This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .
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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 668
Proper of Saints: 1500
Psalter for the Common of Apostles: 1656
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Saints: 1179
Psalter for the Common of Apostles: 1389
Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
Most ancient of all mysteries,
before your throne we lie;
have mercy now, most merciful,
most Holy Trinity.
When heaven and earth were still unmade,
when time was yet unknown,
you in your radiant majesty
did live and love alone.
You were not born; there was no source
from which your being flowed;
there is no end which you can reach:
for you are simply God.
How wonderful creation is,
the work which you did bless!
what then must you be like dear God,
eternal Loveliness!
Most ancient of all mysteries,
before your throne we lie;
have mercy now and ever more,
most Holy Trinity.
𝄞 | "Most Ancient of all Mysteries" by Rebecca Hincke • Words: Frederick William Faber, 1849; Music: St. Flavian; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 You are Christ, the Son of the living God. Blessed are you Simon, son of John!
Psalm 117
Praise for God’s loving compassion
I affirm that… the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9).
O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him, all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. You are Christ, the Son of the living God. Blessed are you Simon, son of John!
Ant. 2 You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.
Psalm 147:12-20
The restoration of Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9).
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates,
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.
Ant. 3 You are the chosen vessel of God, blessed apostle Paul; you preached the truth throughout the whole world.
Canticle – Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. You are the chosen vessel of God, blessed apostle Paul; you preached the truth throughout the whole world.
READING Romans 1:1-2,7
Greetings from Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart to proclaim the gospel of God which he promised long ago through his prophets, as the holy Scriptures record—the gospel concerning his Son—to all in Rome, beloved of God and called to holiness, grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
The apostles proclaimed the word of God and preached it faithfully.
— The apostles proclaimed the word of God and preached it faithfully.
They testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
— And preached it faithfully.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— The apostles proclaimed the word of God and preached it faithfully.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. How glorious are the apostles of Christ; in life they loved one another; in death they rejoice together for ever.
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. How glorious are the apostles of Christ; in life they loved one another; in death they rejoice together for ever.
INTERCESSIONS
The Lord Jesus built his holy people on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In faith let us pray:
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
You once called Simon, the fisherman, to catch men,
— now summon new workers who will bring the message of salvation to all peoples.
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
You calmed the waves so that your followers would not be drowned,
— guard your Church, protect it from all dangers.
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
You gathered your scattered flock around Peter after the resurrection,
— good Shepherd, bring all your people together as one flock.
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
You sent Paul as apostle to preach the good news to the Gentiles,
— let the word of salvation be proclaimed to all mankind.
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
You gave the keys of your kingdom into the hands of your holy Church,
— open the gates of that kingdom to all who trusted in your mercy while on earth.
Lord, come to the aid of your people.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Concluding Prayer
Grant,
we pray, O Lord our God,
that we may be sustained
by the intercession of the
blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that,
as through them you gave your Church
the foundations of her heavenly office,
so through them you may help her to eternal salvation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.