This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .
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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1064
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1544
Common of Doctors: 2097 (reading, canticle antiphon)
Common of Pastors: 2081 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1810 (concluding prayer)
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 953
Common of Doctors: 1436 (reading, canticle antiphon)
Common of Pastors: 1430 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1142 (concluding prayer)
Evening Prayer for Tuesday in Easter, the Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor
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
Eternal Sun, true Light Divine,
Whose wisdom fills creation’s plan,
We sing to you with joy this day,
The Light supreme of ev’ry soul.
Your Holy Spirit’s ardent fire
Inspired some chosen master minds,
To shed bright rays upon the world
And open up salvation’s way.
Both inspiration from on high,
And efforts of deep human thought,
Have worked in harmony of grace
Developing our holy Faith.
This saint and doctor whom we praise,
Shines out with luster all his own,
A jewel in the favored crown
Of those who spread true doctrine’s light.
May his assistance help us now,
Unswerving path of truth to tread,
That we at last may gaze on you,
Our God, for all eternity.
Most tender Father, hear our prayer,
Whom we adore, with Christ the Lord,
And Holy Spirit of them both,
Bless us who praise your Trinity. Amen.
𝄞 | "Eternal Sun, True Light Divine - for him" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Title: Eternal Sun, True Light Divine; Text: aterne sol, qui lumine Novus; Tr. St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode IV; Liber Hymnarius; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Accompaniment: Sara Faux; Recording copyright 2017 by Surgeworks, Inc. |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Sing for us one of Zion’s songs, alleluia.
Psalm 137:1-6
By the rivers of Babylon
The Babylonian captivity is a type of our spiritual captivity (Saint Hilary).
By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat and wept,
remembering Zion;
on the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.
For it was there that they asked us,
our captors, for songs,
our oppressors, for joy.
“Sing to us,” they said,
“one of Zion’s songs.”
O how could we sing
the song of the Lord
on alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
O let my tongue
cleave to my mouth
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, remember your pilgrim Church. We sit weeping at the streams of Babylon. Do not let us be drawn into the current of the passing world, but free us from every evil and raise our thoughts to the heavenly Jerusalem.
Ant. Sing for us one of Zion’s songs, alleluia.
Ant. 2 Though I am surrounded by affliction, you preserve my life, alleluia.
Psalm 138
Thanksgiving
The kings of the earth will bring glory and honor into the holy city (see Revelation 21:24).
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.
I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul.
All earth’s kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:
“How great is the glory of the Lord!”
The Lord is high yet he looks down on the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes.
You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Listen to the prayers of your Church, Lord God; in the presence of the angels we praise your name. You keep the proud at a distance and look upon the lowly with favor. Stretch out your hand to us in our suffering, perfect in us the work of your love and bring us to life.
Ant. Though I am surrounded by affliction, you preserve my life, alleluia.
Ant. 3 Yours, O Lord, is majesty and power, glory and triumph, alleluia.
Canticle – Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn
O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.
Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.
For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.
You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.
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. Yours, O Lord, is majesty and power, glory and triumph, alleluia.
READING James 3:17-18
Wisdom from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.
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
In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence, alleluia, alleluia.
— In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence, alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
— alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence, alleluia, alleluia.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. O blessed doctor, Saint Athanasius, light of holy Church and lover of God’s law, pray to the Son of God for us.
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. O blessed doctor, Saint Athanasius, light of holy Church and lover of God’s law, pray to the Son of God for us.
INTERCESSIONS
Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
— let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
— through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
— fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
— let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
— save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
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
Almighty ever-living God,
who raised up the Bishop Saint Athanasius
as an outstanding champion of your Son’s divinity,
mercifully grant, that, rejoicing in his teaching
and his protection, we may never cease
to grow in knowledge and love of you.
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.