Wednesday 15 April 2020
Easter Wednesday
Office of Readings
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
Love’s redeeming work is done,
fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er!
Lo, he sets in blood no more!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal!
Christ has burst the gates of hell;
death in vain forbids him rise;
Christ has opened paradise.
Lives again our victor King;
where, O death, is now thy sting?
Dying once, he all doth save;
where thy victory, O grave?
Soar we now where Christ has led,
following our exalted Head;
made like him, like him we rise,
ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to thee by both be given:
thee we greet triumphant now;
hail, the Resurrection thou!
________
Psalm 103 (104)
Hymn to God the Creator
“For everyone who is in Christ there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here” (2 Cor 5:17).
Lord, my God, how great you are! Alleluia.
Bléss the Lórd, my sóul! *
Lord Gód, how gréat you áre,
clóthed in májesty and glóry, *
wrápped in líght as in a róbe!
You strétch out the héavens like a tént. *
Above the ráins you búild your dwélling.
You máke the clóuds your cháriot, *
you wálk on the wíngs of the wínd,
you máke the wínds your méssengers *
and fláshing fíre your sérvant.
You fóunded the éarth on its báse, *
to stand fírm from áge to áge.
You wrápped it with the ócean like a clóak: *
the wáters stood hígher than the móuntains.
At your thréat they tóok to flíght; *
at the vóice of your thúnder they fléd.
They róse over the móuntains and flowed dówn *
to the pláce which yóu had appóinted.
You set límits they míght not páss *
lest they retúrn to cóver the éarth.
You make spríngs gush fórth in the válleys; *
they flów in betwéen the hílls.
They give drínk to all the béasts of the fíeld; *
the wíld-asses quénch their thírst.
On their bánks dwell the bírds of héaven; *
from the bránches they síng their sóng.
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, my God, how great you are! Alleluia.
________
Psalm 103 (104)
Lord, the earth drinks its fill of your gifts. Alleluia.
From your dwélling you wáter the hílls; *
éarth drinks its fíll of your gíft.
You máke the grass grów for the cáttle *
and the plánts to sérve man’s néeds,
that he may bríng forth bréad from the éarth *
and wíne to chéer man’s héart;
óil, to máke his face shíne *
and bréad to stréngthen man’s héart.
The trées of the Lórd drink their fíll, *
the cédars he plánted on Lébanon;
thére the bírds build their nésts; *
on the trée-top the stórk has her hóme.
The góats find a hóme on the móuntains *
and rábbits híde in the rócks.
You made the móon to márk the mónths; *
the sún knows the tíme for its sétting.
When you spréad the dárkness it is níght *
and all the béasts of the fórest creep fórth.
The young líons róar for their préy *
and ásk their fóod from Gód.
At the rísing of the sún they steal awáy *
and gó to rést in their déns.
Mán goes fórth to his wórk, *
to lábour till évening fálls.
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, the earth drinks its fill of your gifts. Alleluia.
________
Psalm 103 (104)
May the glory of the Lord last for ever. Alleluia.
How mány are your wórks, O Lórd! †
In wísdom you have máde them áll. *
The éarth is fúll of your ríches.
Thére is the séa, vast and wíde, †
with its móving swárms past cóunting, *
líving things gréat and smáll.
The shíps are móving thére *
and the mónsters you máde to pláy with.
Áll of thése look to yóu *
to gíve them their fóod in due séason.
You gíve it, they gáther it úp: *
you ópen your hánd, they have their fíll.
You híde your fáce, they are dismáyed; †
you táke back your spírit, they díe, *
retúrning to the dúst from which they cáme.
You sénd forth your spírit, they are creáted; *
and you renéw the fáce of the éarth.
May the glóry of the Lórd last for éver! *
May the Lórd rejóice in his wórks!
He lóoks on the éarth and it trémbles; *
the móuntains send forth smóke at his tóuch.
I will síng to the Lórd all my lífe, *
make músic to my Gód while I líve.
May my thóughts be pléasing to hím. *
I fínd my jóy in the Lórd.
Let sínners vánish from the éarth *
and the wícked exíst no móre.
Bléss the Lórd, my sóul.
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.
May the glory of the Lord last for ever. Alleluia.
Psalm-prayer
Father, as you made springs in valleys to form streams between mountains, so you made living streams of grace flow from the apostles that their teaching may bring salvation to all nations. May we have a practical knowledge of their doctrine, be obedient to their commands, obtain remission of sins through their prayers, and finally receive the reward of eternal happiness.
Or:
God of all life, light, and love, through the visible things of this world you raise our thoughts to things unseen, and you show us your power and your love. From your dwelling place refresh our hearts and renew the face of the earth with the life-giving water of your word, until the new heaven and new earth resound with the song of resurrection.
________
℣. God raised our Lord from the dead, alleluia.
℟. He will also raise us by his power, alleluia.
________
Readings (official one-year cycle)
First Reading
1 Peter 2:11-25
Christians are strangers in the world
I urge you, my dear people, while you are visitors and pilgrims to keep yourselves free from the selfish passions that attack the soul. Always behave honourably among pagans so that they can see your good works for themselves and, when the day of reckoning comes, give thanks to God for the things which now make them denounce you as criminals.
For the sake of the Lord, accept the authority of every social institution: the emperor, as the supreme authority, and the governors as commissioned by him to punish criminals and praise good citizenship. God wants you to be good citizens, so as to silence what fools are saying in their ignorance. You are slaves of no one except God, so behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness. Have respect for everyone and love for our community; fear God and honour the emperor.
Slaves must be respectful and obedient to their masters, not only when they are kind and gentle but also when they are unfair. You see, there is some merit in putting up with the pains of unearned punishment if it is done for the sake of God but there is nothing meritorious in taking a beating patiently if you have done something wrong to deserve it. The merit, in the sight of God, is in bearing it patiently when you are punished after doing your duty.
This, in fact, is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way he took. He had not done anything wrong, and there had been no perjury in his mouth. He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured he made no threats but he put his trust in the righteous judge. He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed. You had gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Responsory
Cf. 1 P 2:21,24
℟. Christ suffered for us and left us an example,* so that we might follow in his steps, alleluia.
℣. In his own person he bore our sins on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness,* so that we might follow in his steps, alleluia.
________
Second Reading
From an Easter homily by an ancient author
Christ the source of resurrection and life
Saint Paul rejoices in the knowledge that spiritual health has been restored to the human race. Just as death entered the world through Adam, so life has been given back to the world through Christ. And again: The first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from heaven and is heavenly.
He adds the following: As we have borne the image of the earthly man, (that is, the image of human nature grown old in sin) so let us bear the image of the heavenly man: that is, human nature raised up, redeemed, restored and purified in Christ. We must hold fast to the salvation we have received. As the Apostle himself says: Christ is the beginning (that is, the source of resurrection and life); therefore those who belong to Christ (those who model their lives on his purity) will be secure in the hope of his resurrection and of enjoying with him the glory promised in heaven. As our Lord himself said in the gospel: Whoever follows me will not perish, but will pass from death to life.
Thus the passion of our Saviour is the salvation of mankind. The reason why he desired to die for us was that he wanted us who believe in him to live for ever. In the fullness of time it was his will to become what we are, so that we might inherit the eternity he promised and live with him for ever.
Here, then, is the grace conferred by these heavenly mysteries, the gift which Easter brings, the most longed-for feast of the year; here are the beginnings of creatures newly formed: children born from the life-giving font of holy Church, born anew with the simplicity of little ones, and crying out with the evidence of a clean conscience. Chaste fathers and inviolate mothers accompany this new family, countless in number, born to new life through faith. As they emerge from the grace-giving womb of the font, a blaze of candles burns brightly beneath the tree of faith. The Easter festival brings the grace of holiness from heaven to men. Through the repeated celebration of the sacred mysteries they receive the spiritual nourishment of the sacraments. Fostered at the very heart of holy Church, the fellowship of one community worships the one God, adoring the triple name of his essential holiness, and together with the prophet sings the psalm which belongs to this yearly festival: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. And what is this day? It is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the author of light, who brings the sunrise and the beginning of life, saying of himself: I am the light of day; whoever walks in daylight does not stumble. That is to say, whoever follows Christ in all things will come by this path to the throne of eternal light.
Such was the prayer Christ made to the Father while he was still on earth: Father, I desire that where I am they also may be, those who have come to believe in me; and that as you are in me and I in you, so they may abide in us.
Responsory
℟. The first man was made of the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven.* As we have worn the likeness of the man made of dust, so we shall wear the likeness of the heavenly man, alleluia.
℣. The man made of dust is the pattern of all men of dust, and the heavenly man is the pattern of all who are heavenly.* As we have worn the likeness of the man made of dust, so we shall wear the likeness of the heavenly man, alleluia.
________
Hymn
Te Deum
We praise you, O God: *
we acclaim you as the Lord.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers,
all the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending song:
Holy, Holy, Holy, *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled *
with your majesty and glory.
The glorious band of apostles, *
the noble company of prophets,
the white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, *
all sing your praise.
And to the ends of the earth *
your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, whose majesty is boundless, *
your true and only Son, who is to be adored, *
the Holy Spirit sent to be our Advocate.
You, Christ, are the king of glory, *
Son of the eternal Father.
When you took our nature to save mankind *
you did not shrink from birth in the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the power of death *
opening the Father’s kingdom to all who believe in you.
Enthroned at God’s right hand in the glory of the Father, *
you will come in judgement according to your promise.
You redeemed your people by your precious blood. *
Come, we implore you, to our aid.
Grant us with the saints *
a place in eternal glory.
The final part of the hymn may be omitted:
Lord, save your people *
and bless your inheritance.
Rule them and uphold them *
for ever and ever.
Day by day we praise you: *
we acclaim you now and to all eternity.
In your goodness, Lord, keep us free from sin. *
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
May your mercy always be with us, Lord, *
for we have hoped in you.
In you, Lord, we put our trust: *
we shall not be put to shame.
________
Let us pray.
God our Father,
you give us the joy of celebrating the Lord’s resurrection
each passing year.
Let this yearly feast
bring us to eternal joy.
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.
________
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
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.