Liturgy of the Hours for December 26
Morning Prayer - Memorial for St. Stephen, M
Please Note
This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Psalter: Monday, Week III, 965
Common of Pastors: 1765 (reading, responsory, canticle antiphon, intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1543 (concluding prayer)
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Psalter: Monday, Week III, 867
Common of Pastors: 1426 (reading, responsory, canticle antiphon, intercessions)
Proper of Saints: 1312 (concluding prayer)
Morning Prayer for Monday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
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
This prudent leader, father to his people,
Whose final triumph we rejoice to honor
Rich in true merits, endless joy attaining
Now reigns in heaven.
He held the office, sacred and exalted
Of chosen pastor to confirm and strengthen
Teaching as master by his own example
Virtue and learning.
Now let us ask him for his intercession
That his compassion may win us forgiveness
Leading us sinners, penitent and contrite
Home to the Father.
Glory and honor be to God almighty,
Praise in the highest, power and dominion
Who in his wisdom rules and governs all things
His love created. Amen.
𝄞 | "This Prudent Leader, Father to His People - for a Bishop" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Title: This Prudent Leader, Father to His People; Text: from Latin; Tr. St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode VIII; Liber Hymnarius; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Accompaniment: Sara Faux; Recording copyright 2017 by Surgeworks, Inc. |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Psalm 84
Longing for God’s temple
Here we do not have a lasting city; we seek a home that is yet to come (Hebrews 13:14).
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, God of hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning,
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
to God, the living God.
The sparrow herself finds a home
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars,
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
They are happy, who dwell in your house,
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you,
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.
As they go through the Bitter Valley
they make it a place of springs,
the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
They walk with ever growing strength,
they will see the God of gods in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,
look on the face of your anointed.
One day within your courts
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield;
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good
to those who walk without blame.
Lord, God of hosts,
happy the man who trusts in you!
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
Bless your people, Lord. You have given us the law that we may walk from strength to strength and raise our minds to you from this valley of tears. May we receive the gifts you have gained for us.
Ant. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Ant. 2 Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord.
Canticle — Isaiah 2:2-5
The mountain of the Lord’s dwelling towers above every mountain
All peoples shall come and worship in your presence (Revelation 15:4).
In days to come,
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
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. Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord.
Ant. 3 Sing to the Lord and bless his name.
Psalm 96
The Lord, king and judge of the world
A new theme now inspires their praise of God; they belong to the Lamb (see Revelation 14:3).
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
The Lord is great and worthy of praise,
to be feared above all gods;
the gods of the heathens are naught.
It was the Lord who made the heavens,
his are majesty and state and power
and splendor in his holy place.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Bring an offering and enter his courts,
worship the Lord in his temple.
O earth, tremble before him.
Proclaim to the nations: “God is king.”
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
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, you have renewed the face of the earth. Your Church throughout the world sings you a new song, announcing your wonders to all. Through a virgin, you have brought forth a new birth in our world; through your miracles, a new power; through your suffering, a new patience; in your resurrection, a new hope, and in your ascension, new majesty.
Ant. Sing to the Lord and bless his name.
READING Hebrews 13:7-9a
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you; consider how their lives ended, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.
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
On your walls, Jerusalem, I have set my watchmen to guard you.
— On your walls, Jerusalem, I have set my watchmen to guard you.
Day or night, they will not cease to proclaim the name of the Lord.
— I have set my watchmen to guard you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— On your walls, Jerusalem, I have set my watchmen to guard you.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. What you say of me does not come from yourselves; it is the Spirit of my Father speaking in you.
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. What you say of me does not come from yourselves; it is the Spirit of my Father speaking in you.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise and thank him as we pray:
Nourish your people, Lord.
Christ, you decided to show your merciful love through your holy shepherds,
— let your mercy always reach us through them.
Nourish your people, Lord.
Through your vicars you continue to perform the ministry of shepherd of souls,
— direct us always through our leaders.
Nourish your people, Lord.
Through your holy ones, the leaders of your people, you served as physician of our bodies and our spirits,
— continue to fulfill your ministry of life and holiness in us.
Nourish your people, Lord.
You taught your flock through the prudence and love of your saints,
— grant us continual growth in holiness under the direction of our pastors.
Nourish 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
Preserve
in the midst of your people,
we ask, O Lord, the spirit
with which you filled the Bishop Saint Charles Borromeo,
that your Church may be constantly renewed and,
by conforming herself to the likeness of Christ,
may show his face to the world.
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.
Personal Reflections
The Faith Journey of our Community
Ralph on November 4th, 2024 at 8:50
Ralph on Morning Prayer - Memorial for St. Charles Borromeo, B on November 4th, 2024 at 8:22hazcompat on November 4th, 2024 at 7:24
Jesus Christ Is Our Father's Simple Plan For Salvation Since Before Time Began!DT on November 3rd, 2024 at 19:13
Instruct meAnnHorn on November 4th, 2023 at 10:32
My petitionSusan on November 4th, 2023 at 9:10
Again a renewalDeborah Belanger on November 4th, 2023 at 8:54
PeaceLeticias Yap on November 4th, 2023 at 8:34
O Lord God help me in all I do for the church and the community charity is a great way to help the people. All I ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives and reigns with the unity of the Holy Spirit. AmenJeanne on November 4th, 2023 at 6:08
inspirations from St. John of the Crossseanmoylantd on November 4th, 2023 at 2:05
St Charles BorromeoContribute to DivineOffice.org
Your contribution ensures this site will be around to serve thousands who use it daily to pray.
Contribute Monthly
A monthly recurring payment is not required, but your support ensures this site will be around to serve thousands who use it daily to pray. You can select the amount of your monthly contribution below, or you can select "custom amount" and set it in the next page.
Contribute One-Time
If you prefer not to commit to a monthly contribution right now, please consider a one-time contribution. You will be able to set any amount in the next page.
Having trouble with this form?
You can also contribute through PayPal from this page, or you can mail a check.
Divine Office Blog
News and Updates from our ministry
Mauro on December 11th, 2024at 13:00
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are delighted to share some exciting updates about how Divine Office is reaching new audiences and deepening connections within our prayer community. As part of our mission to... Continue reading
Login to like (12)Mauro on October 11th, 2024at 7:20
Thank you everyone for your feedback, it allowed us to see what needs to be fixed or changed. We recently became aware, thanks to feedback from our visually impaired users, that zooming in on a... Continue reading
Login to like (6)Mauro on September 19th, 2024at 6:21
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:20 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are happy to announce new features... Continue reading
Login to like (13)Mauro on August 6th, 2024at 7:36
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Today, we celebrate a remarkable milestone in our journey of faith and devotion. On August 6th, 2006, our very first Catholic website and podcast series went live. Eighteen years... Continue reading
Login to like (26)Get the DivineOffice App!
Pray always and everywhere with our Award-Winning Liturgy of the Hours app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire. NOW FREE!
Ratings and Reviews
Our DivineOffice app is rated 4.9 out of 5, based on over 2,400 ratings and won the About.com Best Catholic App Award for 3 years in a row.
Recommended Books
Support us by starting your amazon shopping by clicking on this link.
Pray anywhere
I have prayed the Divine Office for many years. [...] When I discovered this app, all of my concerns of ribbon placement were gone. Having the Divine Office on my phone is absolutely the best thing ever! The sense of community is so wonderful as I see how many others are praying at the same time as myself. [...] Now I don’t need to turn a lamp on as I use to when I used the Office printed volumes. It is such a blessing to have the Divine Office in my pocket. Many times I’ve been sitting in a doctor’s waiting room at the time of Mid Morning prayer. It is so calming of any worries to pull out my phone, open the app, and be able to connect with Our Lord at those times I need Him most. I don’t use the audio version much but the few times I’ve traveled, it is so comforting to not have to skip the Office in order to keep my hands on the steering wheel and my eyes in the road. I recommend this app to friends all the time, especially to those who’d like to pray the Office but feel intimidated by the size of the printed version and getting the ribbons placed properly. Thank you for developing this app. It is my constant companion.
SheezyOCon October 13, 2021
Super helpful
I have only been introduced to the divine office prayers two times before I downloaded this app. It is laid out in a way that is very easy to understand, and there is an audio option that will say all of the prayers. There is an option to set reminders throughout the day. I got this because, I didn’t really know how to say the divine office, and I didn’t know what prayer books I needed to purchase to begin. During the shutting down of churches for covid :( this has been a wonderful resource. One cool feature is that you can tap on the “in prayer” link and see little specks of light around the globe lighting up in the area that someone else is praying. It’s so cool to see everyone praying with you and is a powerful reminder that we are all connected and unified in Christ’s mystical body.
tori6543588on May 5, 2020
Praying with the whole Church
I love this app! Since it is now free and no longer for sale, I made sure to donate the price of buying it, and then some. I have loved the Liturgy of the Hours for 25 years. But I always felt alone when I prayed it. With this app, I am connected to others! I use it in conjunction with my printed Christian Prayer volume. On other days, I cannot get to my book but with the app, I always have the prayers available. I have the printed calendar with my book, but I actually rely on this more for placing my ribbons. The audio is wonderful!! I often read out loud with it. I love that I can change the speed of the audio! I have found that 1.3 is good for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this app. Thank you for still supporting it. Thank you for updating the “one God,” to just “God” change in the prayers. My book still throws me off but your app is right! Highly recommend this. Many friends have it. THANK YOU!!
MommytoNFP2on June 12, 2022