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.
Hymn
Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
And close by thee to stay.
As thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
In thee to conquer sin.
As thirst and hunger thou didst bear,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and daily live
By thy most holy word.
And through these days of penitence,
And through thy Passiontide,
Yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
Psalm 92 (93)
The magnificence of the Creator
Truly your decrees are to be trusted. They are more wondrous than the surgings of the sea.
The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour,
clothed in glory and wrapped round in might.
He set the earth on its foundations:
it will not be shaken.
Your throne is secure from the beginning;
from the beginning of time, Lord, you are.
The rivers have raised, O Lord,
the rivers have raised their voices.
The rivers have raised their clamour.
Over the voices of many waters,
over the powerful swell of the sea,
you are the Lord, powerful on high.
All your promises are to be trusted:
and holy is your habitation,
O Lord, to the end of time.
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.
Truly your decrees are to be trusted. They are more wondrous than the surgings of the sea.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Springs of water, bless the Lord: give glory and eternal praise to him.
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.
Springs of water, bless the Lord: give glory and eternal praise to him.
Psalm 148
An anthem to the Lord, the Creator
All kings and peoples of the earth, praise God!
Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the highest heavens.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his powers.
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all stars that shine.
Praise him, waters of the heavens,
and all the waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were made.
He set them firm for all ages,
he made a decree that will last for ever.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea-serpents and depths of the sea,
fire, hail, snow and fog,
storms and gales that obey his word,
mountains and hills,
fruit-trees and cedars,
wild beasts and tame,
serpents and birds.
Kings of the earth, all peoples,
all leaders and judges of the earth,
young men and women,
old people with the young –
praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
His splendour is above heaven and earth,
he has raised up the strength of his people.
This song is for all his chosen ones,
the children of Israel, the people close to him.
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.
All kings and peoples of the earth, praise God!
Short Reading
Nehemiah 8:9,10
©
This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.
Short Responsory
Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
You were wounded because of our sins.
– 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
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God. (Year C)
Or: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it again, says the Lord. But the temple he was speaking of was his own body.
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.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God. (Year C)
Or: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it again, says the Lord. But the temple he was speaking of was his own body.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us bless our Redeemer, who has brought us to this day of salvation.
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
Christ, our life, we were buried with you in baptism to rise from the dead;
lead us this day along the new path of life;
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
You went everywhere, Lord, doing good for everyone;
help us to care for the common good of all.
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
Help us to work with other people to build the earthly city;
but never let us lose sight of your heavenly kingdom.
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
Healer of souls and bodies, mend our broken lives;
let us receive all the blessings of your holiness.
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
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.
God our Father,
in your infinite love and goodness
you have shown us that
prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
are remedies for sin.
Accept the humble admission of our guilt,
and when our conscience weighs us down
let your unfailing mercy raise us up.
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.
