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
The Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and set me up as a prophet for the peoples.
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.
The Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and set me up as a prophet for the peoples.
Canticle
Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Herod feared John, who was a virtuous and holy man, and he had him put in prison.
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.
Herod feared John, who was a virtuous and holy man, and he had him put in prison.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
Herod listened to John, and when he had heard him he did many things.
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.
Herod listened to John, and when he had heard him he did many things.
Short Reading
Isaiah 49:1-2
©
The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name. He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver.
Short Responsory
You sent to John and he gave testimony to the truth.
– You sent to John and he gave testimony to the truth.
He was like a bright shining light.
– You sent to John and he gave testimony to the truth.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– You sent to John and he gave testimony to the truth.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the voice of the bridegroom: therefore my joy is now complete.
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.
The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the voice of the bridegroom: therefore my joy is now complete.
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.
God our Father,
you appointed St John the Baptist
to be the herald of the birth and death of Christ your Son.
Grant that as he died a martyr for justice and truth,
so we also may courageously bear witness to your word.
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.
