This is the Liturgy of the Hours for August 20. Your local date is .
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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1144
Common of Doctors: 1763 (reading)
Common of Holy Men: 1840 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1335 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer)
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 953
Common of Doctors: 1436 (reading)
Common of Holy Men: 1455 (intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1233 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer)
Evening Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time, for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot 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
For holy joy our voices sing,
For this day the feast we keep
Of those who labored for their Lord
As pastors of the Savior's sheep.
To tend their flocks no toil they spare,
To keep their feet from every snare,
They feed their souls on doctrine pure,
That they may tread in paths secure.
They keep rapacious wolves away,
To robbers, entrance they deny,
They lead their sheep to pastures green,
And guard the fold both night and day.
Most holy shepherds of the flock,
Rewarded now as Christ's right hand,
Obtain for us his clement grace
When at the judgement seat we stand.
O Christ, our great eternal Priest,
All glory ever be to you,
With God the Father ever blest,
In union with the Spirit too. Amen.
| 𝄞 | "For Holy Joy our Voices Sing" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Title: For Holy Joy our Voices Sing; Text: from Latin; Petrus Piacenza, 1919; Tr. St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode IV; Liber Hymnarius; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Accompaniment: Sara Faux; Recording copyright 2018 by Surgeworks, Inc. |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.
Psalm 137
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. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.
Ant. 2 In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.
Psalm 138
Thanksgiving
The king of the earth will bring his glory and honor into the holy city. (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 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. In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.
Ant. 3 Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.
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. Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.
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.
— In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.
The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
— He spoke with eloquence.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Bernard, eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory, at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers.
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. Bernard, eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory, at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers.
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
O God,
who made the Abbot Saint Bernard
a man consumed with zeal for your house
and a light shining and burning in your Church,
grant, through his intercession,
that we may be on fire with the same spirit
and walk always as children of light.
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.
