This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .
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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
Proper of Seasons: 231
Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 865
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 77
Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 818
Evening Prayer for Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Advent
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
Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
"Christ is near," we hear it say.
"Cast away the works of darkness,
All you children of the day!"
Startled at the solemn warning,
From the darkness we arise
Christ, our sun, all ill dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
See, the Lamb so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heaven.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all, to be forgiven;
So when next he comes in glory
And the world is wrapped in fear,
He will shield us with his mercy
And with words of love draw near.
Honor, glory, might, dominion
To the Father and the Son,
With the ever-living Spirit
While eternal ages run!
𝄞 | "Hark, A Thrilling Voice is Sounding" by Johanna Montealto • Title: Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding; Text: Latin, sixth century; Tr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878); Artist: Johanna Montalto; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.
Psalm 62
Peace in God
May God, the source of our hope, fill your hearts with peace as you believe in him (Romans 15:13).
In God alone is my soul at rest;
my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.
How long will you all attack one man
to break him down,
as though he were a tottering wall,
or a tumbling fence?
Their plan is only to destroy:
they take pleasure in lies.
With their mouth they utter blessing
but in their heart they curse.
In God alone be at rest, my soul;
for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.
In God is my safety and glory,
the rock of my strength.
Take refuge in God, all you people.
Trust him at all times.
Pour out your hearts before him
for God is our refuge.
Common folk are only a breath,
great men an illusion.
Placed in the scales, they rise;
they weigh less than a breath.
Do not put your trust in oppression
nor vain hopes on plunder.
Do not set your heart on riches
even when they increase.
For God has said only one thing:
only two do I know:
that to God alone belongs power
and to you, Lord, love;
and that you repay each man
according to his deeds.
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 God, you reward each one according to his works. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you seeking your grace and secure protection. We look to you for our stable hope in a constantly, changing world.
Ant. Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.
Ant. 2 May God turn his radiant face toward us and fill us with his blessings.
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its fruit
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise 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
Be gracious and bless us, Lord, and let your face shed its light on us, so that we can make you known with reverence: and bring forth a harvest of justice.
Ant. May God turn his radiant face toward us and fill us with his blessings.
Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
Canticle — Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints
in light.
He rescued us
from the power of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him;
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church!
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
READING 1 Corinthians 4:5
Stop passing judgment before the time of the Lord’s return. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and manifest the intentions of hearts. At that time, everyone will receive his praise from God.
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
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
— Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
Let your face shine upon us and we shall be saved,
— Lord God of power and might.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Zion, you will be renewed, and you will see the Just One who is coming to you.
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. Zion, you will be renewed, and you will see the Just One who is coming to you.
INTERCESSIONS
We humbly pray to Jesus Christ, who rescues us from the darkness of sin, and in faith we cry out:
Come, Lord Jesus!
Lord, gather together all the people of the earth,
— and establish with them your everlasting covenant.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Lamb of God, you came of old to take away the sin of the world,
— purge us from the dregs of our guilt.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You came to recover what was lost,
— come once again in your mercy lest you punish what you have recovered.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Our faith seeks you out,
— let us find everlasting joy with you when you come.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You will judge the living and the dead,
— graciously gather the dead into the ranks of the blessed.
Come, Lord Jesus!
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 God, who command us
to prepare the way for Christ the Lord,
grant in your kindness, we pray,
that no infirmity may weary us
as we long for the comforting presence
of our heavenly physician.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.