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 wonderful on high. 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 wonderful on high. Alleluia.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
May you be praised, Lord, and extolled for ever. 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.
May you be praised, Lord, and extolled for ever. Alleluia.
Psalm 148
An anthem to the Lord, the Creator
Praise the Lord from the heavens. 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.
Praise the Lord from the heavens. Alleluia.
Short Reading
Ezekiel 37:12-14
©
The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.
Short Responsory
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Have mercy on us.
– You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father.
– You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Have mercy on us.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. (Year C)
Or: Truly I say to you, ‘Whoever has faith in me has eternal life.’ 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.
Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. (Year C)
Or: Truly I say to you, ‘Whoever has faith in me has eternal life.’ Alleluia.
Prayers and intercessions
We pray to the Father, who sent his Holy Spirit to bring new light to the hearts of us all.
– Lord, send us the light of your Spirit.
Blessed are you, the source of all light;
all creation rightly gives you praise.
– Lord, send us the light of your Spirit.
Through the resurrection of your Son, the world is filled with light:
through the gift of your Spirit, may your light shine out in the Church.
– Lord, send us the light of your Spirit.
Through your Holy Spirit, the disciples remembered all that Jesus taught them:
pour out your Spirit on the Church that she may be faithful to that teaching.
– Lord, send us the light of your Spirit.
Light of all the nations, look upon those who live in darkness:
open their hearts to accept you as the one true God.
– Lord, send us the light of your Spirit.
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.
Almighty, ever-living God,
we confidently call you Father as well as Lord.
Renew your Spirit in our hearts:
make us ever more perfectly your children,
so that we may enter upon the inheritance you have promised us.
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.
