Tuesday 24 December 2019
24 December
Office of Readings
(combined with Lauds)
This is the Office of Readings joined to another Hour, as described in §99 of the General Instruction. To see the Office of Readings on its own, use the menu button on the right.
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
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
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, now Wisdom from on high,
Who orders all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, O come, now Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times you gave the law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
________
Psalm 101 (102)
Prayers and vows of an exile
“God comforts us in all our sorrows” (2 Cor 1:4).
Let my cry come to you, Lord: do not hide your face from me.
O Lórd, lísten to my práyer *
and let my crý for hélp réach you.
Do not híde your fáce from mé *
in the dáy of mý distréss.
Túrn your éar towárds me *
and ánswer me quíckly when I cáll.
For my dáys are vánishing like smóke, *
my bónes burn awáy like a fíre.
My héart is wíthered like the gráss. *
I forgét to éat my bréad.
I crý with áll my stréngth *
and my skín clíngs to my bónes.
I have becóme like a pélican in the wílderness *
like an ówl in désolate pláces.
I líe awáke and I móan *
like some lónely bírd on a róof.
All day lóng my fóes revíle me; *
those who háte me use my náme as a cúrse.
The bréad I éat is áshes; *
my drínk is míngled with téars.
In your ánger, Lórd, and your fúry *
you have lífted me up and thrówn me dówn.
My dáys are like a pássing shádow *
and I wíther awáy like the gráss.
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.
Let my cry come to you, Lord: do not hide your face from me.
________
Psalm 101 (102)
Turn, Lord, to the prayers of the helpless.
But yóu, O Lórd, will endúre for éver *
and your náme from áge to áge.
Yóu will aríse and have mércy on Síon: †
for thís is the tíme to have mércy, *
(yes, the tíme appóinted has cóme)
for your sérvants lóve her véry stónes, *
are moved with píty éven for her dúst.
The nátions shall féar the náme of the Lórd *
and áll the earth’s kíngs your glóry,
when the Lórd shall búild up Síon agáin *
and appéar in áll his glóry.
Thén he will túrn to the práyers of the hélpless; *
he will nót despíse their práyers.
Let thís be wrítten for áges to cóme *
that a péople yet unbórn may praise the Lórd;
for the Lórd leaned dówn from his sánctuary on hígh. *
He looked dówn from héaven to the éarth
that hé might héar the gróans of the prísoners *
and frée those condémned to díe.
The sóns of your sérvants shall dwéll untróubled *
and their ráce shall endúre befóre you,
that the náme of the Lórd may be procláimed in Síon *
and his práise in the héart of Jerúsalem,
when péoples and kíngdoms are gáthered togéther *
to páy their hómage to the Lórd.
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.
Turn, Lord, to the prayers of the helpless.
________
Psalm 101 (102)
You founded the earth, Lord, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
He has bróken my stréngth in mid-cóurse; *
he has shórtened the dáys of my lífe.
I say to Gód: ‘Do not táke me awáy †
befóre my dáys are compléte, *
you, whose dáys last from áge to áge.
‘Long agó you fóunded the éarth *
and the héavens are the wórk of your hánds.
They will pérish but yóu will remáin. *
They will áll wear óut like a gárment.
You will chánge them like clóthes that are chánged. *
But yóu neither chánge, nor have an énd.’
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 founded the earth, Lord, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, you live in the hearts of your saints, and so have built up Zion. May you always show your greatness through their good works.
Or:
You remain for ever, Father, undisturbed by change, while our days vanish like shadows and our lives wear out like a garment. Although our lives in this world come to an end, help us to live in Christ’s endless life, and so attain the heavenly Jerusalem, our lasting home.
________
℣. The Lord makes his word known to Jacob,
℟. To Israel his laws and decrees.
________
First Reading
Isaiah 51:17-52:2,7-10
Jerusalem is evangelized
Awake, awake!
To your feet, Jerusalem!
You who from the Lord’s hand have drunk
the cup of his wrath.
The chalice of stupor
you have drained to the dregs.
She has not one to guide her
of all the sons she has borne,
not one to take her by the hand
of all the sons she has reared.
These two calamities have befallen you
– who is there to mourn for you?
Devastation and ruin, famine and sword
– who is there to console you?
Your sons lie helpless
(at every street corner)
like an antelope trapped in a net,
sodden with the wrath of the Lord,
with the threats of your God.
Listen then to this, prostrated one,
drunk, though not with wine.
Thus says your Lord, your God,
defender of your people.
See, I take out of your hand
the cup of stupor,
the chalice of my wrath;
you shall drink it no longer.
I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,
of those who said to you,
‘Bow down that we may walk over you’;
while of your back you made a pavement,
a street for them to walk on.
Awake, awake!
Clothe yourself in strength, Zion.
Put on your richest clothes,
Jerusalem, holy city;
since no longer shall there enter you
either the uncircumcised or the unclean.
Shake off your dust; to your feet,
captive Jerusalem!
Free your neck from its fetters,
captive daughter of Zion.
How beautiful on the mountains,
are the feet of one who brings good news,
who heralds peace, brings happiness,
proclaims salvation,
and tells Zion,
‘Your God is king!’
Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices,
they shout for joy together,
for they see the Lord face to face,
as he returns to Zion.
Break into shouts of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord is consoling his people,
redeeming Jerusalem.
The Lord bares his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
Responsory
Cf. Ex 19:10-11; Dt 7:15; cf. Dn 9:24
℟. Sanctify yourselves, sons of Israel, says the Lord, for tomorrow the Lord will come down,* and he will take away all weakness.
℣. Tomorrow the sin of the world will be taken away, and the Saviour of the world will reign over us,* and he will take away all weakness.
________
Second Reading
From a sermon by Saint Augustine
Truth has arisen from the earth and justice has looked down from heaven
Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man.
You would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this mercy. You would never have returned to life, had he not shared your death. You would have been lost if he had not hastened to your aid. You would have perished, had he not come.
Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festive day on which he who is the great and eternal day came from the great and endless day of eternity into our own short day of time.
He has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written: Let him who glories glory in the Lord.
Truth, then, has arisen from the earth: Christ who said, I am the Truth, was born of the Virgin. And justice looked down from heaven: because believing in this new-born child, man is justified not by himself but by God.
Truth has arisen from the earth: because the Word was made flesh. And justice looked down from heaven: because every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
Truth has arisen from the earth: flesh from Mary. And justice looked down from heaven: for man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
Justified by faith, let us be at peace with God: for justice and peace have embraced one another. Through our Lord Jesus Christ: for Truth has arisen from the earth. Through whom we have access to that grace in which we stand, and our boast is in our hope of God’s glory. He does not say: “of our glory,” but of God’s glory: for justice has not come out of us but has looked down from heaven. Therefore he who glories, let him glory, not in himself, but in the Lord.
For this reason, when our Lord was born of the Virgin, the message of the angelic voices was: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good will.
For how could there be peace on earth unless Truth has arisen from the earth, that is, unless Christ were born of our flesh? And he is our peace who made the two into one: that we might be men of good will, sweetly linked by the bond of unity.
Let us then rejoice in this grace, so that our glorying may bear witness to our good conscience by which we glory, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. That is why Scripture says: He is my glory, the one who lifts up my head. For what greater grace could God have made to dawn on us than to make his only Son become the son of man, so that a son of man might in his turn become son of God?
Ask if this were merited; ask for its reason, for its justification, and see whether you will find any other answer but sheer grace.
Responsory
℟. A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall spring from his roots.* Round his waist he shall wear the belt of justice, and good faith shall be the girdle round his body.
℣. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and power.* Round his waist he shall wear the belt of justice, and good faith shall be the girdle round his body.
________
Psalm 100 (101)
The declaration of a just ruler
“If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).
You, Bethlehem, will not be least among the towns of Judah: for the leader who will rule my people Israel will come from you.
My sóng is of mércy and jústice; *
I síng to you, O Lórd.
I will wálk in the wáy of perféction. *
O whén, Lord, will you cóme?
I will wálk with blámeless héart *
withín my hóuse;
I will not sét befóre my éyes *
whatéver is báse.
I will háte the wáys of the cróoked; *
they sháll not be my fríends.
The false-héarted must kéep far awáy; *
the wícked I disówn.
The man who slánders his néighbour in sécret *
I will bríng to sílence.
The mán of proud lóoks and haughty héart *
I will néver endúre.
I lóok to the fáithful in the lánd *
that they may dwéll with mé.
He who wálks in the wáy of perféction *
shall bé my fríend.
No mán who práctises decéit *
shall líve within my hóuse.
No mán who utters líes shall stánd *
befóre my éyes.
Mórning by mórning I will sílence *
all the wícked in the lánd,
upróoting from the cíty of the Lórd *
áll who do évil.
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, Bethlehem, will not be least among the towns of Judah: for the leader who will rule my people Israel will come from you.
Psalm-prayer
So that your people might walk in innocence, you came to us, Lord Jesus, and told us to be holy as your Father is holy. Help your children to love what is truly perfect, so that we may neither speak what is evil nor do what is wrong. Let us stand in your sight and celebrate with you the Father’s love and justice.
________
Canticle
Daniel 3
The prayer of Azariah in the furnace
“Repent and turn to God, that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19).
Lift up your heads, for your redemption is at hand.
Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, †
and worthy of praise, *
and your name is glorified for ever.
You are just *
in all that you have done to us,
for we have sinned †
and lawlessly departed from you, *
and have sinned in all things.
For your name’s sake, †
do not give us up utterly *
and do not break your covenant.
Do not withdraw your mercy from us, *
for the sake of Abraham your beloved,
and for the sake of Isaac your servant, *
and Israel your holy one, to whom you promised
to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven *
and as the sand on the shore of the sea.
For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation, †
and are brought low this day in all the world *
because of our sins;
and at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader, *
no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,
no place to make an offering before you *
or to find mercy.
Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit *
may we be accepted,
as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls *
and with tens of thousands of fat lambs.
Such may our sacrifice be in your sight this day, *
and may we wholly follow you,
for there will be no shame *
for those who trust in you.
And now with all our heart we follow you, *
we fear you and seek your face.
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.
Lift up your heads, for your redemption is at hand.
________
Psalm 143 (144)
For victory and peace
“I can do all things with the help of the One who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13).
Tomorrow your salvation will be with you, says the Lord, God almighty.
Bléssed be the Lórd, my róck, †
who tráins my árms for báttle, *
who prepáres my hánds for wár.
Hé is my lóve, my fórtress; *
hé is my strónghold, my sáviour
my shíeld, my pláce of réfuge. *
He brings péoples únder my rúle.
Lórd, what is mán that you cáre for him, *
mortal mán, that you kéep him in mínd;
mán, who is mérely a bréath *
whose lífe fádes like a shádow?
Lówer your héavens and come dówn; *
touch the móuntains; wréathe them in smóke.
Flash your líghtnings; róut the fóe, *
shoot your árrows and pút them to flíght.
Reach dówn from héaven and sáve me; †
draw me óut from the míghty wáters, *
from the hánds of álien fóes
whose móuths are fílled with líes, *
whose hánds are ráised in pérjury.
To you, O Gód, will I síng a new sóng; *
I will pláy on the tén-stringed hárp
to yóu who give kíngs their víctory, *
who set Dávid your sérvant frée.
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.
Tomorrow your salvation will be with you, says the Lord, God almighty.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, God of strength, you gave your Son victory over death. Direct your Church’s fight against evil in the world. Clothe us with the weapons of light and unite us under the one banner of love, that we may receive our eternal reward after the battle of earthly life.
________
Short Reading
Isaiah 11:1-3
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is his delight.
________
Short Responsory
Tomorrow is the day on which the sins of the world will be wiped away.
– Tomorrow is the day on which the sins of the world will be wiped away.
The Saviour of the world will rule us himself.
– Tomorrow is the day on which the sins of the world will be wiped away.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Tomorrow is the day on which the sins of the world will be wiped away.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
The time is now at hand for the Virgin Mary to give birth to her firstborn Son.
Bléssed be the Lórd, the Gód of Ísrael! *
He has vísited his péople and redéemed them.
He has raised úp for ús a mighty sáviour *
in the hóuse of Dávid his sérvant,
as he prómised by the líps of holy mén, *
thóse who were his próphets from of óld.
A sáviour who would frée us from our fóes, *
from the hánds of áll who háte us.
So his lóve for our fáthers is fulfílled *
and his hóly covenant remémbered.
He swóre to Ábraham our fáther to gránt us, *
that frée from féar, and sáved from the hánds of our fóes,
we might sérve him in hóliness and jústice *
all the dáys of our lífe in his présence.
As for yóu, little chíld, *
you shall be cálled a próphet of Gód, the Most Hígh.
You shall go ahéad of the Lórd *
to prépare his wáys befóre him,
To make knówn to his péople their salvátion *
through forgíveness of áll their síns,
the loving-kíndness of the héart of our Gód *
who vísits us like the dáwn from on hígh.
He will give líght to those in dárkness, †
those who dwéll in the shádow of déath, *
and gúide us into the wáy of péace.
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 time is now at hand for the Virgin Mary to give birth to her firstborn Son.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to Christ, whom the scriptures foretold, and whose coming we await in this holy season:
– Come, Jesus, our Saviour!
Isaiah foretold that the spirit of the Lord would rest upon you:
come to us bringing wisdom and understanding.
– Come, Jesus, our Saviour!
The spirit of counsel and power is given to you;
move the hearts of all who govern or rule.
– Come, Jesus, our Saviour!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
teach us to know the Father as he is.
– Come, Jesus, our Saviour!
As now we live with you in faith and hope,
prepare us to see the Father face to face.
– Come, Jesus, our Saviour!
________
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.
________
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon.
In this time of your coming,
support and console us who trust in your love.
Who live and reign with God the Father
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.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.