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
The heavenly Word proceeding forth
Yet leaving not the Father’s side,
Accomplishing his work on earth
Had reached at length life’s eventide.
By false disciple to be given
To foemen for his life athirst,
Himself, the very bread of heaven,
He gave to his disciples first.
He gave himself in either kind,
He gave his flesh, he gave his blood;
In love’s own fullness thus designed
Of man’s whole self to be the food.
O Saviour victim, opening wide
The gates of life to man below,
Our foes press hard on every side;
Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.
All praise and thanks to thee ascend
For evermore, blest One in Three;
O grant us life that shall not end
In our true native land with thee.
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God
Your people eat the food of angels, you give them bread from heaven. Alleluia.
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.
Your people eat the food of angels, you give them bread from heaven. Alleluia.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Priests are set apart to offer incense and bread to 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.
Priests are set apart to offer incense and bread to God. Alleluia.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
To the one who overcomes I will give the hidden manna and a new name. Alleluia.
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.
To the one who overcomes I will give the hidden manna and a new name. Alleluia.
Short Reading
Malachi 1:11
©
From farthest east to farthest west my name is honoured among the nations and everywhere a sacrifice of incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering too, since my name is honoured among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.
Short Responsory
You bring forth bread from the earth, alleluia, alleluia.
– You bring forth bread from the earth, alleluia, alleluia.
Your wine gives joy to man’s heart.
– You bring forth bread from the earth, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– You bring forth bread from the earth, alleluia, alleluia.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: whoever eats this bread will live for ever, 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 am the living bread which came down from heaven: whoever eats this bread will live for ever, alleluia.
Prayers and intercessions
Joyfully we make our prayer to Jesus Christ, the bread of life, and we say:
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, on the altar of the cross you offered a perfect sacrifice to the Father:
teach us how to offer it with you.
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, king of peace and justice, you consecrated bread and wine as a sign of your self-giving:
unite us as victims to yourself.
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, obedient always to your Father’s will, throughout the world the Church renews your offering from the rising of the sun to its setting:
unite in one body those who share the one bread.
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, as the manna came from the heavens, you nourish your Church with your body and blood:
in the strength of your food we will walk in your paths.
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, unseen guest at our banquet, you stand at our door and knock:
come to us, fill our hearts with your truth and stay with us.
– Happy are those who are called to your supper, Lord.
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.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you gave your Church an admirable sacrament
as the abiding memorial of your passion.
Teach us so to worship the sacred mystery of your Body and Blood
that its redeeming power may sanctify us always.
Who live and reign with God the Father
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.
