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: 661
Proper of Seasons: 515
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 725
Midday Prayer for Tuesday before Epiphany, using Current Psalmody
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
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
"Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
| 𝄞 | "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Burke Ingraffia • Available for Purchase • Title: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Text: Unknown, 15th c.; Published: William B. Sandys (1833); Artist: Burke Ingraffia: Vocals and Guitar (c) 2016 Divine Mercy Music (ASCAP); Used with permission from Burke Ingraffia. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Christmas Carol Lullabies |
PSALMODY
Ant. Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
Psalm 119:1-8
I (Aleph)
Meditation on God’s law
Loving God means keeping his commandments (1 John 5:3)
They are happy whose life is blameless,
who follow God’s law!
They are happy who do his will,
seeking him with all their hearts,
who never do anything evil
but walk in his ways.
You have laid down your precepts
to be obeyed with care.
May my footsteps be firm
to obey your statutes.
Then I shall not be put to shame
as I heed your commands.
I will thank you with an upright heart
as I learn your decrees.
I will obey your statutes;
do not forsake 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.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, you proclaim victorious those whose lives are blameless and give your law to those who seek it. Make us seek your righteous ways in our hearts.
Psalm 13
The lament of the just man who does not lose hope in God
May the God of hope fill you with every joy (Romans 15:13)
How long, O Lord, will you forget me?
How long will you hide your face?
How long must I bear grief in my soul,
this sorrow in my heart day and night?
How long shall my enemy prevail?
Look at me, answer me, Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death,
lest my enemy say: I have overcome him;
lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.
As for me, I trust in your merciful love.
Let my heart rejoice in your saving help:
Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me,
singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
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
Saving God, by the resurrection of your Son, you have given light to our eyes, and they shall not sleep in death for ever. Look upon the sufferings of your Church so that our hearts may rejoice in your saving help and sing you songs of praise.
Psalm 14
The foolishness of sinners
Sin has increased but grace has far surpassed it (Romans 5:20).
The fool has said in his heart:
There is no God above.
Their deeds are corrupt, depraved;
not a good man is left.
From heaven the Lord looks down
on the sons of men
to see if any are wise,
if any seek God.
All have left the right path,
depraved, every one;
there is not a good man left,
no, not even one.
Will the evil-doers not understand?
They eat up my people
as though they were eating bread:
they never pray to the Lord.
See how they tremble with fear
without cause for fear:
for God is with the just.
You may mock the poor man’s hope,
but his refuge is the Lord.
O that Israel’s salvation might come from Zion!
When the Lord delivers his people from bondage,
then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.
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
God of wisdom and truth, without you neither truth nor holiness can survive. Safeguard the Church you have gathered into one and make us glad in proclaiming you.
Ant. Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
READING Isaiah 9:1
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
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.
All the ends of the earth, alleluia.
— Have seen the saving power of our God, alleluia.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
who in the blessed childbearing of the holy Virgin Mary
kept the flesh of your Son
free from the sentence incurred by the human race,
grant, we pray,
that we, who have been taken up into this new creation,
may be freed from the ancient taint of sin.
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 (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.