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
It were my soul’s desire
To see the face of God;
It were my soul’s desire
To rest in his abode.
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
Deep waves of cleansing sighs,
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
From earthly cares to rise.
It were my soul’s desire
To imitate my King,
It were my soul’s desire
His endless praise to sing.
It were my soul’s desire,
When heaven’s gate is won,
To find my soul’s desire,
Clear shining like the sun.
This still my soul’s desire,
Whatever life afford,
To gain my soul’s desire
And see thy face, O Lord.
Psalm 118 (119): 145-152
You, O Lord, are close; your ways are truth.
I call on you with all my heart –
answer me, Lord.
I will obey your laws.
I call on you –
save me
so that I can keep your decrees.
At first light I cry to you,
I put all my hope in your word.
In the night I keep watch,
pondering your sayings.
In your mercy, Lord, hear my voice;
in your justice, give me life.
My persecutors come to do me harm:
they are far from your law.
But you, Lord, are near to me,
and you are trustworthy in all your precepts.
From the beginning I have known your decrees,
how you have made them to last 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.
You, O Lord, are close; your ways are truth.
Canticle
Wisdom 9
Lord, give me wisdom
Lord, let your wisdom be with me to help me and to work with me.
God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who made all things by your word;
who in your wisdom set man to rule over all that you created
– to arrange the world in holiness and justice
– to make right judgements according to the guidance of his heart:
give me Wisdom, who stands by your throne,
and let me not be unworthy to be your servant.
For I am your slave and the son of your servant-girl,
a man, weak, short-lived,
slow to understand your judgements and laws.
Even the highest of the children of men
– if your wisdom is absent – counts for nothing.
With you abides Wisdom, who knows your works.
She was with you when you made the world.
She knew what was pleasing to your eyes.
She saw what was right according to your precepts.
Send your Wisdom from the highest heaven;
send her from the throne of your greatness;
that she may abide with me and work with me,
so that I may know what it is that pleases you.
For Wisdom knows everything, and understands;
she will lead me wisely in what I do,
and protect me in her glory.
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.
Lord, let your wisdom be with me to help me and to work with me.
Psalm 116 (117)
Praise of the merciful Lord
The truth of the Lord will stand firm for ever.
Praise the Lord, all nations; all peoples, praise him.
For his mercy is strong over us and his faithfulness 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.
The truth of the Lord will stand firm for ever.
Short Reading
Philippians 2:14-15
©
Do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing and then you will be innocent and genuine, perfect children of God among a deceitful and underhand brood, and you will shine in the world like bright stars.
Short Responsory
I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
You are all I have in the land of the living.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
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.
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Prayers and intercessions
From all eternity God chose Mary to be Mother of Christ. Therefore she is above all other creatures both in heaven and on earth. With her we proclaim:
– My soul glorifies the Lord.
Father, your Son Jesus gave his mother to the Church, a perfect example of faith:
may we accept your word in faith, as she did.
– My soul glorifies the Lord.
Mary listened to your voice, and brought your Word into the world:
by answering your call, may we too bring your Son to men.
– My soul glorifies the Lord.
You strengthened Mary to stand at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection:
by her intercession lighten our sorrow and reinforce our hope.
– My soul glorifies the 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 God,
source and origin of our salvation,
make our lives here on earth so proclaim your glory
that we may praise you without ceasing in heaven.
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.
