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
God called great prophets to foretell
the coming of his Son.
The greatest, called before his birth,
was John, the chosen one.
His life was filled with joy and hope;
he knew he must decrease,
and that we must prepare a place
where Jesus may increase.
John searched in solitude for Christ
and knew him when he came.
He showed the world the Lamb of God
and hailed him in our name.
That lonely voice cried out the truth
Derided and denied.
As witness to the law of God
His mighty martyr died.
We praise you, Trinity in One,
the light of unknown ways,
the hope of all who search for you
whose love fills all our days.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God
His name will be called John: many will rejoice at his birth.
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.
His name will be called John: many will rejoice at his birth.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before the Lord God to prepare a people fit for 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.
With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before the Lord God to prepare a people fit for him.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
You, little child, you shall be called the prophet of the Most High; you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him.
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.
You, little child, you shall be called the prophet of the Most High; you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him.
Short Reading
Malachi 3:23-24
©
Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.
Short Responsory
He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
– He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
He will go before the Lord to prepare a people fit for him.
– He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Zachary opened his mouth and spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
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.
Zachary opened his mouth and spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us make our prayer to Christ who sent John before him to prepare his way:
– Lord, prepare us for your coming.
John leaped in the womb of Elizabeth as she met your mother:
Lord, make us always glad to welcome your coming.
– Lord, prepare us for your coming.
John showed in his life what he preached by his words:
give us the courage to practise what we preach.
– Lord, prepare us for your coming.
John baptized you in the Jordan and the Spirit of justice rested upon you:
help us, Lord, to work for a world of justice.
– Lord, prepare us for your coming.
Lord, you called men to preach your word:
send heralds to carry the gospel to the world.
– Lord, prepare us for your coming.
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.
Almighty God and Father,
you sent Saint John the Baptist to the people of Israel
to make them ready for Christ the Lord.
Give us the grace of joy in the Spirit,
and guide the hearts of all the faithful
in the way of salvation and peace.
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.
