .
Man goes forth to his work*
and to his labour until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are your works!*
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number,*
creatures both small and great.
There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan,*
which you have made for the sport of it.
All of them look to you*
to give them their food in due season.
You give it to them; they gather it;*
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
You hide your face, and they are terrified;*
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
You send forth your Spirit, and they are created;*
and so you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;*
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
He looks at the earth and it trembles;*
he touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;*
I will praise my God while I have my being.
May these words of mine please him;*
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth,*
and the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.*
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

O God of eternal light, heaven and earth are the work of your hands, and all creation sings your praise and beauty. As in the beginning, by your Spirit, you gave life and order to all that is, so by the same Spirit redeem us and all things, through Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion A Song of Pilgrimate (from Sirach 51)
While I was still young, before I began my travels,*
I sought for wisdom openly in my prayers.
I asked for her outside the temple sanctuary,*
and I will seek her to the end.
She has been the delight of my heart.*
from first blossom to early fruit.
I have kept firmly to the true path;*
I have followed her steps since my youth.
I bowed my ear a little and received her;*
I found wisdom and was well instructed.
Glory to the One who gives me wisdom!*
I will live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained understanding from her;*
therefore I will never be deserted.
Because I longed to find her with all my heart,*
I have gained a good possession.
As my reward the Lord has given me a tongue*
with which I shall sing his praises.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Search me out, O God, and know my heart;*
try me and know my restless thoughts.

READING

Matthew 4: 23-5: 20
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Silence

Response (Sirach 51L26)
V. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.
V. Let your souls receive instruction.
R. Take her yoke upon you.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Buy wisdom without money, take her yoke upon you.

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
Author and Giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us in all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 C

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: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

Opening - From Psalms 66 and 92
All the earth bows down before you,*
sings to you, sings out your name.
Bless our God, you peoples;*
make the voice of his praise to be heard.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,*
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning*
and of your faithfulness in the night season.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 65
You are to be praised, O God, in Zion;*
to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come,*
because of their transgressions.
Our sins are stronger than we are,*
but you will blot them out.
Happy are they whom you choose
and draw to your courts to dwell there!*
they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.
Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,
O God of our salvation,*
O Hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the seas that are far away.
You make fast the mountains by your power;*
they are girded about with might.
You still the roaring of the seas,*
the roaring of their waves,
and the clamour of the peoples.
Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at
your marvellous signs;*
you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous;*
the river of God is full of water.
You prepare the grain,*
for so you provide for the earth.
You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges;*
with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
You crown the year with your goodness,*
and your paths overflow with plenty.
May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing,*
and the hills be clothed with joy.
May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain;*
let them shout for joy and sing.
Glory to the Father

Lord God, joy marks your presence; beauty, abundance, and peace are the tokens of your work in all creation. Work also in our lives, that by these signs we may see the splendour of your love and praise you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Psalm 67
May God be merciful to us and bless us,*
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
Let your ways be known upon earth,*
your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;*
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,*
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;*
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has brought forth her increase;*
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
May God give us his blessing,*
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
Glory to the Father . . .

Blessed are you, Lord our God, light of the earth and health of the nations; you lead us in the way of justice and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 12)
Behold God is my salvation;*
I will trust and not be afraid;
the Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water*
from the wells of salvation.
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;*
make known his deeds among the nations.
Sing to the Lord for he has done gloriously;*
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Sion,*
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Be joyful in God, all you lands;*
Sing the glory of his name!

READINGS

Exodus 12: 21-27
Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go, select lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood in the basin. None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike down the Egyptians; when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down. You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children. When you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this observance. And when your children ask you, “What do you mean by this observance?” you shall say, “It is the passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses.” ’ And the people bowed down and worshipped.

Revelation 3: 14-22
‘And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation:

‘I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 63:4)
V. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.
V. And lift up my hands in your name.
R. As long as I live.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will bless you Lord as long as I live.

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.

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

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
Author and Giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us in all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

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: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

Opening (from Psalm 139)
I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
If I were to count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;*
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,*
the world and all who dwell therein.
For it is he who founded it upon the seas*
and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
‘Who can ascend the hill of the Lord?*
and who can stand in his holy place?’
‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,*
who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,
nor sworn by what is a fraud.
They shall receive a blessing from the Lord*
and a just reward from the God of their salvation.’’
Such is the generation of those who seek him,*
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;*
and the King of glory shall come in.
‘Who is this King of glory?’*
‘The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.’
Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;*
and the King of glory shall come in.
‘Who is he, this King of glory?’*
‘The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.’
Glory to the Father . . .

Creator and ruler of all, open our hearts that the King of glory may enter, and bring us rejoicing to your holy mountain, where you live and reign, now and forever. Amen

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,*
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;*
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders;*
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;*
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;*
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,*
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;*
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe*
and strips the forests bare.
And in the temple of the Lord*
all are crying, ‘Glory!’
The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;*
the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
The Lord shall give strength to his people;*
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
glory to the Father . . .

God of mystery and power, open our eyes to the flame of your love, and open our ears to the thunder of your justice, that we may receive your gifts of blessing and peace, to the glory of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 Timothy 3)
Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

READING

John 8: 12-20
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Silence

Response (Psalm 105:5)
V. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
V. His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
R. What wonders he has done!
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!

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 forever. Amen.

Collects
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

V. O Lord, open our lips:
R. 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: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

Opening - From Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my king,*
and bless your name forever and ever.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
that the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 119:25-48
My soul cleaves to the dust;*
give me life according to your word.
I have confessed my ways, and you answered me;*
instruct me in your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your commandments,*
that I may meditate on your marvellous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;*
strengthen me according to your word.
Take from me the way of lying;*
let me find grace through your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;*
I have set your judgements before me.
I hold fast to your decrees;*
O Lord, let me not be put to shame.
I will run the way of your commandments,*
for you have set my heart at liberty.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,*
and I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law;*
I shall keep it with all my heart.
Make me go in the path of your commandments,*
for that is my desire.
Incline my heart to your decrees*
and not to unjust gain.
Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless;*
give me life in your ways.
Fulfil your promise to your servant,*
which you make to those who fear you.
Turn away the reproach which I dread,*
because your judgements are good.
Behold, I long for your commandments;*
in your righteousness preserve my life.
Let your loving-kindness come to me, O Lord,*
and your salvation, according to your promise.
Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me,*
because I trust in your words.
Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth,*
for my hope is in your judgements.
I shall continue to keep your law;*
I shall keep it forever and ever.
I will walk at liberty,*
because I study your commandments.
I will tell of your decrees before kings
and will not be ashamed.
I delight in your commandments,*
which I have always loved.
I will lift up my hands to your commandments,*
and I will meditate on your statutes
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 40)
The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;*
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

READINGS

Job 9: 1; 10: 1-9, 16-22
Then Job answered:

‘I loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
let me know why you contend against me.
Does it seem good to you to oppress,
to despise the work of your hands
and favour the schemes of the wicked?
Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as humans see?
Are your days like the days of mortals,
or your years like human years,
that you seek out my iniquity
and search for my sin,
although you know that I am not guilty,
and there is no one to deliver out of your hand?
Your hands fashioned and made me;
and now you turn and destroy me.
Remember that you fashioned me like clay;
and will you turn me to dust again?
Bold as a lion you hunt me;
you repeat your exploits against me.
You renew your witnesses against me,
and increase your vexation towards me;
you bring fresh troops against me.

‘Why did you bring me forth from the womb?
Would that I had died before any eye had seen me,
and were as though I had not been,
carried from the womb to the grave.
Are not the days of my life few?
Let me alone, that I may find a little comfort
before I go, never to return,
to the land of gloom and deep darkness,
the land of gloom and chaos,
where light is like darkness.’

Acts 11: 1-18
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 86:12)
V. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
V. I will glorify your name for evermore.
R. With all my heart.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

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: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

Opening (from Psalm 139)
I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
If I were to count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;*
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 13
How long, O Lord?
will you forget me for ever? *
how long will you hide your face from me?
How long shall I have perplexity in my mind,
and grief in my heart, day after day? *
how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
Look upon me and answer me, O Lord my God; *
give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
Lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’*
and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.
But I put my trust in your mercy;*
my heart is joyful because of your saving help.
I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt with me richly; *
I will praise the name of the Lord Most High.
Glory to the Father . . .

Loving and merciful God, hear the prayers of those who cry to you, and shine with the light of your presence on those who live in the shadow of death. May we rejoice in your saving help and sing you songs of praise in the name of our risen Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

Psalm 14
The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ *
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts;
there is none who does any good.
The Lord looks down from heaven upon us all,*
to see if there is any who is wise,
if there is one who seeks after God.
Every one has proved faithless;
all alike have turned bad; *
there is none who does good; no, not one.
Have they no knowledge, all those evildoers*
who eat up my people like bread
and do not call upon the Lord?
See how they tremble with fear,*
because God is in the company of the righteous.
Their aim is to confound the plans of the afflicted,*
but the Lord is their refuge.
Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come out of Zion! *
when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.
Glory to the Father . . .

God of wisdom and love, without you neither truth nor holiness can survive. Show your mighty presence among us, and make us glad in proclaiming your deliverance in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 Timothy 3)
Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

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 105:5)
V. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
V. His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
R. What wonders he has done!
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

V. O Lord, open our lips:
R. 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: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

Opening - From Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my king,*
and bless your name forever and ever.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
that the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 22:21-30
I will declare your name to my brethren;*
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
Praise the Lord, you that fear him;*
stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;
all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither does he hide his face from them;*
but when they cry to him he hears them.
My praise is of him in the great assembly;*
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who
worship him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall praise him:*
‘May your heart live for ever!’
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,*
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him .
For kingship belongs to the Lord;*
he rules over the nations.
To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in
worship;*
all who go down to the dust fall before him.
My soul shall live for him;
my descendants shall serve him;*
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn*
the saving deeds that he has done.
Glory to the Father . . .

Father, your tortured Son felt abandoned, and cried out in anguish from the cross, yet you delivered him. He overcame the bonds of death and rose in triumph from the grave. Do not hide your face from those who cry out to you: feed the hungry, strengthen the weak, and break the chains of the oppressed, that your people may rejoice in your saving deeds. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 40)
The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;*
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

READINGS

Job 9: 1-15, 32-35
Then Job answered:
‘Indeed I know that this is so;
but how can a mortal be just before God?
If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand.
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength
—who has resisted him, and succeeded?—
he who removes mountains, and they do not know it,
when he overturns them in his anger;
who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;
who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the Sea;
who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
who does great things beyond understanding,
and marvellous things without number.
Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
He snatches away; who can stop him?
Who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

‘God will not turn back his anger;
the helpers of Rahab bowed beneath him.
How then can I answer him,
choosing my words with him?
Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him;
I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.
For he is not a mortal, as I am, that I might answer him,
that we should come to trial together.
There is no umpire between us,
who might lay his hand on us both.
If he would take his rod away from me,
and not let dread of him terrify me,
then I would speak without fear of him,
for I know I am not what I am thought to be.

Acts 10: 34-48
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Silence

Response (Ps. 86:12)
V. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
V. I will glorify your name for evermore.
R. With all my heart.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.

BENEDICTUS

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

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 upon us

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

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: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

Opening (from Psalm 139)
I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
If I were to count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;*
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 106:19-48
Israel made a bull-calf at Horeb*
and worshipped a molten image;
And so they exchanged their Glory*
for the image of an ox that feeds on grass.
They forgot God their saviour,*
who had done great things in Egypt,
Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham,*
and fearful things at the Red Sea.
So he would have destroyed them,
had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach,*
to turn away his wrath from consuming them.
They refused the pleasant land*
and would not believe his promise.
They grumbled in their tents*
and would not listen to the voice of the Lord.
So he lifted his hand against them,*
to overthrow them in the wilderness,
To cast out their seed among the nations,*
and to scatter them throughout the lands.
They joined themselves to Baal-Peor*
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
They provoked him to anger with their actions,*
and a plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and interceded,*
and the plague came to an end.
This was reckoned to him as righteousness*
throughout all generations for ever.
Again they provoked his anger at the waters of Meribah,*
so that he punished Moses because of them;
For they so embittered his spirit*
that he spoke rash words with his lips.
They did not destroy the peoples*
as the Lord had commanded them.
They intermingled with the heathen*
and learned their pagan ways,
So that they worshipped their idols,*
which became a snare to them.
They sacrificed their sons*
and their daughters to evil spirits.
They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,*
which they offered to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was defiled with blood.
Thus they were polluted by their actions*
and went whoring in their evil deeds.
Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against
his people*
and he abhorred his inheritance.
He gave them over to the hand of the heathen,*
and those who hated them ruled over them.
Their enemies oppressed them,*
and they were humbled under their hand.
Many a time did he deliver them,
but they rebelled through their own devices,*
and were brought down in their iniquity.
Nevertheless, he saw their distress,*
when he heard their lamentation.
He remembered his covenant with them*
and relented in accordance with his great mercy.
He caused them to be pitied*
by those who held them captive.
Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,*
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting and to everlasting;*
and let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father . . .

God our Father, remembering your covenant you graciously pardoned those who rebelled against you. Grant that where sin abounds, grace may abound more, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 Timothy 3)
Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

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.’

Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.’ Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, ‘When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’ The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and, “Where I am, you cannot come”?’

Silence

Response (Psalm 105:5)
V. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
V. His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
R. What wonders he has done!
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!

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 forever. Amen.

Collects
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

V. O Lord, open our lips:
R. 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: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

Opening - From Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my king,*
and bless your name forever and ever.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
that the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 106:1-18
Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,*
for his mercy endures for ever.
Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord*
or show forth all his praise?
Happy are those who act with justice*
and always do what is right!
Remember me, O Lord, with the favour you have
for your people,*
and visit me with your saving help;
That I may see the prosperity of your elect
and be glad with the gladness of your people,*
that I may glory with your inheritance.
We have sinned as our forebears did;*
we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
In Egypt they did not consider your marvellous works,
nor remember the abundance of your love;*
they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.
But he saved them for his name’s sake,*
to make his power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up,*
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
He saved them from the hand of those who hated them*
and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
The waters covered their oppressors;*
not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words*
and sang him songs of praise .
But they soon forgot his deeds*
and did not wait for his counsel.
A craving seized them in the wilderness,*
and they put God to the test in the desert.
He gave them what they asked,*
but sent leanness into their soul.
They envied Moses in the camp,*
and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.
The earth opened and swallowed Dathan*
and covered the company of Abiram .
Fire blazed up against their company,*
and flames devoured the wicked.
Glory to the Father . . .

Conclusion (from Isaiah 40)
The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;*
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

READINGS

Job 8: 1-10, 20-22
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
‘How long will you say these things,
and the words of your mouth be a great wind?
Does God pervert justice?
Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
If your children sinned against him,
he delivered them into the power of their transgression.
If you will seek God
and make supplication to the Almighty,
if you are pure and upright,
surely then he will rouse himself for you
and restore to you your rightful place.
Though your beginning was small,
your latter days will be very great.

‘For inquire now of bygone generations,
and consider what their ancestors have found;
for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing,
for our days on earth are but a shadow.
Will they not teach you and tell you
and utter words out of their understanding?

‘See, God will not reject a blameless person,
nor take the hand of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more.’

Acts 10: 17-33
Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.’ So Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?’ They answered, ‘Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.’ So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. But Peter made him get up, saying, ‘Stand up; I am only a mortal.’ And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; and he said to them, ‘You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?’

Cornelius replied, ‘Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. He said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.” Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.’

Silence

Response (Ps. 86:12)
V. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
V. I will glorify your name for evermore.
R. With all my heart.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God has come to us* and set us free.

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 come to us* and set us free.

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

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: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

Opening (from Psalm 139)
I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
If I were to count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;*
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you;*
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
Let none who look to you be put to shame;*
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
Show me your ways, O Lord,*
and teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,*
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
Gracious and upright is the Lord;*
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
He guides the humble in doing right*
and teaches his way to the lowly.
All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness*
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For your name’s sake, O Lord,*
forgive my sin, for it is great.
Who are they who fear the Lord?*
he will teach them the way that they should choose.
They shall dwell in prosperity,*
and their offspring shall inherit the land.
The Lord is a friend to those who fear him*
and will show them his covenant.
My eyes are ever looking to the Lord,*
for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and have pity on me,*
for I am left alone and in misery.
The sorrows of my heart have increased;*
bring me out of my troubles.
Look upon my adversity and misery*
and forgive me all my sin.
Look upon my enemies, for they are many,*
and they bear a violent hatred against me.
Protect my life and deliver me;*
let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Deliver Israel, O God,*
out of all his troubles.
Glory to the Father . . .

God of compassion and love, forgive our sins, relieve our misery, satisfy our longing, and fulfil all our hopes for peace; through your Son Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen

Conclusion (from 1 Timothy 3)
Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?

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 105:5)
V. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!
V. His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
R. What wonders he has done!
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Call to mind what wonders he has done!

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God looks with favour* on his lowly servant

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 looks with favour* on his lowly servant

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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 B

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: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

Opening - From Psalm 145
I will exalt you, O God my king,*
and bless your name forever and ever.
All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
They make known the glory of your kingdom*
and speak of your power;
that the peoples may know of your power*
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Glory to the Father…

Psalm 57
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,
for I have taken refuge in you;*
in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge
until this time of trouble has gone by.
I will call upon the Most High God,*
the God who maintains my cause.
He will send from heaven and save me;
he will confound those who trample upon me;*
God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.
I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people;*
their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharp sword.
They have laid a net for my feet,
and I am bowed low;*
they have dug a pit before me,
but have fallen into it themselves.
Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,*
and your glory over all the earth.
My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;*
I will sing and make melody.
Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp;*
I myself will waken the dawn.
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord;*
I will sing praise to you among the nations.
For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens,*
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God,*
and your glory over all the earth.
Glory to the Father . . .

God our help and strength, look with mercy on all who are oppressed in mind, body, or human dignity. Shield and protect them, and give them that wholeness which is your will for all your children. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Conclusion (from Isaiah 40)
The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;*
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;*
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

READINGS

Job 6: 1; 7: 1-21
Then Job answered:

‘Do not human beings have a hard service on earth,
and are not their days like the days of a labourer?
Like a slave who longs for the shadow,
and like labourers who look for their wages,
so I am allotted months of emptiness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
When I lie down I say, “When shall I rise?”
But the night is long,
and I am full of tossing until dawn.
My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;
my skin hardens, then breaks out again.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
and come to their end without hope.

‘Remember that my life is a breath;
my eye will never again see good.
The eye that beholds me will see me no more;
while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
As the cloud fades and vanishes,
so those who go down to Sheol do not come up;
they return no more to their houses,
nor do their places know them any more.

‘Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Am I the Sea, or the Dragon,
that you set a guard over me?
When I say, “My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint”,
then you scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
so that I would choose strangling
and death rather than this body.
I loathe my life; I would not live for ever.
Let me alone, for my days are a breath.
What are human beings, that you make so much of them,
that you set your mind on them,
visit them every morning,
test them every moment?
Will you not look away from me for a while,
let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity?
Why have you made me your target?
Why have I become a burden to you?
Why do you not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in the earth;
you will seek me, but I shall not be.’

Acts 10: 1-16
In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius.’ He stared at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ He answered, ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.’ When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.

About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.’ The voice said to him again, a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.

Silence

Response (Ps. 86:12)
V. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
V. I will glorify your name for evermore.
R. With all my heart.
V. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
R. I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.

BENEDICTUS

Benedictus Antiphon: God promised of old* to save us.

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 promised of old* to save us.

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
Almighty God, we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives 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.