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 the world’s redeemer,
The lover of the pure,
The font of heavenly wisdom,
Our trust and hope secure,
The armour of his soldiers,
The Lord of earth and sky,
Our health while we are living,
Our life when we shall die.
Down in the realm of darkness,
He lay a captive bound,
But at the hour appointed
He rose a victor crowned.
And now, to heaven ascended,
He sits upon a throne,
Whence he had ne’er departed,
His Father’s and his own.
All glory to the Father,
The unbegotten One,
All honour be to Jesus,
His sole-begotten Son;
And to the Holy Spirit,
The perfect Trinity,
Let all the worlds give answer,
Amen — so let it be.
Psalm 92 (93)
The magnificence of the Creator
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. Alleluia.†
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.
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. Alleluia.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
The whole creation will be freed and will enjoy the glory and freedom of the children of God. Alleluia.
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.
The whole creation will be freed and will enjoy the glory and freedom of the children of God. Alleluia.
Psalm 148
An anthem to the Lord, the Creator
The name of the Lord is praised, in heaven and on earth. Alleluia.
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.
The name of the Lord is praised, in heaven and on earth. Alleluia.
Short Reading
Acts 10:40-43
©
God raised Jesus to life on the third day and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.
Short Responsory
Have mercy on us, Christ, Son of the living God, alleluia, alleluia.
– Have mercy on us, Christ, Son of the living God, alleluia, alleluia.
You have risen from the dead.
– Have mercy on us, Christ, Son of the living God, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Have mercy on us, Christ, Son of the living God, alleluia, alleluia.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. Alleluia. (Year C)
Or: Father, I have glorified you on earth: I have accomplished the work that you gave me to do, 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.
I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. Alleluia. (Year C)
Or: Father, I have glorified you on earth: I have accomplished the work that you gave me to do, alleluia.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us be united in prayer with all who are justified in the Spirit of God, and let us say to Christ, our Lord:
– May your Spirit come to our aid.
Lord Jesus, help us to live by your Spirit;
and show us that we are God’s children.
– May your Spirit come to our aid.
Through your Holy Spirit intercede for us with the Father;
make us worthy of your promises.
– May your Spirit come to our aid.
Make us generous, warm-hearted and unselfish;
help us always to think of the needs of others.
– May your Spirit come to our aid.
Through the Holy Spirit grant us the desire to seek God’s kingdom and his justice;
strengthen our resolve to know you and the Father.
– May your Spirit come to our aid.
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.
Lord God,
we believe that the Saviour of mankind
is enthroned with you in majesty.
Listen to our prayer,
and, according to his promise,
let us feel his presence among us
to the end of time.
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.
