This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .
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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 859
Common of Holy Men: 1832 (reading, responsory, intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1467 (canticle antiphon, concluding prayer)
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 812
Common of Holy Men: 1452 (reading, responsory, intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1283 (canticle antiphon, concluding prayer)
Morning Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
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
Christ our redeemer, wondrous love you show us
Ever inspiring souls to serve the Father,
By strong attraction, varied and impelling,
Gift of the Spirit.
Many are favored with the grace unrivaled,
Making them truly children of the Father,
Few are selected for a bond of union
Even yet closer.
Gently you call them, eagerly they answer,
All things forsaking, swift of foot they follow,
Choosing the pathway, trodden by their Savior
Straight to the Father.
Searcher in earnest all his strength exerting.
Your holy servant never slackened effort,
Model of virtues, seeking for you always,
Surely he found you.
Glory and honor be to the God Almighty,
Praise in the highest, power and dominion,
Who in his wisdom rules and governs all things
His love created. Amen.
𝄞 | "Christ Our Redeemer, Wondrous Love - for him" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Available for Purchase • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?
Psalm 77
Recalling God’s works
We suffer all kinds of afflictions and yet are not overcome (2 Corinthians 4:8).
I cry aloud to God,
cry aloud to God that he may hear me.
In the day of my distress I sought the Lord.
My hands were raised at night without ceasing;
my soul refused to be consoled.
I remembered my God and I groaned.
I pondered and my spirit fainted.
You withheld sleep from my eyes.
I was troubled, I could not speak.
I thought of the days of long ago
and remembered the years long past.
At night I mused within my heart.
I pondered and my spirit questioned.
“Will the Lord reject us for ever?
Will he show us his favor no more?
Has his love vanished for ever?
Has his promise come to an end?
Does God forget his mercy
or in anger withhold his compassion?”
I said: “This is what causes my grief;
that the way of the Most High has changed.”
I remember the deeds of the Lord,
I remember your wonders of old,
I muse on all your works
and ponder your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
You are the God who works wonders.
You showed your power among the peoples.
Your strong arm redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and trembled;
the depths were moved with terror.
The clouds poured down rain,
the skies sent forth their voice;
your arrows flashed to and fro.
Your thunder rolled round the sky,
your flashes lighted up the world.
The earth was moved and trembled
when your way led through the sea,
your path through the mighty waters
and no one saw your footprints.
You guided your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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
Father, you established your ancient covenant by signs and wonders, but more wondrously you confirmed the new one through the sacrifice of your Son. Guide your Church through the pathways of life, that we may be led to the land of promise and celebrate your name with lasting praise.
Ant. O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?
Ant.2 My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.
Canticle – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
The humble find joy in God
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things (Luke 1:52-53).
My heart exults in the Lord,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.
There is no Holy One like the Lord;
there is no Rock like our God.
Speak boastfully no longer,
nor let arrogance issue from your mouths.
For an all-knowing God is the Lord,
a God who judges deeds.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.
The Lord puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.
He raises the needy from the dust;
from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,
to seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and he has set the world upon them.
He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall perish in the darkness.
For not by strength does man prevail;
the Lord’s foes shall be shattered.
The Most High in heaven thunders;
the Lord judges the ends of the earth.
Now may he give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed!
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. My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.
Ant. 3 The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.
Psalm 97
The glory of the Lord in his decrees for the world
This psalm foretells a world-wide salvation and that peoples of all nations will believe in Christ (St. Athanasius).
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.
A fire prepares his path;
it burns up his foes on every side.
His lightnings light up the world,
the earth trembles at the sight.
The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.
Let those who serve idols be ashamed,
those who boast of their worthless gods.
All you spirits, worship him.
Zion hears and is glad;
the people of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments, O Lord.
For you indeed are the Lord
most high above all the earth,
exalted far above all spirits.
The Lord loves those who hate evil;
he guards the souls of his saints;
he sets them free from the wicked.
Light shines forth for the just
and joy for the upright of heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;
give glory to his holy name.
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
Father, you clothe the sky with light and the depths of the ocean with darkness. Among the sons of men you work wonders, and rain terror upon the enemy. Look upon your servants. Do not try us by fire but bring us rejoicing to the shelter of your home.
Ant. The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.
READING Romans 12:1-2
Brothers, I beg you through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing and perfect.
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 depths of his heart, the law of God is his guide.
— In the depths of his heart, the law of God is his guide.
He will never lose his way;
— the law of God is his guide.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— In the depths of his heart, the law of God is his guide.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. Francis left this earth a poor and lowly man; he enters heaven rich in God’s favor, greeted with songs of rejoicing.
Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
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 who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
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 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 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. Francis left this earth a poor and lowly man; he enters heaven rich in God’s favor, greeted with songs of rejoicing.
INTERCESSIONS
My brothers, let us praise Christ, asking to serve him and to be holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. Let us acclaim him:
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
You desired to experience everything we experience but sin,
— have mercy on us, Lord Jesus.
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
You called us to love perfectly,
— make us holy, Lord Jesus.
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
You commissioned us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world,
— let your light shine on us, Lord Jesus.
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
You desired to serve, not to be served,
— help us, Lord Jesus, to give humble service to you and to our neighbors.
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
You are in the form of God sharing in the splendor of the Father,
— Lord Jesus, let us see the glory of your face.
Lord, you alone are the holy one.
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,
by whose gift Saint Francis
was conformed to Christ in poverty and humility,
grant that, by walking in Francis’ footsteps,
we may follow your Son, and, through joyful charity,
come to be united with 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.
The Faith Journey of our Community
Leticias Yap on October 4th, 2023 at 8:07
O Lord God You are the true love ❤️ and I firmly believe that we can do your wills forever in my life. Amenonette de vera on October 4th, 2023 at 6:05
"Give me true faith, firm hope, and perfect charity. Grant me, O Lord, to know Thee so well that in all things I may act by Thy light and in accordance with Thy holy will. Amen