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 ark which God has sanctified,
Which he has filled with grace,
Within the temple of the Lord
Has found a resting place.
More glorious than the Seraphim,
This ark of love divine;
Corruption could not blemish her
Whom death could not confine.
God-bearing Mother, Virgin chaste,
Who shines in heaven’s sight,
She wears a royal crown of stars
Who is the door of light.
To Father, Son and Spirit blest
May we give endless praise
With Mary, who is Queen of heav’n,
Through everlasting days.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God
Blessed are you, O Mary, for through you salvation came into the world. Now you are in glory and rejoice before the Lord.
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.
Blessed are you, O Mary, for through you salvation came into the world. Now you are in glory and rejoice before the Lord.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
The Virgin Mary is exalted high above the choirs of angels. Let all the faithful rejoice and bless the Lord.
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 Virgin Mary is exalted high above the choirs of angels. Let all the faithful rejoice and bless the Lord.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
Your name has been so exalted by the Lord that your praise will never cease on the lips of men.
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.
Your name has been so exalted by the Lord that your praise will never cease on the lips of men.
Short Reading
(Isaiah 61:10)
©
I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,
like a bride adorned in her jewels.
Short Responsory
Today the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven.
– Today the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven.
For ever she will share in the victory of Christ.
– Today the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Today the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
See the beauty of the daughter of Jerusalem, who ascended to heaven like the rising sun at dawn.
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.
See the beauty of the daughter of Jerusalem, who ascended to heaven like the rising sun at dawn.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us proclaim the greatness of our Saviour who chose to be born of the Virgin Mary. Confident that he will hear us, we ask:
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
Eternal Word, in the living flesh of Mary you found a dwelling place on earth;
remain with us for ever in hearts free from sin.
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
Christ, our Redeemer, you made the Virgin Mary the sanctuary of your presence and the temple of the Spirit;
make us bearers of your Spirit, in mind, heart and body.
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
Eternal Word, you taught your mother Mary to choose the part that was best;
let us follow her example and hunger for the food of everlasting life.
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
King of kings, you assumed Mary into heaven to be with you completely in body and soul;
may we seek the things that are above and keep our lives fixed on you.
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
King of heaven and earth, you placed Mary at your side to reign as queen for ever;
grant us the joy of sharing in your glory.
– Lord, may your mother pray for us.
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,
you have taken the mother of your Son,
the immaculate Virgin Mary,
body and soul into the glory where you dwell.
Keep our hearts set on heaven
so that, with her, we may share in your glory.
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.
