Saturday 26 September 2020
Saturday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
or Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs
or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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. Alleluia.
________
Hymn
It were my soul’s desire
To see the face of God;
It were my soul’s desire
To rest in his abode.
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
Deep waves of cleansing sighs,
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
From earthly cares to rise.
It were my soul’s desire
To imitate my King,
It were my soul’s desire
His endless praise to sing.
It were my soul’s desire,
When heaven’s gate is won,
To find my soul’s desire,
Clear shining like the sun.
This still my soul’s desire,
Whatever life afford,
To gain my soul’s desire
And see thy face, O Lord.
________
Psalm 118 (119): 145-152
Meditating the word of the Lord in the Law
“When anyone obeys what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him” (1 John 2:5)
My eyes watch for you before dawn.
I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me,
I will keep your commands.
I call upon you, save me
and I will do your will.
I rise before dawn and cry for help,
I hope in your word.
My eyes watch through the night
to ponder your promise.
In your love hear my voice, O Lord;
give me life by your decrees.
Those who harm me unjustly draw near;
they are far from your law.
But you, O Lord, are close,
your commands are truth.
Long have I known that your will
is established 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.
My eyes watch for you before dawn.
Psalm-prayer
Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts.
________
Canticle
Exodus 15
Hymn of victory after crossing the Red Sea
“Those who overcame the beast sang the hymn of Moses, the Servant of God” (cf. Rev 15:2-3).
The Lord is my strength, I will sing his praise: he is my salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, glorious his triumph!
Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation.
This is my God and I extol him,
my father’s God and I give him praise.
The Lord is a warrior!
‘The Lord’ is his name.
The chariots of Pharaoh he hurled into the sea.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled high;
the moving waters stood up like a dam.
The deeps turned solid in the midst of the sea.
The enemy said: ‘I will pursue and overtake them,
I will divide the plunder, I shall have my will.
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with your breath, the sea closed over them.
They went down like lead into the mighty waters.
Who is like you among the gods, O Lord,
who is like you, so glorious in holiness,
spreading fear through your deeds, you who do marvels?
You stretched forth your hand,
the earth engulfed them;
your love has guided the people you redeemed,
your power has led them to your holy dwelling-place.
You will lead them and plant them on your mountain,
the place, O Lord, where you have made your home,
the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have made.
The Lord will reign
for ever and 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.
The Lord is my strength, I will sing his praise: he is my salvation.
________
Psalm 116 (117)
Praise of the merciful Lord
“I ask the nations to give praise to God for his mercy” (Rom 15:8,9).
O praise the Lord, all you nations.
O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful 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.
O praise the Lord, all you nations.
Psalm-prayer
God our Father, may all nations and peoples praise you. May Jesus, who is called faithful and true and who lives with you eternally, possess our hearts for ever.
Or:
Lord God, everything you have promised has been done to show your faithfulness; and you have revealed your kindness to all peoples. Gather all nations into your Church that in all the various tongues of this world one hymn of praise may be offered you.
________
Short Reading
2 Peter 1:10-11
Brothers, you have been called and chosen: work all the harder to justify it. If you do all these things there is no danger that you will ever fall away. In this way you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
________
Short Responsory
I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
You are all I have in the land of the living.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– I called to you, Lord; you are my refuge.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
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.
Give your light, Lord, to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Christ became man to make us sons of God and he intercedes for us before God our Father. Let us thank him for his loving mercy, and pray:
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
You have enlightened us in baptism:
we consecrate our day to you.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Fill us with praise of you today:
may we take your word with us wherever we may go.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Teach us to respond to your word like Mary our Mother:
may your word be fruitful in us.
– Open to us the treasures of your love.
Give us courage when things go wrong:
strengthen us with faith in you, with hope in your promises and with love of your will.
– Open to us the treasures of 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.
________
Let the splendour of the Resurrection
light up our hearts and minds, Lord,
scattering the shadow of death
and bringing us to the radiance of eternity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
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.