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Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 651
Proper of Seasons: 73
Psalter: Saturday, Week I, 807

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Whoever humbles himself, like a little child, will be greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Psalm 131
Childlike trust in God
Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).

O Lord, my heart is not proud
nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great
nor marvels beyond me.

Truly I have set my soul
in silence and peace.
As a child has rest in its mother’s arms,
even so my soul.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
both now and 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.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, you declared that whoever receives a little child in your name receives you, and you promised your kingdom to those who are like children. Never let pride reign in our hearts, but may the Father’s compassion reward and embrace all who willingly bear your gentle yoke.

Ant. Whoever humbles himself, like a little child, will be greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Ant. 2 With simplicity of heart, I have joyfully offered everything to you, my God.

Psalm 132
God’s promises to the house of David
The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David (Luke 1:32).

I

O Lord, remember David
and all the many hardships he endured,
the oath he swore to the Lord,
his vow to the Strong One of Jacob.

“I will not enter the house where I live
nor go to the bed where I rest.
I will give no sleep to my eyes,
to my eyelids I will give no slumber
till I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Strong One of Jacob.”

At Ephrathah we heard of the ark;
we found it in the plains of Yearim.
“Let us go to the place of his dwelling;
let us go to kneel at his footstool.”

Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest,
you and the ark of your strength.
Your priests shall be clothed with holiness:
your faithful shall ring out their joy.
For the sake of David your servant
do not reject your 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. With simplicity of heart, I have joyfully offered everything to you, my God.

Ant. 3The Lord has sworn an oath to David; his kingdom will stand for ever.

II

The Lord swore an oath to David;
he will not go back on his word;
“A son, the fruit of your body,
will I set upon your throne.

If they keep my covenant in truth
and my laws that I have taught them,
their sons also shall rule
on your throne from age to age.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling:
“This is my resting-place for ever,
here have I chosen to live.

I will greatly bless her produce,
I will fill her poor with bread.
I will clothe her priests with salvation
and her faithful shall ring out their joy.

There David’s stock will flower:
I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.
I will cover his enemies with shame
but on him my crown shall shine.”

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 Jesus Christ, you chose to suffer and be overwhelmed by death in order to open the gates of death in triumph. Stay with us to help us on our pilgrimage; free us from all evil by the power of your resurrection. In the company of your saints and constantly remembering your love for us may we sing of your wonders in our Father’s house.

Ant. The Lord has sworn an oath to David; his kingdom will stand for ever.

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.

Come, consider the works of the Lord.
— The marvels he has created on this earth.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of Sirach
44:1-2, 16a—45:5
Praise of the fathers: from Enoch to Moses

Now will I praise those godly men,
our ancestors, each in his own time:
The abounding glory of the Most High’s portion,
his own part, since the days of old.

[ENOCH walked with the Lord and was taken up,
that succeeding generations might learn by his example.]

NOAH, found just and perfect,
renewed the race in the time of devastation.

Because of his worth there were survivors,
and with a sign to him the deluge ended;
A lasting agreement was made with him,
that never should all flesh be destroyed.

ABRAHAM, father of many peoples,
kept his glory without stain:
He observed the precepts of the Most High,
and entered into an agreement with him;
In his own flesh he incised the ordinance,
and when tested he was found loyal.
For this reason, God promised him with an oath
that in his descendants the nations would be blessed,
That he would make him numerous as the grains of dust,
and exalt his posterity like the stars;
That he would give them an inheritance from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

And for ISAAC he renewed the same promise
because of Abraham, his father.
The covenant with all his forebears was confirmed,
and the blessing rested upon the head of Jacob.
God acknowledged him as the first-born,
and gave him his inheritance.
He fixed the boundaries for his tribes,
and their division into twelve.

From him was to spring the man
who won the favor of all:
Dear to God and men,
MOSES, whose memory is held in benediction.
God’s honor devolved upon him,
and the Lord strengthened him with fearful powers;
God wrought swift miracles at his words
and sustained him in the king’s presence.
He gave him the commandments for his people,
and revealed to him his glory.
For his trustworthiness and meekness
God selected him from all mankind;

He permitted him to hear his voice,
and led him into the cloud,
Where, face to face, he gave him the commandments,
the law of life and understanding,
That he might teach his precepts to Jacob,
his judgments and decrees to Israel.

RESPONSORY Deuteronomy 6:4; 7:9; 6:5

Hear, O Israel, and carefully keep what the Lord has commanded you,
— and you will know that the Lord your God is a faithful God, true to his promises and merciful to all who love him.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
— And you will know that the Lord your God is a faithful God, true to his promises and merciful to all who love him.

Second reading
From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, pope
From the first, faith has been God’s means of justifying men

God’s blessing must be our objective, and the way to win it our study. Search the records of ancient times. Why was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because his upright and straightforward conduct was inspired by faith? As for Isaac’s faith, it was so strong that, assured of the outcome, he willingly allowed himself to be offered in sacrifice. Jacob had the humility to leave his native land on account of his brother, and go and serve Laban. He was given the twelve tribes of Israel.

Honest reflection upon each of these examples will make us realize the magnitude of God’s gifts. All the priests and Levites who served the altar of God were descended from Jacob. The manhood of the Lord Jesus derived from him. Through the tribe of Judah, kings, princes and rulers sprang from him. Nor are his other tribes without their honor, for God promised Abraham: Your descendants shall be as the stars of heaven.

It is obvious, therefore, that none of these owed their honor and exaltation to themselves, or to their own labors, or to their deeds of virtue. No; they owed everything to God’s will. So likewise with us, who by his will are called in Christ Jesus. We are not justified by our wisdom, intelligence, piety, or by any action of ours, however holy, but by faith, the one means by which God has justified men from the beginning. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What must we do then, brothers? Give up good works? Stop practicing Christian love? God forbid! We must be ready and eager for every opportunity to do good, and put our whole heart into it. Even the Creator and Lord of the universe rejoices in his works. By his supreme power he set the heavens in their place; by his infinite wisdom he gave them their order. He separated the land from the waters surrounding it and made his own will its firm foundation. By his command he brought to life the beasts that roam the earth. He created the sea and all its living creatures, and then by his power set bounds to it. Finally, with his own holy and undefiled hands, he formed man, the highest and most intelligent of his creatures, the copy of his own image. Let us make man, God said, in our image and likeness. And God made man, male and female he made them. Then, when he had finished making all his creatures, God gave them his approval and blessing: Increase and multiply, he charged them.

We must recognize, therefore, that all upright men have been graced by good works, and that even the Lord himself took delight in the glory his works gave him. This should inspire us with a resolute determination to do his will and make us put our whole strength into the work of living a Christian life.

RESPONSORY See Daniel 9:4; Romans 8:28

The Lord our God is strong and faithful, true to his promises and merciful to those who love him,
— and to all who keep his commandments.

For those who love God, everything works together for good.
— And to all who keep his commandments.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Attend to the pleas of your people with heavenly care,
O Lord, we pray,
that they may see what must be done
and gain strength to do what they have seen.
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.