Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Christ is King of earth and heaven!
Let his subjects all proclaim
In the splendour of his temple
Honour to his holy name.
Christ is King! No soul created
Can refuse to bend the knee
To the God made Man who reigneth,
As ’twas promised, from the tree.
Christ is King! Let humble sorrow
For our past neglect atone,
For the lack of faithful service
To the Master whom we own.
Christ is King! Let joy and gladness
Greet him; let his courts resound
With the praise of faithful subjects
To his love in honour bound.
Christ is King! In health and sickness,
Till we breathe our latest breath,
Till we greet in highest heaven
Christ the victor over death.
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God
Behold a man whose name is ‘The Rising Sun’; he will sit on the throne and rule over all; he will speak of peace to the peoples.
O God, you are my God, I watch for you from the dawn.
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you.
I came to your sanctuary,
as one in a parched and waterless land,
so that I could see your might and your glory.
My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself.
Thus I will bless you throughout my life,
and raise my hands in prayer to your name;
my soul will be filled as if by rich food,
and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice.
I will remember you as I lie in bed,
I will think of you in the morning,
for you have been my helper,
and I will take joy in the protection of your wings.
My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Behold a man whose name is ‘The Rising Sun’; he will sit on the throne and rule over all; he will speak of peace to the peoples.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
He will receive glory throughout the earth, he himself will be peace.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens;
all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens;
all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon;
all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew;
all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat;
cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost;
ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow;
day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness;
lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, all the earth,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;
all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;
springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish;
birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame;
sons of men, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O Israel,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, his priests;
all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the just;
all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven,
praise and glorify him for ever.
He will receive glory throughout the earth, he himself will be peace.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
The Lord has given him power and honour and kingdom; every people, tribe and nation will serve him.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
and the sons of Zion delight in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
sing to him with timbrel and lyre,
for the Lord’s favour is upon his people,
and he will honour the humble with victory.
Let the faithful celebrate his glory,
rejoice even in their beds,
the praise of God in their throats;
and swords ready in their hands,
to exact vengeance upon the nations,
impose punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters
and their nobles in manacles of iron,
to carry out the sentence that has been passed:
this is the glory prepared for all his faithful.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord has given him power and honour and kingdom; every people, tribe and nation will serve him.
Short Reading
Ephesians 4:15-16
©
If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.
Short Responsory
O Lord, your saints will tell of the glory of your kingdom.
– O Lord, your saints will tell of the glory of your kingdom.
They will speak of your power.
– O Lord, your saints will tell of the glory of your kingdom.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– O Lord, your saints will tell of the glory of your kingdom.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
He made us a kingdom for his God and Father; he is the firstborn from the dead, the leader of the kings of the earth, alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies
and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
– freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him,
for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
He made us a kingdom for his God and Father; he is the firstborn from the dead, the leader of the kings of the earth, alleluia.
Prayers and intercessions
To Christ our King, who is first in all things and in whom all things exist, let us confidently pray:
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, you are our king and our shepherd:
lead your people into life-giving pastures.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, you laid down your life for your sheep:
guide us, and we shall lack nothing.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, our Redeemer, you are the king of the whole world:
restore all things in yourself.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, king of all men, you came into the world to bear witness to the truth:
make all aware of your primacy in all things.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, our master and model, you have brought us into your kingdom:
grant that today we may be holy, blameless and worthy of you.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
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.
Almighty, ever-living God,
it is your will to unite the entire universe under your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and earth.
Grant freedom to the whole of creation,
and let it praise and serve your majesty for ever.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
