Sunday 22 March 2020
4th Sunday of Lent
Morning Prayer (Lauds)
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.
________
Hymn
Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
And close by thee to stay.
As thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
In thee to conquer sin.
As thirst and hunger thou didst bear,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and daily live
By thy most holy word.
And through these days of penitence,
And through thy Passiontide,
Yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
________
Psalm 117 (118)
A cry of rejoicing and triumph
“This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11).
You are my God: I thank you. My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love endures for ever.
Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
Let the sons of Aaron say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
Let those who fear the Lord say:
‘His love endures for ever.’
I called to the Lord in my distress;
he answered and freed me.
The Lord is at my side; I do not fear.
What can man do against me?
The Lord is at my side as my helper;
I shall look down on my foes.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in men;
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
The nations all encompassed me;
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me, compassed me about;
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me about like bees;
they blazed like a fire among thorns.
In the Lord’s name I crushed them.
I was hard-pressed and was falling,
but the Lord came to help me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he is my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just.
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me.
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.
I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,
but not doomed to die.
Open to me the gates of holiness:
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.
O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.
Go forward in procession with branches
even to the altar.
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.
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 are my God: I thank you. My God, I praise you.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, you have given us the great day of rejoicing: Jesus Christ, the stone rejected by the builders, has become the cornerstone of the Church, our spiritual home. Shed upon your Church the rays of your glory, that she may be seen as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring out from her tents, to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection.
________
Canticle
Daniel 3:52-57
Let every creature praise the Lord
“The Creator is blessed for ever” (Rom 1:25).
Lord, you can deliver us from the hand of the one who is stronger than we are: save us, Lord, our God.
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
Blest your glorious holy name.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest in the temple of your glory.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest who gaze into the depths.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest in the firmament of heaven.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You who walk on the wings of the wind.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
May they bless you, the saints and the angels.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
From the heavens, the earth and the sea.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.
To you glory and praise for evermore.
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.
Lord, you can deliver us from the hand of the one who is stronger than we are: save us, Lord, our God.
________
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
“Sing praise in your spirit, sing praise with your soul, that is: give glory to God in both your soul and your body” (Hesychius).
Praise God in his wonderful works.
Praise God in his holy place,
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
praise his surpassing greatness.
O praise him with sound of trumpet,
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes.
O praise him with resounding cymbals,
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the Lord.
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 God in his wonderful works.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just one holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.
Or:
Lord God, through your saving plan all things are ours, and we are Christ’s and Christ is yours. Accept the praises of your Church. By these praises, through Christ, with him and in him, all your honour and glory is celebrated, all-powerful Father, in the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
________
Short Reading
Nehemiah 8:9,10
This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.
________
Short Responsory
Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
You were wounded because of our sins.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
The man called Jesus put a paste on my eyes, and I went away and washed, and I can see. (Year A)
Or: Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind. Only Christ, the son of God, has done this.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has visited his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour
in the house of David his servant,
as he promised by the lips of holy men,
those who were his prophets from of old.
A saviour who would free us from our foes,
from the hands of all who hate us.
So his love for our fathers is fulfilled
and his holy covenant remembered.
He swore to Abraham our father to grant us,
that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes,
we might serve him in holiness and justice
all the days of our life in his presence.
As for you, little child,
you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High.
You shall go ahead of the Lord
to prepare his ways before him,
To make known to his people their salvation
through forgiveness of all their sins,
the loving-kindness of the heart of our God
who visits us like the dawn from on high.
He will give light to those in darkness,
those who dwell in the shadow of death,
and guide us into the way 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 man called Jesus put a paste on my eyes, and I went away and washed, and I can see. (Year A)
Or: Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind. Only Christ, the son of God, has done this.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Let us glorify God for his wealth of goodness and pray to him through Jesus Christ, who is always living to intercede for us.
– Inflame our hearts with your love.
God of mercy, help us to enrich this day with deeds of kindness;
let men know by our actions that we are all one family.
– Inflame our hearts with your love.
At the time of the flood you saved Noah through the ark;
grant salvation through water to those preparing for baptism.
– Inflame our hearts with your love.
May we never live by bread alone;
give us life by every word you speak.
– Inflame our hearts with your love.
Help us to avoid all anger and dissension;
let us find joy in your peace and love.
– Inflame our hearts with your love.
________
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.
________
Lord God, in your surpassing wisdom
you reconcile man to yourself through your Word.
Grant that your Christian people may come with eager faith and ready will
to celebrate the Easter festival.
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.
Copyright © 1996-2020 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.