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
Hark! a herald voice is calling
Through the shadows of the night
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness
Christ descends with heavenly light.’
Wakened by the solemn warning,
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav’n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiv’n;
So, when next he comes with glory,
And his judgement-day draws near,
Faithful he may find his servants,
Watching till their Lord appear.
Honour, glory, might, and blessing
To the Father and the Son,
With the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.
Psalm 117 (118)
A cry of rejoicing and triumph
We have a strong city. The Saviour will set up wall and rampart to guard it: open the gates, for God is with us. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness is for ever.
Now let Israel say, he is good
and his kindness is for ever.
Now let the house of Aaron say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.
Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.
In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:
he listened, and led me to freedom.
The Lord is with me,
I will fear nothing that man can do.
The Lord, my help, is with me,
and I shall look down upon my enemies.
It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in men.
It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in the leaders of men.
All the nations surrounded me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They crowded in and besieged me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They surrounded me like swarms of bees,
they burned like a fire of dry thorns,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,
and the Lord came to my help.
The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:
he has become my saviour.
A cry of joy and salvation
in the dwellings of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!
The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;
the Lord’s right hand has triumphed.”
I shall not die, but live,
and tell of the works of the Lord.
The Lord chastised me severely
but did not let me die.
Open the gates of righteousness:
I will go in, and thank the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
it is the upright who enter here.
I will thank you, for you listened to me,
and became my saviour.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the corner-stone.
It was the Lord who did this –
it is marvellous to behold.
This is the day that was made by the Lord:
let us rejoice today, and be glad.
Lord, keep me safe;
O Lord, let me prosper!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God, he shines upon us!
Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,
up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, I will give thanks to you;
my God, I will give you praise.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness is for ever.
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.
We have a strong city. The Saviour will set up wall and rampart to guard it: open the gates, for God is with us. Alleluia.
Canticle
Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Come to the waters, all you who thirst: seek the Lord while he may be found. Alleluia.
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed is the holy name of your glory
praised above all things and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory
praised and glorious above all things for ever.
Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,
seated on the cherubim,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven
praised and glorious for ever.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him for ever.
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.
Come to the waters, all you who thirst: seek the Lord while he may be found. Alleluia.
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Behold, our Lord will come with strength and he will give light to the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for all his greatness.
Praise him with trumpet-blasts,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes,
praise him with cymbals resounding,
praise him with cymbals of jubilation.
All that breathes, praise the Lord!
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, our Lord will come with strength and he will give light to the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.
Short Reading
Romans 13:11-12
©
You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light.
Short Responsory
Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
You are coming into the world.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
The word of God came to John son of Zechariah, in the wilderness, and he went around proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Year C)
Or: Behold, I am sending a herald before you to prepare the way for you.
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.
The word of God came to John son of Zechariah, in the wilderness, and he went around proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Year C)
Or: Behold, I am sending a herald before you to prepare the way for you.
Prayers and intercessions
It is time for us to wake out of our sleep: salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
– Father of light, we praise you!
Christ is coming, the day is near:
in our Eucharist today let us look forward with hope and joy.
– Father of light, we praise you!
As today we hear the scriptures, heralding the coming of your Son,
may our minds and hearts be touched by your Word.
– Father of light, we praise you!
As we receive the Body and Blood of your Son,
may we be healed and refreshed by your love.
– Father of light, we praise you!
United in one body, may we pursue the things that make for peace,
and build up our life together until Christ comes.
– Father of light, we praise you!
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 and merciful God,
let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life
prevent us from hastening to meet your Son.
Enlighten us with your wisdom
and lead us into his company.
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.
