Wednesday 11 August 2021
Saint Clare, Virgin
on Wednesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time
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
All hail the power of Jesus’ name;
Let Angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
To crown him Lord of all.
Crown him, ye Martyrs of your God,
Who from his altar call;
Praise him whose way of pain ye trod,
And crown him Lord of all.
Hail him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call;
The God Incarnate, Man Divine,
And crown him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue
To him their hearts enthral,
Lift high the universal song,
And crown him Lord of all.
________
Psalm 85 (86)
A poor man's prayer in time of trouble
“Blessed be God, who comforts us in all our sorrows” (2 Cor 1:3-4).
Give joy to your servant, Lord, for to you I lift up my soul.
Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
save the servant who trusts in you.
You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,
for I cry to you all the day long.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord,
for to you I lift up my soul.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my voice.
In the day of distress I will call
and surely you will reply.
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
nor work to compare with yours.
All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
you who alone are God.
Show me, Lord, your way
so that I may walk in your truth.
Guide my heart to fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart
and glorify your name for ever;
for your love to me has been great:
you have saved me from the depths of the grave.
The proud have risen against me;
ruthless men seek my life;
to you they pay no heed.
But you, God of mercy and compassion,
slow to anger, O Lord,
abounding in love and truth,
turn and take pity on me.
O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid’s son.
Show me a sign of your favour
that my foes may see to their shame
that you console me and give me your help.
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 joy to your servant, Lord, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm-prayer
God of mercy and goodness, when Christ called out to you in torment, you heard him and gave him victory over death because of his love for you. We already know the affection you have for us; fill us with a greater love of your name and we will proclaim you more boldly before men and happily lead them to celebrate your glory.
________
Canticle
Isaiah 33
The Lord will give just judgement
“The promise that was made is for you and your children and for all those who are far away” (Acts 2:39).
Blessed is the man who walks in justice and speaks what is true.
Hear, you who are far off,
what I have done;
and you who are near,
acknowledge my might.
The sinners in Sion are afraid;
trembling has seized the godless:
‘Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire?
Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?’
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil,
He will dwell on the heights;
his place of defence will be the fortresses of rocks;
his bread will be given him,
his water will be sure.
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.
Blessed is the man who walks in justice and speaks what is true.
________
Psalm 97 (98)
The Lord has brought salvation
“This psalm tells of the first coming of the Lord and of the faith of all peoples” (St Athanasius).
Acclaim the King, the Lord.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder;
the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy
Rejoice at the presence of the Lord,
for he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.
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.
Acclaim the King, the Lord.
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus, you have revealed your justice to all nations. We stood condemned, and you came to be judged in our place. Send your saving power on us and, when you come in glory, bring your mercy to those for whom you were condemned.
Or:
Father, you deserve the lasting song of praise you formed upon the lips of men, by opening your boundless love to us through the mystery of your Son. Grant that the eucharistic gathering everywhere, by which the Church celebrates the Easter wedding feast, may always renew the song which we will sing to your glory in heaven.
________
Short Reading
Song of Songs 8:7
Love is something that no flood can quench, no torrents drown. Were a man to offer all the wealth of his house to buy love, contempt is all he would purchase.
________
Short Responsory
My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence, Lord.
– My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence, Lord.
It is your face that I will continue to seek.
– My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence, Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence, Lord.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
See, the wise virgin has gone to Christ: she shines among the choirs of virgins like the sun in the heavens.
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.
See, the wise virgin has gone to Christ: she shines among the choirs of virgins like the sun in the heavens.
________
Prayers and intercessions
With great joy let us praise Christ, the bridegroom of all virgins.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
Lord Jesus, the holy virgins loved you as their only spouse;
may we never be separated from you.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
You crowned your mother Mary as queen of all virgins;
by her prayers grant that we may serve you in purity of life.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
The holy virgins followed you with undivided hearts;
do not allow us to be fascinated by this passing world and drawn away from you.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
Lord Jesus, you are the bridegroom that the wise virgins were ready to meet;
let us watch for your coming with longing and hope.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
May Saint N., who reigns in your kingdom, intercede for us;
through her prayers grant us wisdom and innocence of life.
– Jesus, crown of virgins, hear us.
________
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 mercy
you led Saint Clare to the love of poverty.
Help us, by her intercession,
to follow Christ in poverty of spirit,
so that, in the kingdom of heaven,
we may see you in your glory.
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 © 1996-2021 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.