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Please Note

This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 31. Your local date is .

Invitatory

December 21st or St. Peter Canisius, P & D

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Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 649
Proper of Seasons: 351
Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1030

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for December 21, Saturday in the 3rd 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

Ave Maria, gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae

Amen.

English Translation:

Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed are thou among women
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now, and at the hour of our death

Amen.

𝄞"Ave Maria" by Gretchen HarrisMusical Score • Title: Ave Maria (Chant); Album: Sing of Mary; Music; Plainsong mode I; vocal: Gretchen Harris; Used with permission; Visit and thank Gretch at http://www.gretchen-harris.com;

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Psalm 107
Thanksgiving for deliverance

This is God’s message to the sons of Israel; the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36).

I

“O give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.”

Let them say this, the Lord’s redeemed,
whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe
and gathered from far-off lands,
from east and west, north and south.

Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness,
finding no way to a city they could dwell in.
Hungry they were and thirsty;
their soul was fainting within them.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress
and he led them along the right way,
to reach a city they could dwell in.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men:
for he satisfies the thirsty soul;
he fills the hungry with good things.

Some lay in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and chains,
having defied the words of God
and spurned the counsels of the Most High.
He crushed their spirit with toil;
they stumbled; there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.
He led them forth from darkness and gloom
and broke their chains to pieces.

Let them thank the Lord for his goodness,
for the wonders he does for men:
for he bursts the gates of bronze
and shatters the iron bars.

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. Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Ant. 2 Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

II

Some were sick on account of their sins
and afflicted on account of their guilt.
They had a loathing for every food;
they came close to the gates of death.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.
He sent forth his word to heal them
and saved their life from the grave.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men.
Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks
and tell of his deeds with rejoicing.

Some sailed to the sea in ships
to trade on the mighty waters.
These men have seen the Lord’s deeds,
the wonders he does in the deep.

For he spoke; he summoned the gale,
raising up the waves of the sea.
Tossed up to heaven, then into the deep;
their soul melted away in their distress.

They staggered, reeled like drunken men,
for all their skill was gone.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper:
all the waves of the sea were hushed.
They rejoiced because of the calm
and he led them to the haven they desired.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men.
Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people
and praise him in the meeting of the elders.

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. Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

Ant. 3 Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

III

He changes streams into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
fruitful land into a salty waste,
for the wickedness of those who live there.

But he changes desert into streams,
thirsty ground into springs of water.
There he settles the hungry
and they build a city to dwell in.

They sow fields and plant their vines;
these yield crops for the harvest.
He blesses them; they grow in numbers.
He does not let their herds decrease.

He pours contempt upon princes,
makes them wander in trackless wastes.
They diminish, are reduced to nothing
by oppression, evil and sorrow.

But he raises the needy from distress;
makes families numerous as a flock.
The upright see it and rejoice
but all who do wrong are silenced.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things
and consider the love 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.

Psalm-prayer

You fill the hungry with good things, Lord God, and break the sinner’s chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need and lead your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunrise to sunset that we may grow together in faith and love and give lasting thanks for your kindness.

Ant. Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

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.

Turn back to us, O Lord, our God.
Show us your face and we shall be saved.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of the prophet Isaiah
48:12-21; 49:9b-13
The new Exodus

Thus says the Lord:
Listen to me, Jacob,
Israel, whom I named!
I, it is I who am the first,
and also the last am I.
Yes, my hand laid the foundations of the earth;
my right hand spread out the heavens.
When I call them,
they stand forth at once.

All of you assemble and listen:
Who among you foretold these things?
The Lord’s friend shall do his will
against Babylon and the progeny of Chaldea.
I myself have spoken, I have called him,
I have brought him, and his way succeeds!
Come near to me and hear this!
Not from the beginning did I speak it in secret;
At the time it comes to pass, I am present:
“Now the Lord God has sent me, and his spirit.”

Thus says the Lord, your redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:
I, the Lord, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.

If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock like its grains,
Their name never cut off
or blotted out from my presence.

Go forth from Babylon, flee from Chaldea!
With shouts of joy proclaim this, make it known;
Publish it to the ends of the earth, and say,
“The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.
They did not thirst
when he led them through dry lands;
Water from the rock he set flowing for them;
he cleft the rock, and waters welled forth.”

Along the ways they shall find pasture,
on every bare height shall their pastures be.
They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
and guides them beside springs of water.
I will cut a road through all my mountains,
and make my highways level.

See, some shall come from afar,
others from the north and the west,
and some from the land of Syene.
Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the Lord comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted.

RESPONSORY Psalm 96:11; Isaiah 49:13; Psalm 72:7

Rejoice, you heavens, and celebrate, O earth;
cry out with praise, you mountains.
for the Lord is coming.
He will have compassion on his poor.

In his days justice will flourish and peace will abound.
He will have compassion on his poor.

Second reading
From a commentary on Luke by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Mary visits Elizabeth

When the angel revealed his message to the Virgin Mary he gave her a sign to win her trust. He told her of the motherhood of an old and barren woman to show that God is able to do all that he wills.

When she hears this Mary sets out for the hill country. She does not disbelieve God’s word; she feels no uncertainty over the message or doubt about the sign. She goes eager in purpose, dutiful in conscience, hastening for joy.

Filled with God, where would she hasten but to the heights? The Holy Spirit does not proceed by slow, laborious efforts. Quickly, too, the blessings of her coming and the Lord’s presence are made clear: as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the child leapt in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Notice the contrast and the choice of words. Elizabeth is the first to hear Mary’s voice, but John is the first to be aware of grace. She hears with the ears of the body, but he leaps for joy at the meaning of the mystery. She is aware of Mary’s presence, but he is aware of the Lord’s: a woman aware of a woman’s presence, the forerunner aware of the pledge of our salvation. The women speak of the grace they have received while the children are active in secret, unfolding the mystery of love with the help of their mothers, who prophesy by the spirit of their sons.

The child leaps in the womb; the mother is filled with the Holy Spirit, he fills his mother with the same Spirit. John leaps for you, and the spirit of Mary rejoices in her turn. When John leaps for joy Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but we know that though Mary’s spirit rejoices she does not need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Her son, who is beyond our understanding, is active in his mother in a way beyond our understanding. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit after conceiving John, while Mary is filled with the Holy Spirit before conceiving the Lord. Elizabeth says: Blessed are you because you have believed.

You also are blessed because you have heard and believed. A soul that believes both conceives and brings forth the Word of God and acknowledges his works.

Let Mary’s soul be in each of you to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Let her spirit be in each to rejoice in the Lord. Christ has only one mother in the flesh, but we all bring forth Christ in faith. Every soul receives the Word of God if only it keeps chaste, remaining pure and free from sin, its modesty undefiled. The soul that succeeds in this proclaims the greatness of the Lord, just as Mary’s soul magnified the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. In another place we read: Magnify the Lord with me. The Lord is magnified, not because the human voice can add anything to God but because he is magnified within us. Christ is the image of God, and if the soul does what is right and holy, it magnifies that image of God, in whose likeness it was created and, in magnifying the image of God, the soul has a share in its greatness and is exalted.

RESPONSORY Luke 1:45, 46; Psalm 66:16

Happy are you who have believed,
because the Lord’s promises will be accomplished in you.
And Mary said:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

Come, and listen,
and I will tell what great things God has accomplished for me.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Hear in kindness, O Lord,
the prayers of your people,
that those who rejoice
at the coming of your Only Begotten Son in our flesh
may, when at last he comes in glory,
gain the reward of eternal life.
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.

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.

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Intercessory Prayers

Recent prayer requests from community members

No Image David Teegarden on December 21st, 2024 at 11:53

Pray for the repose of the souls of Msgr Philip, Msgr Kirk, Fr Neil, Fr Eric, Fr Arnold, Bill, John, Ed, Bud, Shawn, Bud, Donna, Shirley, Archie, Elena,my uncle,my aunt, Carol, Charlotte,Rosemary,Billy, Judy Mat the perpetual light shine upon them and may they rest in peace

No Image David Teegarden on December 21st, 2024 at 11:45

Prayers-Fr Mark,Fr Richard,Fr Jesus,Fr David,Fr Jerry,Fr Pat,Fr Ted,Fr Earl,Fr Mike,Fr Joe,Fr Chris,Fr D, Fr Austin,DCNS-Manuel,Manny,Gary,Will,Ernie,Mac,Glenn Healing-Miguel,Missy,Diane,Patti,Joe V,Laura,Joe R,Larry,Katy,Krystal,Sophie,Jackie,Barbara,Christina, John,Jake,Leslie,Maria.Duffys

No Image Rose Benson on December 21st, 2024 at 11:30

am praying for Ben and many others who have given up hope because of the threats and dangers that threaten us. Do not give up hope. God is with us and we will all be protected from these horrors. Keep the faith.

No Image Mark Alfaro on December 21st, 2024 at 11:13

St. Peter Canisius, Pray for Germany. May the Lord bring peace to the world.

No Image AFP on December 21st, 2024 at 9:45

Please pray for Biju in Kochin who survived a bike accident. Pray for the medics and doctors treating Biju. Pray for the family. Also pray for all travelers safety. Amen Thanks

No Image Mary on December 21st, 2024 at 9:27

Let's pray for Ben who is losing hope. God provides for all of us in his own time. Let us look to the babe in the manger, born for us, the Christ Child and bringer of hope. Let us never despair, never lose sight of what is important. Leaders come and go. Jesus is with us forever.

No Image gabigale on December 21st, 2024 at 9:08

Praise and thanksgiving to our Lord for answered prayers for my husband, Charlie, and for our livelihood. His blessings are innumerable, His Love immeasurable! Praise Him always and all ways in our lives! Amen

No Image gabigale on December 21st, 2024 at 8:16

Praise and thanksgiving to our Lord for answered prayers for my husband, Charlie, and for our livelihood. His blessings are innumerable, His Love immeasurable! Praise Him always and all ways in our lives! Amen

No Image Atabey Eryılmaz on December 21st, 2024 at 8:13

St. Joseph pray for all young men, so may they can start families that follow our Lord. St. Albertus Magnus pray for all science students, so may they can be succesful in their education and serve God by that. St. Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

No Image Gregory on December 21st, 2024 at 6:42

For our son David who is coming up for parole and suffers from schizophrenia - may he remain safe and keep others safe and God's will be done, for our other son John who has fallen away - may his wife and family revert and convert. Strengthen my wife and I that we may rest in the love of the Lord.

No Image Peter LaPorte on December 21st, 2024 at 0:00

Saint Monica: Through your gracious intercession, I pray that the Holy Spirit will heal and restore the heart of our daughter to the One True Faith; that by doing, she comes to know true Joy in Christ; and, knowing this, our sorrow will end. Amen

No Image Georgene on December 20th, 2024 at 14:47

Lord, through the intercession of Your Divine Son, angels, and saints, I ask for aid and comfort for Eric, one of my friend's adult sons, who suffered a heart attack in late Nov. and now also has Covid. Help doctors decide whether to insert stints or do bypass surgery. Amen.

No Image Rhonda George on December 20th, 2024 at 10:06

Dear Lord, Thank You for Jesus, Your Son, the Way, Truth and Life. Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Amen

No Image Eric Crump on December 20th, 2024 at 9:58

For my brother-in-law, Mark, who is in hospice, his wife who is sick, and for their family and caregivers - grant them comfort, healing, consolation, and peace.

No Image Ben on December 20th, 2024 at 8:22

Father G-d, how I fear the upcoming violence towards heart, soul, and body, that our President Elect promised to heap upon us all. My heart is weary. My body is weak from tears. I have lost hope. I wish to leave this world. Help me continue.

No Image gabigale on December 20th, 2024 at 8:14

Please pray the Lord’s guidance of doctors at Charlie’s appointment with pulmonary lab today and that it result in easier breathing for him. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

No Image Michael Connor on December 20th, 2024 at 7:52

Please pray for my sister in law, Sue, who passed away yesterday. May she rejoice in the light of the Lord.

No Image Chloe Marie on December 20th, 2024 at 7:48

Please pray for my Husband J, that he gets the job he wants as a work coach. And for my friend H, who is suffering from OCD.

No Image Jacqueline on December 20th, 2024 at 7:24

For successful surgery for my 7 year old niece today, complete recovery for her, and strength and comfort for her parents. Please guide the hands and the minds of all involved in her surgery.

No Image Tom on December 20th, 2024 at 6:35

For the praise of Jesus who redeems our lives from the pit and crowns us with mercy and compassion, and for blessings on my family, pray.

No Image A.Therese TOCarm on December 20th, 2024 at 6:14

For Ginny, Amelia, Marcus, Trina... special intentions, and peace and healing of body, mind and spirit.

No Image Georgene on December 20th, 2024 at 0:17

Lord, through the intercession of Your Son and Your angels and saints, bring comfort and healing to Fr. Danny as he begins his health journey. Grant his parents and family members wisdom, compassion, and patience as they aid and comfort this young priest. Amen.

No Image Mary Jane Smith on December 19th, 2024 at 22:38

For my children to return to the Catholic faith and Makenzie to be baptized and Vincent to convert to the Catholic faith.For the repose of the soul of my husband Scott.For the healing of my relationship with my son Patrick and for my daughter Angela to follow God's will.

No Image David Teegarden on December 19th, 2024 at 11:36

Prayers-Fr Mark,Fr Richard,Fr Jesus,Fr David,Fr Jerry,Fr Pat,Fr Ted,Fr Earl,FR Mike,Fr Joe,Fr Chris,Fr D, Fr Austin,Dcns-Manuel,Manny,Gary,Will,Ernie,Mac,Glenn Healing-Miguel,Missy,Theresa,Diane,Sophie,Jackie,Joe V,Laura,Joe R, John,Barbara,Christina,Larry,Katy, Krystal,Duffys,Maria,OCDS family

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