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Dear community,

Dane, the producer of the Divine Office, is still in Salamanca, Spain. The prior of San Esteban, the city’s great Dominican convent, invited him to join the friars for Vespers on the Solemnity of All Saints.

In this video, Dane first takes us through the old town, then into the community’s prayer.

A walk to La Clerecía

From the Plaza Mayor, he walks to La Clerecía, the former Jesuit college dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Its construction began in 1617 and lasted well over a century. The college prepared young Jesuits for missions in the Americas and across Europe. In Dane’s words: “That connection with the Spanish-speaking world is part of what interests me here. Our own work at Divine Office is much smaller, of course, but we also want to help people share in the Church’s prayer across distance and language, in Spain and throughout Latin America.”

From the gallery above the church, he points out the golden altarpiece with Pentecost at its center, then climbs the stairs called Scala Coeli—the Stairway to Heaven—to the bell towers. From there, looking out over the city, he shares a few thoughts: “You don’t have to leave ordinary life behind. Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, they help us turn toward God in the middle of it. The challenge is helping more people discover that and find a way to begin.”

Vespers with the friars

Later that day, Dane walks to San Esteban, home of the Order of Preachers, where study, prayer and preaching belong together. After dark, he joins the friars in their chapel. They give him their books, open to the Office of All Saints, so he could follow the prayers in Spanish. This video ends with part of their Vespers.

That evening, our community prayed the same Hour in English. Its third antiphon fits the work Dane and Divine Office are doing: “By your own blood, Lord, you brought us back to God; from every tribe and tongue, and people and nation, you made us a kingdom for our God.“

Listening before we record

Following along in the friars’ books, Dane reflects on how difficult it must be for someone new to the Hours to find the right pages and know what comes next. The Liturgy of the Hours belongs to the whole Church, laypeople included, yet still many people do not know where to find it or how to begin.

As we prepare the Hours in Spanish, Dane wants to get to know and understand how people actually pray in Spain and across Latin America. We know how important it is to respect the language, music, culture, and traditions of the communities we hope to serve. Some of you beautifully pointed this out in comments on a recent post. Evenings like this one at San Esteban are part of that learning journey and an opportunity to share some of it with you.

Thank you

Your support make this time of listening and preparation possible. If you would like to help the Spanish edition move forward, you can contribute at divineoffice.org/contribute.

Please pray for Dane, for the friars of San Esteban who welcomed him, and for everyone who will one day pray the Hours in Spanish with us, to the greater glory of God.

With gratitude, The Divine Office Team

All Saints on Sunday and All Souls on Monday open a week about the whole family of God: the saints in glory, the faithful departed, and the Church on earth. On Tuesday, the Office of Readings turns to the Maccabees, who held to the covenant under persecution and, in Friday’s reading, prayed for their fallen. On Wednesday, Saint Charles Borromeo teaches his priests (and all of us) how to pray remaining internally rooted in Christ. And Saint Gregory Nazianzen speaks of those who have reached their rest before us, “although they walked the same road as we do.” The whole week keeps them in view.

This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights

This week in focus: The Sacristy of the Heart: Timeless Wisdom for the Wandering Soul

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Psalm 100

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his courts with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Psalm 107
Thanksgiving for deliverance
This is God’s message to the sons of Israel; the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36).

I

“O give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.”

Let them say this, the Lord’s redeemed,
whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe
and gathered from far-off lands,
from east and west, north and south.

Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness,
finding no way to a city they could dwell in.
Hungry they were and thirsty;
their soul was fainting within them.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress
and he led them along the right way,
to reach a city they could dwell in.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men:
for he satisfies the thirsty soul;
he fills the hungry with good things.

Some lay in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and chains,
having defied the words of God
and spurned the counsels of the Most High.
He crushed their spirit with toil;
they stumbled; there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.
He led them forth from darkness and gloom
and broke their chains to pieces.

Let them thank the Lord for his goodness,
for the wonders he does for men:
for he bursts the gates of bronze
and shatters the iron bars.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Ant. 2 Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

II

Some were sick on account of their sins
and afflicted on account of their guilt.
They had a loathing for every food;
they came close to the gates of death.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.
He sent forth his word to heal them
and saved their life from the grave.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men.
Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks
and tell of his deeds with rejoicing.

Some sailed to the sea in ships
to trade on the mighty waters.
These men have seen the Lord’s deeds,
the wonders he does in the deep.

For he spoke; he summoned the gale,
raising up the waves of the sea
Tossed up to heaven, then into the deep;
their souls melted away in their distress.

They staggered, reeled like drunken men,
for all their skill was gone.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper:
all the waves of the sea were hushed.
They rejoiced because of the calm
and he led them to the haven they desired.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
the wonders he does for men.
Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people
and praise him in the meeting of the elders.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

Ant. 3 Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

III

He changes streams into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
fruitful land into a salty waste,
for the wickedness of those who live there.

But he changes desert into streams,
thirsty ground into springs of water.
There he settles the hungry
and they build a city to dwell in.

They sow fields and plant their vines;
these yield crops for the harvest.
He blesses them; they grow in numbers.
He does not let their herds decrease.

He pours contempt upon princes,
makes them wander in trackless wastes.
They diminish, are reduced to nothing
by oppression, evil and sorrow.

But he raises the needy from distress;
makes families numerous as a flock.
The upright see it and rejoice
but all who do wrong are silenced.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things.
And consider the love of the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You fill the hungry with good things, Lord God, and break the sinner’s chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need and lead your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunrise to sunset that we may grow together in faith and love and give lasting thanks for your kindness.

Ant. Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Your truth, O God, is high as the clouds.
— Lord, your goodness is deep as the ocean.

READINGS

First reading
From the first book of Maccabees
9:1-22
The death of Judas in battle

When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he again sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah, along with the right wing of his army. They took the road to Galilee, and camping opposite the ascent at Arbela, they captured it and killed many people.

In the first month of the year one hundred and fifty-two, they encamped against Jerusalem. Then they set out for Berea with twenty thousand men and two thousand cavalry. Judas, with three thousand picked men, had camped at Elasa. When his men saw the great number of the troops, they were very much afraid, and many slipped away from the camp, until only eight hundred men remained.

As Judas saw that his army was melting away just when the battle was imminent, he was panic-stricken, because he had no time to gather them together. But in spite of his discouragement, he said to those who remained: “Let us go forward to meet our enemies; perhaps we can put up a good fight against them.”They tried to dissuade him, saying: “We certainly cannot. Let us save our lives now, and come back with our kinsmen, and then fight against them. Now we are too few.” But Judas said: “Far be it from me to do such a thing as to flee from them! If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kinsmen and not leave a stain upon our glory!”

Then the army of Bacchides moved out of camp and took its position for combat. The cavalry were divided into two squadrons, and the slingers and the archers came on ahead of the army, and all the valiant men were in the front line. Bacchides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two squadrons, the phalanx attacked as they blew their trumpets. Those who were on Judas’ side also blew their trumpets. The earth shook with the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.

Seeing that Bacchides was on the right, with the main force of his army, Judas, with all the most stouthearted rallying to him, drove back the right wing and pursued them as far as the mountain slopes. But when the men on the left wing saw that the right wing was driven back, they turned and followed Judas and his men, taking them in the rear. The battle was fought desperately, and many on both sides fell wounded. Then Judas fell, and the rest fled.

Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their fathers at Modein. All Israel bewailed him in great grief. They mourned for him many days, and they said, “How the mighty one has fallen, the savior of Israel!”

The other acts of Judas, his battles, the brave deeds he performed, and his greatness have not been recorded; but they were very many.

RESPONSORY See 1 Maccabees 4:8, 9, 10, 9

Do not be afraid of the enemy’s attack.
Recall how our fathers were saved.
— So now let us cry to heaven,
and our God will favor us.

Remember his wonderful deeds:
how he dealt with Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea.
— So now let us cry to heaven,
and our God will favor us.

Second reading
From a treatise on death as a blessing by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Let us show Christ crucified in our lives

The Apostle tells us: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. We are to understand that this death by crucifixion takes place in this life, and that this death is a blessing. So he goes on to urge us to bear the death of Jesus with us in our bodies, for whoever bears the death of Jesus in his body will bear also in his body the life of the Lord Jesus.

Death must be active within us if life also is to be active within us. “Life” is life after death, a life that is a blessing. This blessing of life comes after victory, when the contest is over, when the law of our fallen nature no longer rebels against the law of our reason, when we no longer need to struggle against the body that leads to death, for the body already shares in victory. It seems to me that this “death” is more powerful than “life.” I accept the authority of the Apostle when he says: Death is therefore active within us, but life also is active within you. Yet the “death” of this one man was building up life for countless multitudes of peoples! He therefore teaches us to seek out this kind of death even in this life, so that the death of Christ may shine forth in our lives–that blessed death by which our outward self is destroyed and our inmost self renewed, and our earthly dwelling crumbles away and a home in heaven opens before us.

The person who cuts himself off from this fallen nature of ours and frees himself from its chains is imitating death. These are the bonds spoken of by the Lord through Isaiah: Loose the bonds of injustice, untie the thongs of the yoke, set free the oppressed and break every yoke of evil.

The Lord allowed death to enter this world so that sin might come to an end. But he gave us the resurrection of the dead so that our nature might not end once more in death; death was to bring guilt to an end, and the resurrection was to enable our nature to continue for ever.

“Death” in this context is a passover to be made by all mankind. You must keep facing it with perseverance. It is a passover from corruption, from mortality to immortality, from rough seas to a calm harbor. The word “death” must not trouble us; the blessings that come from a safe journey should bring us joy. What is death but the burial of sin and the resurrection of goodness? Scripture says: Let my soul die among the souls of the just; that is, let me be buried with the just, so that I may cast off my sins and put on the grace of the just, of those who bear the death of Christ with them, in their bodies and in their souls.

RESPONSORY 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Sirach 1:20

Here is a saying you can depend on:
If we have died with him,
we shall also live with him;
— if we suffer with him,
we shall also reign with him.

A patient man will stand firm until the right time,
and then joy will break through for him.
— If we suffer with him,
we shall also reign with him.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,
by whose gift your faithful offer you
right and praiseworthy service,
grant, we pray, that we may hasten
without stumbling to receive the things you have promised.
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.

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1071

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 916

Morning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true.

Psalm 119
XIX (Koph)

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 to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

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.

Ant. Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true.

Ant.2 Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

Canticle – Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11
Lord, give me wisdom
I will inspire you with wisdom which your adversaries will be unable to resist (Luke 21:15).

God of my fathers, Lord of mercy,
you who have made all things by your word
and in your wisdom have established man
to rule the creatures produced by you,
to govern the world in holiness and justice,
and to render judgment in integrity of heart:

Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne,
and reject me not from among your children:
for I am your servant, the son of your handmaid,
a man weak and short-lived
and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws.

Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men,
if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him,
he shall be held in no esteem.

Now with you is Wisdom who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
who understands what is pleasing in your eyes
and what is conformable with your commands.

Send her forth from your holy heavens
and from your glorious throne dispatch her
that she may be with me and work with me,
that I may know what is your pleasure.

For she knows and understands all things,
and will guide me discreetly in my affairs
and safeguard me by her glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

Ant. Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

Ant. 3 The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.

Psalm 117
Praise for God’s loving compassion
I affirm that… the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9).

O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him, all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

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 forever.

Ant. The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.

READING Philippians 2:14-15

In everything you do, act without grumbling or arguing; prove yourselves innocent and straightforward, children of God beyond reproach in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.
— I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.

You are all I desire in the land of the living,
— for you are my refuge.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

INTERCESSIONS

With confidence let us pray to the Father who willed that the Virgin Mary should surpass all creatures in heaven and earth:
Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

We are grateful to you, Father of mercy, for you gave us Mary to be our mother and our model,
— through her intercession cleanse our hearts.
Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

You inspired Mary to be attentive to your word and faithful in your service,
— through her intercession give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

You strengthened Mary at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of your Son,
— through her intercession relieve our distress and strengthen our hope.
Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

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.

Concluding Prayer

God our Father,
fountain and source of our salvation,
may we proclaim your glory every day of our lives,
that we may sing your praise for ever in heaven.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Midmorning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people
Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 Samuel 15:22

Does the Lord so delight in holocausts and sacrifices
as in obedience to the command of the Lord?
Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission than the fat of rams.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

A sacrifice of praise will give me glory.
— To the pure of heart I will show myself a savior.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God, all-powerful Father,
fill your people with the light of your Holy Spirit,
that, safe from every enemy,
we may rejoice in singing your praises.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1076 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using the Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant.

Psalm 119
XVI (Ain)

I have done what is right and just:
let me not be oppressed.
Vouch for the welfare of your servant
lest the proud oppress me.

My eyes yearn for your saving help
and the promise of your justice.
Treat your servant with love
and teach me your commands.

I am your servant, give me knowledge;
then shall I know your will.
It is time for the Lord to act
for your law has been broken.

That is why I love your commands
more than finest gold,
why I rule my life by your precepts:
I hate the ways of falsehood.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

The light of your words, Father, gives understanding to little ones. Prepare our hearts to receive the Advocate, your Holy Spirit.

Ant. Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant.

Ant. 2 Look to the Lord and be enlightened.

Psalm 34
God the savior of the just
You have tasted the sweetness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:3).

I

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.

Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Revere the Lord, you his saints.
They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Look to the Lord and be enlightened.

Ant. 3 When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you.

II

Come, children, and hear me
that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life
and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?

Then keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn aside from evil and do good;
seek and strive for peace.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.

They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Many are the trials of the just man
but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones,
not one of his bones shall be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked;
those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Graciously hear us, Lord, for we seek only you. You are near to those whose heart is right. Open yourself to accept our sorrowful spirit; calm our bodies and minds with the peace which surpasses understanding.

Ant. When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you.

READING Galatians 5:26; 6:2

Let us never be boastful, or challenging, or jealous toward one another. Help carry one another’s burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

What joy to see a family united in love!
— The blessing of God rests upon it.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord,
fill us with the resplendent light
of your eternal love.
May we love you above all things,
and our brothers for your sake.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING Micah 6:8

You have been told, O man, what is good,
and what the Lord requires of you:
Only to do the right and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

All your commands are a joy to me, Lord.
— Never shall I forget your word.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord,
make the peace we pray for a reality:
may we live our days in quiet joy
and, with the help of the Virgin Mary’s prayers,
safely reach your kingdom.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 638
Psalter: Sunday, Week IV, 921

Evening Prayer I for Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Psalm 122
Holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: “Peace upon you!”
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

When you rose from the dead, Lord Jesus, you formed the Church into your new body and made of it the new Jerusalem, united in your Spirit. Give us peace in our day. Make all nations come to your Church to share your gifts in fellowship, that they may render you thanks without end and come to your eternal city.

Ant. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Ant. 2 From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

Psalm 130
A cry from the depths
He himself will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleading.

Ant. From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
for this we revere you.

Ant. From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak
and Israel on the Lord.

Ant. From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.

Ant. From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Listen with compassion to our prayers, Lord. The forgiveness of sins is yours. Do not look on the wrong we have done, but grant us your merciful kindness.

Ant. From the morning watch until night, I have waited trustingly for the Lord.

Ant. 3 Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

Canticle – Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant

Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Ant. Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.

Ant. Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!

Ant. Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

Ant. Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let everything in heaven and on earth bend the knee at the name of Jesus.

READING 2 Peter 1:19-21

We possess the prophetic message as something altogether reliable. Keep your attention closely fixed on it, as you would on a lamp shining in a dark place until the first streaks of dawn appear and the morning star rises in your hearts. First you must understand this: there is no prophecy contained in Scripture which is a personal interpretation. Prophecy has never been put forward by man’s willing it. It is rather that men impelled by the Holy Spirit have spoken under God’s influence.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

From the rising of the sun to its setting, may the name of the Lord be praised.
— From the rising of the sun to its setting, may the name of the Lord be praised.

His splendor reaches far beyond the heavens;
— may the name of the Lord be praised.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— From the rising of the sun to its setting, may the name of the Lord be praised.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. At midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet him.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. At midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet him.

INTERCESSIONS

Everyone who waits for the Lord finds joy. Now we pray to him:
Look on us with favor, Lord, and hear us.

Faithful witness, first-born of the dead, you washed away our sins in your blood,
— make us always remember your wonderful works.
Look on us with favor, Lord, and hear us.

You called men to be heralds of your good news,
— make them strong and faithful messengers of your kingdom.
Look on us with favor, Lord, and hear us.

King of peace, send your Spirit on the leaders of the world,
— turn their eyes toward the poor and suffering.
Look on us with favor, Lord, and hear us.

Protect and defend those who are discriminated against because of race, color, class, language or religion,
— that they may be accorded the rights and dignity which are theirs.
Look on us with favor, Lord, and hear us.

May all who died in your love share in your happiness,
— with Mary, our mother, and all your holy ones.
Look on us with favor, Lord, and 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.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Christian Prayer:
Page 1034

Night Prayer after Evening Prayer I

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus, you healed the sick:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy

Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4
Thanksgiving
The resurrection of Christ was God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work (Saint Augustine).

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;
from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,
will you love what is futile and seek what is false?

It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;
the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still.
Make justice your sacrifice, and trust in the Lord.

“What can bring us happiness?” many say.
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.

Ant. 2 In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.

Psalm 134
Evening prayer in the temple
Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great (Revelation 19:5).

O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord through the night.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.

READING Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Gospel Canticle

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
be with us throughout this night.
When day comes may we rise from sleep
to rejoice in the resurrection of your Christ,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
— Amen.

Blessing

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
— Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

UPDATE — October 2026: Digital and audio licensing opens in mid-2027

Many of you have asked us whether the Second Edition will ever come to DivineOffice.org. We have now received the answer we have been waiting for. The USCCB’s Office for the Biblical Apostolate has told us that digital and audio licensing for the Second Edition will open in mid-2027, well in advance of the mandatory-use date.

The Bishops’ Conference has also described how the new text will reach mobile applications. Publishers selected to carry the Second Edition in an app will receive access to a secure service provided by the USCCB. That service delivers the approved text in a structured form, so each publisher can present it clearly for its own readers while the words themselves remain exactly as the Church approved them. Royalties will be based on usage, and an outside reviewer will be part of the approval process.

This is excellent news for our community. There is now a defined path, with a date, for bringing the new translation to the website, the apps, the podcast and the accessible versions many of you depend on. We intend to apply as soon as licensing opens. Selection rests with the USCCB, and we will be ready to meet every requirement they set.

Why we are preparing now. When licensing opens, the work will need to move quickly. Every Hour of every day of the liturgical year will need to be recorded again in the new translation, reviewed, edited and published. That means a recording studio set up and ready, readers and cantors ready to record for several weeks without a break, and a post-production team ready to follow right behind them. It means our website and apps prepared to receive the new text on the day it becomes available to us.

We will not be starting from nothing or without references. Twenty years of praying with you have taught us what matters:

• Clear, impassioned but reverent reading — avoiding a dramatic, distracting delivery;
• Audio and text accessibility, created to reach those isolated by illness or age, while helping those with busy lives find the space and time to join the whole Church in prayer;
• Simple, beautiful, uncluttered page layouts that keep your attention on the prayer.

As we promised, your comments, emails and testimonies will shape every choice in this new recording.

Will DivineOffice.org switch to the new edition on Ash Wednesday 2027? The Second Edition may be used from Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, but digital and audio licensing opens only in mid-2027, so we cannot publish the new text on that day. We will not wait idle until then. As soon as the first printed volume reaches us, we will begin preparing the text and the recordings, and build the complete new version of DivineOffice.org, the apps and the podcast in private. When the license is granted, we intend to release it right away.

Will the text and the audio change at the same time? That is our goal: one switch, with the new text and the new recordings released together. If any part of the new edition reaches us later than the rest, we will tell you exactly what is changing and when.

Nothing changes in your daily prayer until then. The current translation stays on DivineOffice.org, maintained as it is today, with no gap. It remains fully valid for prayer until the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028.

In the coming weeks we will share more about this work and how you can take part in it.

The original post, updated where needed, follows below.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For many years now, we have shared updates with you about the long-awaited Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours — the first major revision of the Church’s official daily prayer in the United States in more than fifty years. This year, that long journey has reached a major milestone and is now approaching its end.

Where Things Stand

In October 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the new English translation for liturgical use in the United States. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, President of the USCCB, then signed a decree of promulgation establishing two important dates:

Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, will be the first-use date — the day the Second Edition becomes lawful for use. The First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028, will be the mandatory-use date — the day the current translation is retired.

Between these two dates lies a period of transition, sometimes called a vacatio legis, during which the faithful and clergy alike may continue praying with their current volumes while the new edition becomes available.

Can I Keep Praying With My Current Books?

This is a question we hear often, the answer is Yes, for most of you, nothing changes right away.

Between Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (the first-use date) and the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028 (the mandatory-use date), your current four-volume set remains entirely valid for prayer. You are not required to buy the new edition the moment it becomes available.

The distinction that matters is between obligation and devotion:

If you are a priest, deacon, or religious bound by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the current translation continues to fulfill that obligation right up until the mandatory-use date. Starting December 3, 2028, the Second Edition will be required for you. If you are a layperson praying the Hours as an act of personal devotion, you are not bound by that same canonical obligation, so nothing forces you to purchase the new set on any particular date. You are free to continue praying with the volumes you already have.

That said, we do encourage everyone — clergy, religious, and laity alike — to plan on transitioning to the Second Edition by the mandatory-use date, the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028. Praying the same texts as the rest of the Church, in the same words at the same hours, is part of what makes the Liturgy of the Hours a shared, public prayer of the whole Body of Christ rather than a private devotion. We are not in a position to encourage an earlier move: as of this writing, the USCCB has not yet established a licensing model for digital editions of the Second Edition, so we do not yet have the rights to publish the new text on DivineOffice.org. We are hopeful that a digital licensing path will be in place well before the 2028 deadline, at which point we intend to make the new text available and begin the work of recording new audio for the Second Edition.

Two Publishers, Four Volumes

The USCCB has selected Ascension Press and Word on Fire Publishing as the exclusive publishers of the new four-volume breviary. Both have opened pre-orders since July 1, 2026, beginning with Volume II, covering Lent and Easter — fittingly, the first volume needed for the Ash Wednesday first-use date. The remaining three volumes are expected to follow throughout the year, with the complete four-volume set anticipated by the end of 2027. Bundles for preordering the Full 4-Volume are also available.

Four additional publishers have also been selected to produce single-volume “major extracts” — editions containing Lauds, Vespers, and Compline — for those who do not need the full four-volume breviary for daily prayer.

What About Digital and Audio Formats?

This is a question many of you have asked us directly, since so much of what we do here at DivineOffice.org depends on digital text and recorded audio. The answer is that the USCCB has not yet announced a timeline for digital or alternative formats. The Bishops’ Conference has stated only that availability will be determined and shared at a later date. We hope and pray that these details will be resolved in a way that lets us continue the mission many of you have come to depend on and that we have carried for nearly twenty years now, bringing the Liturgy of the Hours to everyone in the United States and the world. Especially our visually, hearing impaired, homebound brothers and sisters who pray with us through our audio or the accessible versions.

A word about the Spanish version

Some of you have also asked whether this new translation affects our own Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. It does not. The USCCB’s Second Edition is an English-language undertaking, and the USCCB has not confirmed a Spanish edition of its own. Existing Spanish translations approved by other bishops’ conferences remain entirely valid for prayer, and our work on recording the Liturgy of the Hours in Spanish continues on its own path, independent of this transition.

Continuing to Walk Together

We know many of you have waited a long time for this new edition, and we share your anticipation. As always, we will continue to follow the USCCB’s official announcements closely and share verified updates with you as they come. Many of you know the many obstacles this work has overcome in 20 years of existence. God willing, we will do so for many more. The current translation will be maintained and updated as until now through website, podcasts and apps and every effort will be made to sustain and expand our mission in the world.

Thank you for praying with us, today and always.

The Divine Office Team

During the 32nd week of Ordinary Time, almost every day is a celebration. For six days the Office of Readings follows Daniel and his companions, young men carried off to Babylon, given new names, taught a new language, and trained for the king’s service. They were granted extraordinary wisdom by God, eventually standing firm in their faith even when faced with mortal danger. On Monday, the feast of the Lateran Basilica, Saint Peter reminds us what every Christian is: “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile.” The week’s saints lived the same way, from Saint Martin, who kept serving when he was ready to rest, to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who made a home for immigrants in a new world.

This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights

Tuesday 10 November — Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
First reading: Daniel 3:8-12, 19-24, 91-97 — This passage describes the miraculous deliverance of three young men from a fiery furnace, and an astonished king who blesses the God of Israel and protects His name by royal decree.
Second reading: Saint Leo the Great, Sermon — Saint Leo the Great reminds the baptized of their own dignity: “For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit.” And he asks: “what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart?” The interior spiritual authority that is given to every believer secures the Church against the chaos of the world.

Wednesday 11 November — Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
First reading: Daniel 5:1-2, 5-9, 13-17, 25-6:1 — At Belshazzar’s banquet the sacred vessels of the temple are used for drinking, and a hand writes the verdict on the wall: “…you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”
Second reading: Sulpicius Severus, Letter — Saint Martin, the soldier who once cut his cloak in half for a beggar, died as bishop of Tours on a journey to make peace among quarreling clergy. When his monks begged him to stay, he prayed: “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.” In the words of his biographer: “He neither feared to die nor refused to live.” The same evening the Church sings Saint Martin’s own prayer as the antiphon of the second psalm: Ant. 2 “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.”

Thursday 12 November — Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
First reading: Daniel 9:1-4a, 18-27 — Daniel prays for his scattered people, and he builds his prayer on God’s mercy alone: “When we present our petition before you, we rely not on our just deeds, but on your great mercy. O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon!”
Second reading: Pope Pius XI, Ecclesiam Dei — Pope Pius XI writes of Saint Josaphat, an archbishop of the Eastern Church who worked to reunite his people with the See of Peter and “gave his life as a martyr for the unity of the Church.” The responsory gives Christ’s own prayer for unity: “Holy Father, protect those you have given me with the power of your name,
— that they may be perfectly one.”

Friday 13 November — Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin.
First reading: Daniel 10:1-21 — Overwhelmed by a vision, Daniel is lifted up by an angel: “Fear not, beloved, you are safe; take courage and be strong.”
Second reading: Pope Pius XII, Homily at her canonization — Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini came from Italy to serve immigrants in America, and she was the first citizen of the United States to be canonized. Pope Pius XII, at her canonization, describes her work: “She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help.” The responsory answers with the words of Christ: “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.”

Saturday 14 November
First reading: Daniel 12:1-13 — Daniel’s last vision looks beyond exile to the resurrection: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake… But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”
Second reading: A homily written in the second century — Faithfulness takes time: “No honest man becomes rich overnight; he has to wait for the reward of his labors.”
Evening Prayer I of Sunday ends the week with the Magnificat antiphon from the Parable of the Talents: “Well done, my good and faithful servant, you have been trustworthy in small things. Now share your master’s joy.”

This week in focus: I Was Homeless and You Took Me In

From Friday, November 13th, Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily at the Canonization of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini by Pope Pius XII (A humble woman who lived a virtuous life)

Many families carry an immigrant story in their history. A great-grandmother who crossed an ocean with one suitcase. A grandfather who learned English from the newspaper. A crowded first apartment shared with other families. That very same story unfolds again today in local parishes across the country during Sunday afternoon Masses celebrated in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Tagalog.

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini immersed herself in that story. The concluding prayer of her memorial says that God called her from Italy to serve the immigrant communities of America. She became the first citizen of the United States to be raised to the altars as a canonized saint, and on Friday the Office reads the homily Pope Pius XII preached that day:

“She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes and taught them to live upright and holy lives. She consoled those who were in prison and recalled to them the hope of eternal life… She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals and diligently cared for them. She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help. Because of their condition she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith.”

Therefore, Mother Cabrini cared for bread, beds and hospitals, and she also cared for the faith of people far from their own parishes and their own language.

The whole week reads like a commentary on her work and legacy. On Sunday, Daniel and his companions arrive in Babylon as young exiles and are given new names and a new language. On Monday, Saint Peter tells every Christian, “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile,” and Morning Prayer recalls the promise of Isaiah: “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Even Sunday’s Evening Prayer II asks God to “raise up the fallen and protect the stranger” through the Intercessions.

The concluding prayer of Friday’s liturgy transforms Mother Cabrini’s life story into an active petition for our own lives, asking God to “teach us to have concern for the stranger, the sick, and all those in need, and by her prayers help us to see Christ in all the men and women we meet.” The Divine Office answers Pope Pius XII’s homily by echoing the definitive words of Christ Himself:

“I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.
This is what I command: Love one another as I have loved you.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.” Responsory after the Second Reading (Matthew 25:35, 40)

If the Hours give you strength each day for those that need you, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute

With gratitude,
The Divine Office Team

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, worship the Lord for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (St. Irenaeus).

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Who is the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

When your Son was unjustly condemned, Lord God, and surrounded by the impious, he cried to you, and you set him free. Watch over your people as the treasure of your heart and guide their steps along safe paths that they may see your face.

Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?

Ant. 2 Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Psalm 66
Eucharistic hymn
The Lord is risen and all people have been brought by him to the Father (Hesychius).

I

Cry out with joy to God, all the earth,
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God: “How tremendous your deeds!

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Because of the greatness of your strength
your enemies cringe before you.
Before you all the earth shall bow;
shall sing to you, sing to your name!”

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Come and see the works of God,
tremendous his deeds among men.
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the river dry-shod.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Let our joy then be in him;
he rules for ever by his might.
His eyes keep watch over the nations;
let rebels not rise against him.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

O peoples, bless our God,
let the voice of his praise resound,
of the God who gave life to our souls
and kept our feet from stumbling.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

For you, O God, have tested us,
you have tried us as silver is tried:
you led us, God, into the snare;
you laid a heavy burden on our backs.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water
but then you brought us relief.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

II

Burnt offering I bring to your house;
to you I will pay my vows,
the vows which my lips have uttered,
which my mouth spoke in my distress.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

I will offer burnt offerings of fatlings
with the smoke of burning rams.
I will offer bullocks and goats.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

Come and hear, all who fear God.
I will tell what he did for my soul:
to him I cried aloud,
with high praise ready on my tongue.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

If there had been evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has heeded the voice of my prayer.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer
nor withhold his love from me.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Almighty Father, in the death and resurrection of your own Son you brought us through the waters of baptism to the shores of new life. By those waters and the fire of the Holy Spirit you have given each of us consolation. Accept our sacrifice of praise; may our lives be a total offering to you, and may we deserve to enter your house and there with Christ praise your unfailing power.

Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

God’s word is alive; it strikes to the heart.
— It pierces more surely than a two-edged sword.

READINGS

First reading
From the beginning of the book of the prophet Daniel
1:1-21
The young Israelites keep their faith at the court of the king of Babylon

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the temple of God, which he carried off to the land of Shinar, and placed in the temple treasury of his god.

The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain, to bring in some of the Israelites of royal blood and of the nobility, young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment, such as could take their place in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans; after three years’ training they were to enter the king’s service. The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table.

Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief chamberlain changed their names: Daniel to Belteshazzar, Hananiah to Shadrach, Mishael to Meshach, and Azariah to Abednego.

But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement. Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my Lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see.” He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days.

After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table. So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king’s service. In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom. Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

RESPONSORY See Daniel 1;17, 20

The Lord filled them with wisdom and learning, and the grace of his spirit strengthened them.
— The Lord filled their hearts with understanding.

In any question of wisdom or information which the king directed to them, he found their answers better than those of all he had consulted.
— The Lord filled their hearts with understanding.

Second reading
From a homily written in the second century
Christ willed to save those who were perishing

Brethren, we ought to regard Jesus Christ as God and judge of the living and the dead. We should not hold our Savior in low esteem for if we esteem him but little, we may hope to obtain but little from him. Moreover, people who hear these things and think them of small importance commit sin, and we ourselves sin if we do not realize what we have been called from, who has called us, and to what place, and how much suffering Jesus Christ endured on our account.

How then shall we repay him? What fruit can we bear that would be worthy of what he has given us? For how many benefits are we not in his debt! He has enlightened our minds; he has called us sons as a father does; he saved us when we were about to perish. How then shall we praise him, how repay him for his gifts? Spiritually blind, we worshiped stones and pieces of wood, gold and silver and bronze, things made by men, and our whole life was death. Darkness enfolded us, and nothing but gloom met our eyes. Then, by his will, we escaped from the cloud that enveloped us and recovered our sight. For he saw our many errors and the damnation that awaited us, and knowing that apart from him we had no hope of salvation, he pitied us, and in his mercy saved us. He called us when we were not his people and willed us to become his people.

Rejoice, O barren woman who never bore a child; break into shouts of joy, you who never knew a mother’s pangs; for the deserted wife shall have more children than she who has a husband. When he says: Rejoice, O barren woman who never bore a child, he is speaking of us, for our Church was barren until children were given her. When he says: Break into shouts of joy, you who never knew a mother’s pangs, he means that we should not grow weary like women in labor, but tirelessly and in all simplicity offer our prayers to God. He declares that the deserted wife shall have more children than she who has a husband, because faith has now made our people who seemed to have been deserted by God more numerous than those who were thought to possess him. Another text says: I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, for it is those who are on the point of perishing who must be saved. It is a great and wonderful work to uphold those who are falling, rather than those who already stand firm. Christ willed to save people who were in danger of losing their souls, and he has been the salvation of many. When we were on the point of perishing, he came and called us.

RESPONSORY 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10; Colossians 1;13

God has not destined us to endure wrath but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us.
— so that we might live in him.

God rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his own beloved Son.
— So that we might live in him.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
— Govern and uphold them now and always.

Day by day we bless you.
— We praise your name for ever.

Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
— Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, show us your love and mercy,
— for we have put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope:
— And we shall never hope in vain

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
Proper of the Season: 638
Psalter: Sunday, Week IV, 925

Morning Prayer for Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

Psalm 118
Song of joy for salvation
The Lord our mighty God now reigns supreme; let us rejoice and be glad and give him praise (Revelation 19:6-7).

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love endures for ever.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.”

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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 savior.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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 savior.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

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 it may be seen as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring out from its tents, to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection.

Ant. Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, alleluia.

Ant.2 Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Canticle – Daniel 3:52-57
Let all creatures praise the Lord
The Creator… is blessed for ever (Romans 1:25).

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia!

Ant. 3 Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Let mind and heart be in your song: this is to glorify God with your whole self (Hesychius).

Praise God in his holy place,
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
praise his surpassing greatness.

Ant. Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.

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.

Ant. Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.

O praise him with resounding cymbals,
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the Lord.

Ant. Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just ones holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.

Ant. Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.

READING 2 Timothy 2:8, 11-13

Remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of David,
was raised from the dead. You can depend on this:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
If we hold out to the end
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful
he will still remain faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.
— We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

We cry aloud how marvelous you are,
— as we call upon your name.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. That poor widow gave more than everyone, because in her poverty she gave all she had.

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. That poor widow gave more than everyone, because in her poverty she gave all she had.

INTERCESSIONS

Open your hearts to praise the God of power and goodness, for he loves us and knows our needs:
We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

We bless you, almighty God, King of the universe, because you called us while we were yet sinners,
— to acknowledge your truth and to serve your majesty.
We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

O God, you opened the gates of mercy for us,
— let us never turn aside from the path of life.
We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

As we celebrate the resurrection of your beloved Son,
— help us to spend this day in the spirit of joy.
We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

Give to your faithful, O Lord, a prayerful spirit of gratitude,
— that we may thank you for all your gifts.
We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

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.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Midmorning Prayer for Sunday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people
Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You must know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within—the Spirit you have received from God. You are not your own. You have been purchased, and at a price. So glorify God in your body.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I long to be in God’s holy dwelling-place.
— My whole being rejoices in the living God.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midday Prayer for Sunday in Ordinary Time, using the Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 He who eats this bread will live for ever, alleluia.

Psalm 23
The Good Shepherd
The Lamb himself will be their shepherd and will lead them to the springs of living waters (Revelation 7:17).

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd of your Church, you give us new birth in the waters of baptism, anoint us with saving oil, and call us to salvation at your table. Dispel the terrors of death and the darkness of error. Lead your people along safe paths that they may rest securely in you and live for ever in your Father’s house.

Ant. He who eats this bread will live for ever, alleluia.

Ant. 2 The Lord will come in glory and show himself wonderful in his saints, alleluia.

Psalm 76
Thanksgiving for victory
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30).

I

God is made known in Judah;
in Israel his name is great.
He set up his tent in Jerusalem
and his dwelling place in Zion.
It was there he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, the armor.

You, O Lord, are resplendent,
more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
The warriors, despoiled, slept in death;
the hands of the soldiers were powerless.
At your threat, O God of Jacob,
horse and rider lay stunned.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord will come in glory and show himself wonderful in his saints, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Pay your vows, and bring offerings to the Lord our God, alleluia.

II

You, you alone, strike terror.
Who shall stand when your anger is roused?
You uttered your sentence from the heavens;
the earth in terror was still
when God arose to judge,
to save the humble of the earth.

Men’s anger will serve to praise you;
its survivors surround you in joy.
Make vows to your God and fulfill them.
Let all pay tribute to him who strikes terror,
who cuts short the life of princes,
who strikes terror in the kings of the earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Your power is awesome, Father, and wonderful is your holiness. In your presence the earth both trembles and stands still, for you shattered death’s power by the cross. Rise to help your people: give your light, and grant salvation to the meek of the earth, that they may praise your name in heaven.

Ant. Pay your vows, and bring offerings to the Lord our God, alleluia.

READING Deuteronomy 10:12

What does the Lord, your God, ask of you but to fear the Lord, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul?

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Lord, who can dwell in your sanctuary?
— One whose life is blameless, and whose heart is true.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for Sunday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING Song of Songs 8:6b-7a

Stern as death is love,
relentless as the nether world is devotion;
its flames are a blazing fire.
Deep waters cannot quench love,
nor floods sweep it away.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I love you, Lord; you are my strength.
— You keep me safe; your mighty power protects me.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 639
Psalter: Sunday, Week IV, 931

Evening Prayer II for Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

Psalm 110
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
“Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praising you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.

Ant. In eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you, alleluia.

Ant. 2 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Psalm 112
The happiness of the just man
Live as children born of the light. Light produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9).

Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

The wicked man sees and is angry,
grinds his teeth and fades away;
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, you are the eternal light which illumines the hearts of good people. Help us to love you, to rejoice in your glory, and so to live in this world as to avoid harsh judgment in the next. May we come to see the light of your countenance.

Ant. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they will be satisfied.

Ant. 3 Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Canticle – See Revelation 19:1-7
The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:
— Alleluia.
his judgments are honest and true.
— Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,
— Alleluia.
all who worship him reverently, great and small.
— Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King;
— Alleluia.
Let us rejoice, sing praise, and give him glory.
— Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,
— Alleluia.
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.
— Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Praise God, all you who serve him, both great and small, alleluia.

READING Hebrews 12:22-24

You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the first-born enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.
— Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.

His wisdom is beyond compare,
— mighty is his power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Our Lord is great, mighty is his power.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for to him all things are alive, alleluia.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for to him all things are alive, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

Rejoicing in the Lord, from whom all good things come, let us pray:
Lord, hear our prayer.

Father and Lord of all, you sent your Son into the world, that your name might be glorified in every place,
— strengthen the witness of your Church among the nations.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Make us obedient to the teachings of your apostles,
— and bound to the truth of our faith.
Lord, hear our prayer.

As you love the innocent,
— render justice to those who are wronged.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Free those in bondage and give sight to the blind,
— raise up the fallen and protect the stranger.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Fulfill your promise to those who already sleep in your peace,
— through your Son grant them a blessed resurrection.
Lord, hear our prayer.

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.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Christian Prayer:
Page 1037

Night Prayer after Evening Prayer II on Sundays and Solemnities

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Kýrie, eléison
— Kýrie, eléison

Christé, eléison
— Christé, eléison

Kýrie, eléison
— Kýrie, eléison

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering care
I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”

It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
his faithfulness is buckler and shield.

Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
and have made the Most High your dwelling.

Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
and trample the young lion and the dragon.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
I will save him in distress and give him glory.

With length of life I will content him;
I shall let him see my saving power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

READING Revelation 22:4-5

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
we have celebrated today
the mystery of the rising of Christ to new life.
May we now rest in your peace,
safe from all that could harm us,
and rise again refreshed and joyful,
to praise you throughout another day.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

Blessing

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
— Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

UPDATE — October 2026: Digital and audio licensing opens in mid-2027

Many of you have asked us whether the Second Edition will ever come to DivineOffice.org. We have now received the answer we have been waiting for. The USCCB’s Office for the Biblical Apostolate has told us that digital and audio licensing for the Second Edition will open in mid-2027, well in advance of the mandatory-use date.

The Bishops’ Conference has also described how the new text will reach mobile applications. Publishers selected to carry the Second Edition in an app will receive access to a secure service provided by the USCCB. That service delivers the approved text in a structured form, so each publisher can present it clearly for its own readers while the words themselves remain exactly as the Church approved them. Royalties will be based on usage, and an outside reviewer will be part of the approval process.

This is excellent news for our community. There is now a defined path, with a date, for bringing the new translation to the website, the apps, the podcast and the accessible versions many of you depend on. We intend to apply as soon as licensing opens. Selection rests with the USCCB, and we will be ready to meet every requirement they set.

Why we are preparing now. When licensing opens, the work will need to move quickly. Every Hour of every day of the liturgical year will need to be recorded again in the new translation, reviewed, edited and published. That means a recording studio set up and ready, readers and cantors ready to record for several weeks without a break, and a post-production team ready to follow right behind them. It means our website and apps prepared to receive the new text on the day it becomes available to us.

We will not be starting from nothing or without references. Twenty years of praying with you have taught us what matters:

• Clear, impassioned but reverent reading — avoiding a dramatic, distracting delivery;
• Audio and text accessibility, created to reach those isolated by illness or age, while helping those with busy lives find the space and time to join the whole Church in prayer;
• Simple, beautiful, uncluttered page layouts that keep your attention on the prayer.

As we promised, your comments, emails and testimonies will shape every choice in this new recording.

Will DivineOffice.org switch to the new edition on Ash Wednesday 2027? The Second Edition may be used from Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, but digital and audio licensing opens only in mid-2027, so we cannot publish the new text on that day. We will not wait idle until then. As soon as the first printed volume reaches us, we will begin preparing the text and the recordings, and build the complete new version of DivineOffice.org, the apps and the podcast in private. When the license is granted, we intend to release it right away.

Will the text and the audio change at the same time? That is our goal: one switch, with the new text and the new recordings released together. If any part of the new edition reaches us later than the rest, we will tell you exactly what is changing and when.

Nothing changes in your daily prayer until then. The current translation stays on DivineOffice.org, maintained as it is today, with no gap. It remains fully valid for prayer until the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028.

In the coming weeks we will share more about this work and how you can take part in it.

The original post, updated where needed, follows below.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For many years now, we have shared updates with you about the long-awaited Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours — the first major revision of the Church’s official daily prayer in the United States in more than fifty years. This year, that long journey has reached a major milestone and is now approaching its end.

Where Things Stand

In October 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the new English translation for liturgical use in the United States. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, President of the USCCB, then signed a decree of promulgation establishing two important dates:

Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, will be the first-use date — the day the Second Edition becomes lawful for use. The First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028, will be the mandatory-use date — the day the current translation is retired.

Between these two dates lies a period of transition, sometimes called a vacatio legis, during which the faithful and clergy alike may continue praying with their current volumes while the new edition becomes available.

Can I Keep Praying With My Current Books?

This is a question we hear often, the answer is Yes, for most of you, nothing changes right away.

Between Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (the first-use date) and the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028 (the mandatory-use date), your current four-volume set remains entirely valid for prayer. You are not required to buy the new edition the moment it becomes available.

The distinction that matters is between obligation and devotion:

If you are a priest, deacon, or religious bound by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the current translation continues to fulfill that obligation right up until the mandatory-use date. Starting December 3, 2028, the Second Edition will be required for you. If you are a layperson praying the Hours as an act of personal devotion, you are not bound by that same canonical obligation, so nothing forces you to purchase the new set on any particular date. You are free to continue praying with the volumes you already have.

That said, we do encourage everyone — clergy, religious, and laity alike — to plan on transitioning to the Second Edition by the mandatory-use date, the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028. Praying the same texts as the rest of the Church, in the same words at the same hours, is part of what makes the Liturgy of the Hours a shared, public prayer of the whole Body of Christ rather than a private devotion. We are not in a position to encourage an earlier move: as of this writing, the USCCB has not yet established a licensing model for digital editions of the Second Edition, so we do not yet have the rights to publish the new text on DivineOffice.org. We are hopeful that a digital licensing path will be in place well before the 2028 deadline, at which point we intend to make the new text available and begin the work of recording new audio for the Second Edition.

Two Publishers, Four Volumes

The USCCB has selected Ascension Press and Word on Fire Publishing as the exclusive publishers of the new four-volume breviary. Both have opened pre-orders since July 1, 2026, beginning with Volume II, covering Lent and Easter — fittingly, the first volume needed for the Ash Wednesday first-use date. The remaining three volumes are expected to follow throughout the year, with the complete four-volume set anticipated by the end of 2027. Bundles for preordering the Full 4-Volume are also available.

Four additional publishers have also been selected to produce single-volume “major extracts” — editions containing Lauds, Vespers, and Compline — for those who do not need the full four-volume breviary for daily prayer.

What About Digital and Audio Formats?

This is a question many of you have asked us directly, since so much of what we do here at DivineOffice.org depends on digital text and recorded audio. The answer is that the USCCB has not yet announced a timeline for digital or alternative formats. The Bishops’ Conference has stated only that availability will be determined and shared at a later date. We hope and pray that these details will be resolved in a way that lets us continue the mission many of you have come to depend on and that we have carried for nearly twenty years now, bringing the Liturgy of the Hours to everyone in the United States and the world. Especially our visually, hearing impaired, homebound brothers and sisters who pray with us through our audio or the accessible versions.

A word about the Spanish version

Some of you have also asked whether this new translation affects our own Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. It does not. The USCCB’s Second Edition is an English-language undertaking, and the USCCB has not confirmed a Spanish edition of its own. Existing Spanish translations approved by other bishops’ conferences remain entirely valid for prayer, and our work on recording the Liturgy of the Hours in Spanish continues on its own path, independent of this transition.

Continuing to Walk Together

We know many of you have waited a long time for this new edition, and we share your anticipation. As always, we will continue to follow the USCCB’s official announcements closely and share verified updates with you as they come. Many of you know the many obstacles this work has overcome in 20 years of existence. God willing, we will do so for many more. The current translation will be maintained and updated as until now through website, podcasts and apps and every effort will be made to sustain and expand our mission in the world.

Thank you for praying with us, today and always.

The Divine Office Team

During the 32nd week of Ordinary Time, almost every day is a celebration. For six days the Office of Readings follows Daniel and his companions, young men carried off to Babylon, given new names, taught a new language, and trained for the king’s service. They were granted extraordinary wisdom by God, eventually standing firm in their faith even when faced with mortal danger. On Monday, the feast of the Lateran Basilica, Saint Peter reminds us what every Christian is: “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile.” The week’s saints lived the same way, from Saint Martin, who kept serving when he was ready to rest, to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who made a home for immigrants in a new world.

This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights

Tuesday 10 November — Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
First reading: Daniel 3:8-12, 19-24, 91-97 — This passage describes the miraculous deliverance of three young men from a fiery furnace, and an astonished king who blesses the God of Israel and protects His name by royal decree.
Second reading: Saint Leo the Great, Sermon — Saint Leo the Great reminds the baptized of their own dignity: “For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit.” And he asks: “what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart?” The interior spiritual authority that is given to every believer secures the Church against the chaos of the world.

Wednesday 11 November — Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
First reading: Daniel 5:1-2, 5-9, 13-17, 25-6:1 — At Belshazzar’s banquet the sacred vessels of the temple are used for drinking, and a hand writes the verdict on the wall: “…you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”
Second reading: Sulpicius Severus, Letter — Saint Martin, the soldier who once cut his cloak in half for a beggar, died as bishop of Tours on a journey to make peace among quarreling clergy. When his monks begged him to stay, he prayed: “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.” In the words of his biographer: “He neither feared to die nor refused to live.” The same evening the Church sings Saint Martin’s own prayer as the antiphon of the second psalm: Ant. 2 “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.”

Thursday 12 November — Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
First reading: Daniel 9:1-4a, 18-27 — Daniel prays for his scattered people, and he builds his prayer on God’s mercy alone: “When we present our petition before you, we rely not on our just deeds, but on your great mercy. O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon!”
Second reading: Pope Pius XI, Ecclesiam Dei — Pope Pius XI writes of Saint Josaphat, an archbishop of the Eastern Church who worked to reunite his people with the See of Peter and “gave his life as a martyr for the unity of the Church.” The responsory gives Christ’s own prayer for unity: “Holy Father, protect those you have given me with the power of your name,
— that they may be perfectly one.”

Friday 13 November — Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin.
First reading: Daniel 10:1-21 — Overwhelmed by a vision, Daniel is lifted up by an angel: “Fear not, beloved, you are safe; take courage and be strong.”
Second reading: Pope Pius XII, Homily at her canonization — Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini came from Italy to serve immigrants in America, and she was the first citizen of the United States to be canonized. Pope Pius XII, at her canonization, describes her work: “She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help.” The responsory answers with the words of Christ: “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.”

Saturday 14 November
First reading: Daniel 12:1-13 — Daniel’s last vision looks beyond exile to the resurrection: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake… But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”
Second reading: A homily written in the second century — Faithfulness takes time: “No honest man becomes rich overnight; he has to wait for the reward of his labors.”
Evening Prayer I of Sunday ends the week with the Magnificat antiphon from the Parable of the Talents: “Well done, my good and faithful servant, you have been trustworthy in small things. Now share your master’s joy.”

This week in focus: I Was Homeless and You Took Me In

From Friday, November 13th, Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily at the Canonization of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini by Pope Pius XII (A humble woman who lived a virtuous life)

Many families carry an immigrant story in their history. A great-grandmother who crossed an ocean with one suitcase. A grandfather who learned English from the newspaper. A crowded first apartment shared with other families. That very same story unfolds again today in local parishes across the country during Sunday afternoon Masses celebrated in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Tagalog.

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini immersed herself in that story. The concluding prayer of her memorial says that God called her from Italy to serve the immigrant communities of America. She became the first citizen of the United States to be raised to the altars as a canonized saint, and on Friday the Office reads the homily Pope Pius XII preached that day:

“She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes and taught them to live upright and holy lives. She consoled those who were in prison and recalled to them the hope of eternal life… She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals and diligently cared for them. She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help. Because of their condition she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith.”

Therefore, Mother Cabrini cared for bread, beds and hospitals, and she also cared for the faith of people far from their own parishes and their own language.

The whole week reads like a commentary on her work and legacy. On Sunday, Daniel and his companions arrive in Babylon as young exiles and are given new names and a new language. On Monday, Saint Peter tells every Christian, “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile,” and Morning Prayer recalls the promise of Isaiah: “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Even Sunday’s Evening Prayer II asks God to “raise up the fallen and protect the stranger” through the Intercessions.

The concluding prayer of Friday’s liturgy transforms Mother Cabrini’s life story into an active petition for our own lives, asking God to “teach us to have concern for the stranger, the sick, and all those in need, and by her prayers help us to see Christ in all the men and women we meet.” The Divine Office answers Pope Pius XII’s homily by echoing the definitive words of Christ Himself:

“I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.
This is what I command: Love one another as I have loved you.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.” Responsory after the Second Reading (Matthew 25:35, 40)

If the Hours give you strength each day for those that need you, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute

With gratitude,
The Divine Office Team

November 9

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Feast

The Lateran Basilica is the Cathedral of Rome, mother of all the churches. The Lateran Palace had been the home of a powerful Roman family, but became part of the dowry of Fausta, the second wife of Constantine. Constantine donated it to the Bishop of Rome, probably about 312. The basilica was dedicated in 324. The Lateran was the official residence of the Popes from the 4th century until their departure to Avignon in 1309. The church and palace declined during the 14th c., when there were two serious fires. The basilica was rebuilt. It is dedicated to Christ the Savior, John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. It is one of the four ‘Major Basilicas,’ and honoring this church is an expression of love, for it “presides in charity” over the community of the faithful. [1][2][3]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] Benedict XVI, Angelus, November 9, 2008.
[2] F.L. Cross and E.A. Livingstone, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), 801.
[3] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church, alleluia.

Office of Readings for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.

Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.

Ant. 2 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.

Psalm 84
Longing for God’s Temple
Here we do not have a lasting city; we seek a home that is yet to come (Hebrews 13:14).

How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, God of hosts.

My soul is longing and yearning,
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
to God, the living God.

The sparrow herself finds a home
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars,
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.

They are happy, who dwell in your house,
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you,
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.

As they go through the Bitter Valley
they make it a place of springs,
the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
They walk with ever growing strength,
they will see the God of gods in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,
look on the face of your anointed.

One day within your courts
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield;
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good
to those who walk without blame.

Lord, God of hosts,
happy the man who trusts in you!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.

Ant. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.

Psalm 87
Jerusalem is mother of us all
The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26).

On the holy mountain is his city
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion
to all Jacob’s dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things,
O city of God!

“Babylon and Egypt I will count
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,
these will be her children
and Zion shall be called ‘Mother’
for all shall be her children.”

It is he, the Lord Most High,
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes:
“These are her children,”
and while they dance they will sing:
“In you all find their home.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I will worship at your holy temple.
— And I will extol your name, O Lord

READINGS

First Reading
From the first letter of Peter 
2:1-17
We are built as living stones

Strip away everything vicious, everything deceitful; pretenses, jealousies, and disparaging remarks of any kind. Be as eager for milk as newborn babies—pure milk of the spirit to make you grow unto salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but approved, nonetheless, and precious in God’s eyes. You too are living stones, built as an edifice of spirit, into a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For Scripture has it:

“See, I am laying a cornerstone in Zion,
an approved stone, and precious.
He who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.”

The stone is of value for you who have faith. For those without faith, it is rather,

“A stone which the builders rejected
that became a cornerstone.”

It is likewise “an obstacle and a stumbling stone.” Those who stumble and fall are the disbelievers in God’s word; it belongs to their destiny to do so.

You, however, are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people he claims for his own to proclaim the glorious works” of the One who called you from darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people, but now you are God’s people; once there was no mercy for you, but now you have found mercy.

Beloved, you are strangers and in exile; hence I urge you not to indulge your carnal desires. By their nature they wage war on the soul. Though the pagans may slander you as troublemakers, conduct yourselves blamelessly among them. By observing your good works they may give glory to God on the day of visitation.

Because of the Lord, be obedient to every human institution, whether to the emperor as sovereign or to the governors he commissions for the punishment of criminals and the recognition of the upright. Such obedience is the will of God. You must silence the ignorant talk of foolish men by your good behavior. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cloak for vice. In a word, live as servants of God. You must esteem the person of every man. Foster love for the brothers, reverence for God, respect for the emperor.

RESPONSORY See Tobit 13:21; Revelation 21:19-21

The walls of Jerusalem will be precious stones.
— The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.

The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and emerald, and the wall around the city will be made of precious stones.
— The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.

Second reading
From a sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles
We have all been made temples of God through baptism

My fellow Christians, today is the birthday of this church, an occasion for celebration and rejoicing. We, however, ought to be the true and living temple of God. Nevertheless, Christians rightly commemorate this feast of the church, their mother, for they know that through her they were reborn in the spirit. At our first birth, we were vessels of God’s wrath; reborn, we became vessels of his mercy. Our first birth brought death to us, but our second restored us to life.

Indeed, before our baptism we were sanctuaries of the devil; but after our baptism we merited the privilege of being temples of Christ. And if we think more carefully about the meaning of our salvation, we shall realize that we are indeed living and true temples of God.

God does not dwell only in structures made by human hands, in homes of wood and stone, but rather he dwells principally in the soul made according to his own image and fashioned by his own hand. Therefore, the apostle Paul says: The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.

When Christ came, he banished the devil from our hearts, in order to build in them a temple for himself. Let us therefore do what we can with his help, so that our evil deeds will not deface that temple. For whoever does evil, does injury to Christ. As I said earlier, before Christ redeemed us, we were the house of the devil, but afterward, we merited the privilege of being the house of God. God himself in his loving mercy saw fit to make of us his own home.

My fellow Christians, do we wish to celebrate joyfully the birth of this temple? Then let us not destroy the living temples of God in ourselves by works of evil. I shall speak clearly, so that all can understand. Whenever we come to church, we must prepare our hearts to be as beautiful as we expect this church to be. Do you wish to find this basilica immaculately clean? Then do not soil your soul with the filth of sins. Do you wish this basilica to be full of light? God too wishes that your soul be not in darkness, but that the light of good works shine in us, so that he who dwells in the heavens will be glorified. Just as you enter this church building, so God wishes to enter into your soul, for he promised: I shall live in them, and I shall walk the corridors of their hearts.

RESPONSORY See Ezekiel 47:1, 9

I saw water flowing eastward from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia. Wherever the river flowed everything became alive;
— those who were saved by it cried out: Alleluia, alleluia.

When the temple was dedicated, the people sang songs of praise and beautiful hymns.
— Those who were saved by it cried out: Alleluia, alleluia.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
— Govern and uphold them now and always.

Day by day we bless you.
— We praise your name for ever.

Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
— Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, show us your love and mercy,
— for we have put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope:
— And we shall never hope in vain.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Psalms and canticle: 707
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1360

Morning Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 My house will be called a house of prayer.

Psalm 63
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. My house will be called a house of prayer.

Ant. 2 Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
The Creator… is blessed for ever (Romans 1:25)

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Ant. 3 Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

READING Isaiah 56:7

Them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
Their holocausts and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
For my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.
— The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

In the city of our God and on his holy mountain,
— he exceeds all praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come to his house.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come to his house.

INTERCESSIONS

We are the living stones, laid upon the cornerstone that is Christ. Let us pray to our all-powerful Father for his Son’s beloved Church, professing our faith in her as we say:
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Father, like the farmer, prune your vineyard, protect it and increase its yield,
— until it extends before you throughout the world.
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Eternal shepherd, protect and increase your flock,
— that all the sheep may be gathered into one flock under your Son, the one shepherd.
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

All-powerful sower, plant the word in your field,
— that it may yield a hundredfold for your eternal harvest.
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Wise builder, sanctify your home and your family,
— that the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, your spouse, may appear before all as your glorious bride.
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

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.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Midmorning Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people
Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Are you not aware that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Lord, I love the beauty of your house.
— The place where your glory dwells.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midday Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica using the Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, guide my steps according to your promise.

Psalm 119:129-136
XVII (Pe)
A meditation on God’s law
The whole law is summed up in love (Romans 13:10).

Your will is wonderful indeed;
therefore I obey it.
The unfolding of your word gives light
and teaches the simple.

I open my mouth and I sigh
as I yearn for your commands.
Turn and show me your mercy;
show justice to your friends.

Let my steps be guided by your promise;
let no evil rule me.
Redeem me from man’s oppression
and I will keep your precepts.

Let your face shine on your servant
and teach me your decrees.
Tears stream from my eyes
because your law is disobeyed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You are just, Lord God, and righteous are your judgments. Deliver those who cry to you in their affliction; give them peace and calm to reflect on your commands.

Ant. Lord, guide my steps according to your promise.

Ant. 2 There is but one lawgiver and judge; who are you to judge your neighbor?

Psalm 82
Denunciation of evil judges
Do not attempt to judge another now; the Lord’s coming will reveal all (1 Corinthians 4:5).

God stands in the divine assembly.
In the midst of the gods he gives judgment.

“How long will you judge unjustly
and favor the cause of the wicked?
Do justice for the weak and the orphan,
defend the afflicted and the needy.
Rescue the weak and the poor;
set them free from the hand of the wicked.

Unperceiving, they grope in the darkness
and the order of the world is shaken.
I have said to you: ‘You are gods,
and all of you, sons of the Most High.’
And yet, you shall die like men,
you shall fall like any of the princes.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth,
for you rule all the nations.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You are always true to your word, Father. Look down from heaven and put an end to our foolishness. Save us from groundless fears and help us to please you with undivided heart.

Ant. There is but one lawgiver and judge; who are you to judge your neighbor?

Ant. 3 I cried out to the Lord, and he heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace
Be patient in suffering; persevere in prayer (Romans 12:12).

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You declared peacemakers happy, Lord Jesus, since they will be called sons of God. Give us that peace which the world cannot give so that your Church may be freed from the schemes of arrogant men, and, devoted to works of peace, go forward joyfully to meet you, the King of Peace.

Ant. I cried out to the Lord, and he heard me.

READING 2 Corinthians 6:16

You are the temple of the living God, just as God has said:
“I will dwell with them and walk among them,
I will be their God
and they shall be my people.”

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
— May those who love you prosper.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING Jeremiah 7:2b, 4-5a, 7a

Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. Put not your trust in the deceitful words: “This is the temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord!” Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds will I remain with you in this place.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Go within his gates giving thanks.
— Enter his courts with songs of praise.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1363

Evening Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; it will stand for ever firm.

Psalm 46
God our refuge and strength
He shall be called Emmanuel, which means: God-with-us (Matthew 1:23).

God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea;
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken:
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.
He burns the shields with fire.
“Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; it will stand for ever firm.

Ant. 2 Let us go up with rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Psalm 122
Holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: “Peace upon you.”
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us go up with rejoicing to the house of the Lord

Ant. 3 All you his saints, sing out the praises of God.

Canticle – See Revelation 19:1-7
The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:
his judgments are honest and true.
— Alleluia.

Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,
all who worship him reverently, great and small.
— Alleluia.

Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King,
let us rejoice, sing praise, and give him glory.
— Alleluia.

Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.
— Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. All you his saints, sing out the praises of God.

READING Revelation 21:2-3, 22, 27

I saw a new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride prepared to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne cry out: “This is God’s dwelling among men. He shall dwell with them and they shall be his people and he shall be their God who is always with them.” I saw no temple in the city. The Lord, God the Almighty, is its temple — he and the Lamb. But nothing profane shall enter it, nor anyone who is a liar or has done a detestable act. Only those shall enter whose names are inscribed in the book of the living kept by the Lamb.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
— Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

They will praise you for ever,
— in your house, O Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; here we call on his name, for Scripture says: There you will find me.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; here we call on his name, for Scripture says: There you will find me.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Savior laid down his life so that all God’s scattered children might be gathered together. In our need let us cry out:
Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you built your house upon a rock,
— strengthen your Church with solid and lasting faith.
Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, blood and water flowed from your side,
— give new life to your Church through the sacraments of your new and unending covenant.
Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you are in the midst of those who gather in your name,
— hear the prayers of your universal Church.
Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you prepare a dwelling-place in your Father’s house for all who love you,
— help your Church to grow in divine love.
Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you never cast out anyone who comes to you,
— open your Father’s house to all those who have died.
Remember your Church, Lord.

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.

Concluding Prayer

O God,
who from living
and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty,
increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed,
so that by new growth your faithful people
may build up the heavenly Jerusalem.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Christian Prayer:
1041

General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Monday

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you came to reconcile us to one another and to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
— Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you heal the wounds of sin and division:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you intercede for us with your Father:
Lord, have mercy.
— Lord, have mercy.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

Psalm 86
Poor man’s prayer in trouble
Blessed be God who comforts us in all our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4).

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 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 marvelous 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 the sign of your favor
that my foes may see to their shame
that you console me and give me your help.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, our God, unwearied is your love for us.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

God has destined us for acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, that all of us, whether awake or asleep, together might live with him.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
give our bodies restful sleep
and let the work we have done today
bear fruit in eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
— Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to you do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet virgin Mary.

UPDATE — October 2026: Digital and audio licensing opens in mid-2027

Many of you have asked us whether the Second Edition will ever come to DivineOffice.org. We have now received the answer we have been waiting for. The USCCB’s Office for the Biblical Apostolate has told us that digital and audio licensing for the Second Edition will open in mid-2027, well in advance of the mandatory-use date.

The Bishops’ Conference has also described how the new text will reach mobile applications. Publishers selected to carry the Second Edition in an app will receive access to a secure service provided by the USCCB. That service delivers the approved text in a structured form, so each publisher can present it clearly for its own readers while the words themselves remain exactly as the Church approved them. Royalties will be based on usage, and an outside reviewer will be part of the approval process.

This is excellent news for our community. There is now a defined path, with a date, for bringing the new translation to the website, the apps, the podcast and the accessible versions many of you depend on. We intend to apply as soon as licensing opens. Selection rests with the USCCB, and we will be ready to meet every requirement they set.

Why we are preparing now. When licensing opens, the work will need to move quickly. Every Hour of every day of the liturgical year will need to be recorded again in the new translation, reviewed, edited and published. That means a recording studio set up and ready, readers and cantors ready to record for several weeks without a break, and a post-production team ready to follow right behind them. It means our website and apps prepared to receive the new text on the day it becomes available to us.

We will not be starting from nothing or without references. Twenty years of praying with you have taught us what matters:

• Clear, impassioned but reverent reading — avoiding a dramatic, distracting delivery;
• Audio and text accessibility, created to reach those isolated by illness or age, while helping those with busy lives find the space and time to join the whole Church in prayer;
• Simple, beautiful, uncluttered page layouts that keep your attention on the prayer.

As we promised, your comments, emails and testimonies will shape every choice in this new recording.

Will DivineOffice.org switch to the new edition on Ash Wednesday 2027? The Second Edition may be used from Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, but digital and audio licensing opens only in mid-2027, so we cannot publish the new text on that day. We will not wait idle until then. As soon as the first printed volume reaches us, we will begin preparing the text and the recordings, and build the complete new version of DivineOffice.org, the apps and the podcast in private. When the license is granted, we intend to release it right away.

Will the text and the audio change at the same time? That is our goal: one switch, with the new text and the new recordings released together. If any part of the new edition reaches us later than the rest, we will tell you exactly what is changing and when.

Nothing changes in your daily prayer until then. The current translation stays on DivineOffice.org, maintained as it is today, with no gap. It remains fully valid for prayer until the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028.

In the coming weeks we will share more about this work and how you can take part in it.

The original post, updated where needed, follows below.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For many years now, we have shared updates with you about the long-awaited Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours — the first major revision of the Church’s official daily prayer in the United States in more than fifty years. This year, that long journey has reached a major milestone and is now approaching its end.

Where Things Stand

In October 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the new English translation for liturgical use in the United States. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, President of the USCCB, then signed a decree of promulgation establishing two important dates:

Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, will be the first-use date — the day the Second Edition becomes lawful for use. The First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028, will be the mandatory-use date — the day the current translation is retired.

Between these two dates lies a period of transition, sometimes called a vacatio legis, during which the faithful and clergy alike may continue praying with their current volumes while the new edition becomes available.

Can I Keep Praying With My Current Books?

This is a question we hear often, the answer is Yes, for most of you, nothing changes right away.

Between Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (the first-use date) and the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028 (the mandatory-use date), your current four-volume set remains entirely valid for prayer. You are not required to buy the new edition the moment it becomes available.

The distinction that matters is between obligation and devotion:

If you are a priest, deacon, or religious bound by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the current translation continues to fulfill that obligation right up until the mandatory-use date. Starting December 3, 2028, the Second Edition will be required for you. If you are a layperson praying the Hours as an act of personal devotion, you are not bound by that same canonical obligation, so nothing forces you to purchase the new set on any particular date. You are free to continue praying with the volumes you already have.

That said, we do encourage everyone — clergy, religious, and laity alike — to plan on transitioning to the Second Edition by the mandatory-use date, the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028. Praying the same texts as the rest of the Church, in the same words at the same hours, is part of what makes the Liturgy of the Hours a shared, public prayer of the whole Body of Christ rather than a private devotion. We are not in a position to encourage an earlier move: as of this writing, the USCCB has not yet established a licensing model for digital editions of the Second Edition, so we do not yet have the rights to publish the new text on DivineOffice.org. We are hopeful that a digital licensing path will be in place well before the 2028 deadline, at which point we intend to make the new text available and begin the work of recording new audio for the Second Edition.

Two Publishers, Four Volumes

The USCCB has selected Ascension Press and Word on Fire Publishing as the exclusive publishers of the new four-volume breviary. Both have opened pre-orders since July 1, 2026, beginning with Volume II, covering Lent and Easter — fittingly, the first volume needed for the Ash Wednesday first-use date. The remaining three volumes are expected to follow throughout the year, with the complete four-volume set anticipated by the end of 2027. Bundles for preordering the Full 4-Volume are also available.

Four additional publishers have also been selected to produce single-volume “major extracts” — editions containing Lauds, Vespers, and Compline — for those who do not need the full four-volume breviary for daily prayer.

What About Digital and Audio Formats?

This is a question many of you have asked us directly, since so much of what we do here at DivineOffice.org depends on digital text and recorded audio. The answer is that the USCCB has not yet announced a timeline for digital or alternative formats. The Bishops’ Conference has stated only that availability will be determined and shared at a later date. We hope and pray that these details will be resolved in a way that lets us continue the mission many of you have come to depend on and that we have carried for nearly twenty years now, bringing the Liturgy of the Hours to everyone in the United States and the world. Especially our visually, hearing impaired, homebound brothers and sisters who pray with us through our audio or the accessible versions.

A word about the Spanish version

Some of you have also asked whether this new translation affects our own Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. It does not. The USCCB’s Second Edition is an English-language undertaking, and the USCCB has not confirmed a Spanish edition of its own. Existing Spanish translations approved by other bishops’ conferences remain entirely valid for prayer, and our work on recording the Liturgy of the Hours in Spanish continues on its own path, independent of this transition.

Continuing to Walk Together

We know many of you have waited a long time for this new edition, and we share your anticipation. As always, we will continue to follow the USCCB’s official announcements closely and share verified updates with you as they come. Many of you know the many obstacles this work has overcome in 20 years of existence. God willing, we will do so for many more. The current translation will be maintained and updated as until now through website, podcasts and apps and every effort will be made to sustain and expand our mission in the world.

Thank you for praying with us, today and always.

The Divine Office Team

During the 32nd week of Ordinary Time, almost every day is a celebration. For six days the Office of Readings follows Daniel and his companions, young men carried off to Babylon, given new names, taught a new language, and trained for the king’s service. They were granted extraordinary wisdom by God, eventually standing firm in their faith even when faced with mortal danger. On Monday, the feast of the Lateran Basilica, Saint Peter reminds us what every Christian is: “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile.” The week’s saints lived the same way, from Saint Martin, who kept serving when he was ready to rest, to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who made a home for immigrants in a new world.

This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights

Tuesday 10 November — Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
First reading: Daniel 3:8-12, 19-24, 91-97 — This passage describes the miraculous deliverance of three young men from a fiery furnace, and an astonished king who blesses the God of Israel and protects His name by royal decree.
Second reading: Saint Leo the Great, Sermon — Saint Leo the Great reminds the baptized of their own dignity: “For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit.” And he asks: “what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart?” The interior spiritual authority that is given to every believer secures the Church against the chaos of the world.

Wednesday 11 November — Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
First reading: Daniel 5:1-2, 5-9, 13-17, 25-6:1 — At Belshazzar’s banquet the sacred vessels of the temple are used for drinking, and a hand writes the verdict on the wall: “…you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”
Second reading: Sulpicius Severus, Letter — Saint Martin, the soldier who once cut his cloak in half for a beggar, died as bishop of Tours on a journey to make peace among quarreling clergy. When his monks begged him to stay, he prayed: “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.” In the words of his biographer: “He neither feared to die nor refused to live.” The same evening the Church sings Saint Martin’s own prayer as the antiphon of the second psalm: Ant. 2 “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.”

Thursday 12 November — Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
First reading: Daniel 9:1-4a, 18-27 — Daniel prays for his scattered people, and he builds his prayer on God’s mercy alone: “When we present our petition before you, we rely not on our just deeds, but on your great mercy. O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon!”
Second reading: Pope Pius XI, Ecclesiam Dei — Pope Pius XI writes of Saint Josaphat, an archbishop of the Eastern Church who worked to reunite his people with the See of Peter and “gave his life as a martyr for the unity of the Church.” The responsory gives Christ’s own prayer for unity: “Holy Father, protect those you have given me with the power of your name,
— that they may be perfectly one.”

Friday 13 November — Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin.
First reading: Daniel 10:1-21 — Overwhelmed by a vision, Daniel is lifted up by an angel: “Fear not, beloved, you are safe; take courage and be strong.”
Second reading: Pope Pius XII, Homily at her canonization — Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini came from Italy to serve immigrants in America, and she was the first citizen of the United States to be canonized. Pope Pius XII, at her canonization, describes her work: “She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help.” The responsory answers with the words of Christ: “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.”

Saturday 14 November
First reading: Daniel 12:1-13 — Daniel’s last vision looks beyond exile to the resurrection: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake… But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”
Second reading: A homily written in the second century — Faithfulness takes time: “No honest man becomes rich overnight; he has to wait for the reward of his labors.”
Evening Prayer I of Sunday ends the week with the Magnificat antiphon from the Parable of the Talents: “Well done, my good and faithful servant, you have been trustworthy in small things. Now share your master’s joy.”

This week in focus: I Was Homeless and You Took Me In

From Friday, November 13th, Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily at the Canonization of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini by Pope Pius XII (A humble woman who lived a virtuous life)

Many families carry an immigrant story in their history. A great-grandmother who crossed an ocean with one suitcase. A grandfather who learned English from the newspaper. A crowded first apartment shared with other families. That very same story unfolds again today in local parishes across the country during Sunday afternoon Masses celebrated in Spanish, Vietnamese, or Tagalog.

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini immersed herself in that story. The concluding prayer of her memorial says that God called her from Italy to serve the immigrant communities of America. She became the first citizen of the United States to be raised to the altars as a canonized saint, and on Friday the Office reads the homily Pope Pius XII preached that day:

“She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes and taught them to live upright and holy lives. She consoled those who were in prison and recalled to them the hope of eternal life… She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals and diligently cared for them. She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help. Because of their condition she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith.”

Therefore, Mother Cabrini cared for bread, beds and hospitals, and she also cared for the faith of people far from their own parishes and their own language.

The whole week reads like a commentary on her work and legacy. On Sunday, Daniel and his companions arrive in Babylon as young exiles and are given new names and a new language. On Monday, Saint Peter tells every Christian, “Beloved, you are strangers and in exile,” and Morning Prayer recalls the promise of Isaiah: “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Even Sunday’s Evening Prayer II asks God to “raise up the fallen and protect the stranger” through the Intercessions.

The concluding prayer of Friday’s liturgy transforms Mother Cabrini’s life story into an active petition for our own lives, asking God to “teach us to have concern for the stranger, the sick, and all those in need, and by her prayers help us to see Christ in all the men and women we meet.” The Divine Office answers Pope Pius XII’s homily by echoing the definitive words of Christ Himself:

“I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was homeless and you took me in.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.
This is what I command: Love one another as I have loved you.
— Now I tell you this: When you did these things for the most neglected of my brothers, you did them for me.” Responsory after the Second Reading (Matthew 25:35, 40)

If the Hours give you strength each day for those that need you, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute

With gratitude,
The Divine Office Team

November 10

Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Memorial

“Thus it is that God, by loving us, restores us to His image, and, in order that He may find in us the form of His goodness, He gives us that whereby we ourselves too may do the work that He does, kindling that is the lamps of our minds, and inflaming us with the fire of His love, that we may love not only Himself, but also whatever He loves.” [1]

Pope St. Leo the Great lived in the 5th century. Little is known of his early life prior to his serving as a deacon in the Roman Church. As Pope, he enhanced the prestige and power of the papacy and increased its influence beyond Italy. Politically, he dissuaded Attila the Hun from invading Italy as well as helped victims when the Vandals looted Rome in 455. Theologically, he is remembered for issuing the Tome to Flavian. It was very influential at the Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council, which addressed the dual nature of Christ. He was a proficient writer, composing 143 letters and over 96 sermons which add insight into the ecclesiastical practices of the time as well as speak in clear theological language. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1754 by Benedict XIV. [2][3][4]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] St. Leo the Great, “Sermon XII,” in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathes, ed. Phillip Schaff, 364, www.ccel.org.
[2] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “Pope St. Leo I (the Great).”
[3] F.L. Cross and E.A. Livingstone, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), 812.
[4] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker,
For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.

Office of Readings for Tuesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, let my cry come to you; do not hide your face from me.

Psalm 102
The longings and prayers of an exile
God comforts us in all our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:4).

I

O Lord, listen to my prayer
and let my cry for help reach you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear towards me
and answer me quickly when I call.

For my days are vanishing like smoke,
my bones burn away like a fire.
My heart is withered like the grass.
I forget to eat my bread.
I cry with all my strength
and my skin clings to my bones.

I have become like a pelican in the wilderness,
like an owl in desolate places.
I lie awake and I moan
like some lonely bird on a roof.
All day long my foes revile me;
those who hate me use my name as a curse.

The bread I eat is ashes;
my drink is mingled with tears.
In your anger, Lord, and your fury
you have lifted me up and thrown me down.
My days are like a passing shadow
and I wither away like the grass.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, let my cry come to you; do not hide your face from me.

Ant. 2 Be attentive, Lord, to the prayer of the helpless.

II

But you, O Lord, will endure for ever
and your name from age to age.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion:
for this is the time to have mercy;
yes, the time appointed has come
for your servants love her very stones,
are moved with pity even for her dust.

The nations shall fear the name of the Lord
and all the earth’s kings your glory,
when the Lord shall build up Zion again
and appear in all his glory.
Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he will not despise their prayers.

Let this be written for ages to come
that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;
for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high.
He looked down from heaven to the earth
that he might hear the groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die.

The sons of your servants shall dwell untroubled
and their race shall endure before you
that the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion
and his praise in the heart of Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms are gathered together
to pay their homage to the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Be attentive, Lord, to the prayer of the helpless.

Ant. 3 You, O Lord, established the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

III

He has broken my strength in mid-course;
he has shortened the days of my life.
I say to God: “Do not take me away
before my days are complete,
you, whose days last from age to age.

Long ago you founded the earth
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish but you will remain.
They will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like clothes that are changed.
But you neither change, nor have an end.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

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.

Ant. You, O Lord, established the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

You will hear the word from my mouth.
— You will tell others what I have said.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of the prophet Daniel
3:8-12, 19-24, 91-97
The king’s golden statue. The three young men rescued from the furnace.

Some of the Chaldeans came and accused the Jews to King Nebuchadnezzar: “O king, live forever! O king, you issued a decree that everyone who heard the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments should fall down and worship the golden statue; whoever did not was to be cast into a white-hot furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have made administrators of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego; these men, O king, have paid no attention to you; they will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

They were bound and cast into the white-hot furnace with their coats, hats, shoes and other garments, for the king’s order was urgent. So huge a fire was kindled in the furnace that the flames devoured the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. But these three fell, bound, into the midst of the white-hot furnace. They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord.

King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the opening of the white-hot furnace and called to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: “Servants of the most high God, come out.” Thereupon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. When the satraps, prefects, governors, and nobles of the king came together, they saw that the fire had had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was not even a smell of fire about them.

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree for nations and peoples of every language that whoever blasphemes the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces and his house destroyed. For there is no other God who can rescue like this.”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

RESPONSORY Daniel 3:49, 50, 95

The angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions,
and he drove the blazing flames out of the furnace;
— the fire did not even touch them or cause them any pain.

Blessed be God who sent his angel to rescue the faithful servants
who put their trust in him.
— The fire did not even touch them or cause them any pain.

Second reading
From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope
The minister of a special calling

Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of members, still, in spite of the many parts of its holy body, the Church subsists as an integral whole, just as the Apostle says: We are all one in Christ. No difference in office is so great that anyone can be separated, through lowliness, from the head. In the unity of faith and baptism, therefore, our community is undivided. There is a common dignity, as the apostle Peter says in these words: And you are built up as living stones into spiritual houses, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And again: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of election.

For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers in the office of the priesthood. For what is more king-like than to find yourself ruler over your body after having surrendered your soul to God? And what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart?

Because, through the grace of God, it is a deed accomplished universally on behalf of all, it is altogether praiseworthy and in keeping with a religious attitude for you to rejoice in this our day of consecration, to consider it a day when we are especially honored. For indeed one sacramental priesthood is celebrated throughout the entire body of the Church. The oil which consecrates us has richer effects in the higher grades, yet it is not sparingly given in the lower.

Sharing in this office, my dear brethren, we have solid ground for a common rejoicing; yet there will be more genuine and excellent reason for joy if you do not dwell on the thought of our unworthiness. It is more helpful and more suitable to turn your thoughts to study the glory of the blessed apostle Peter. We should celebrate this day above all in honor of him. He overflowed with abundant riches from the very source of all graces, yet though he alone received much, nothing was given over to him without his sharing it. The Word made flesh lived among us, and in redeeming the whole human race, Christ gave himself entirely.

RESPONSORY Matthew 16:18; Psalm 48:9

Jesus said to Simon: I tell you most solemnly that you are Peter, and I will build my Church upon this rock foundation,
— and the powers of hell will never overcome it.

For all eternity, God’s Church stands firm.
— and the powers of hell will never overcome it.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who never allow the gates of hell
to prevail against your Church,
firmly founded on the apostolic rock,
grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo,
she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace.
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.

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 947
Common of Doctors of the Church: 1435 (reading, responsory)
Proper of Saints: 1313 (canticle antiphon, concluding prayer)
Common of Pastors: 1427 (intercessions)

Morning Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I will sing to you, O Lord; I will learn from you the way of perfection.

Psalm 101
Avowal of a good ruler
If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

My song is of mercy and justice;
I sing to you, O Lord.
I will walk in the way of perfection.
O when, Lord, will you come?

I will walk with blameless heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
whatever is base.

I will hate the ways of the crooked;
they shall not be my friends.
The false-hearted must keep far away;
the wicked I disown.

The man who slanders his neighbor in secret
I will bring to silence.
The man of proud looks and haughty heart
I will never endure.

I look to the faithful in the land
that they may dwell with me.
He who walks in the way of perfection
shall be my friend.

No man who practices deceit
shall live within my house.
No man who utters lies shall stand
before my eyes.

Morning by morning I will silence
all the wicked in the land,
uprooting from the city of the Lord
all who do evil.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

So that your people may 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.

Ant. I will sing to you, O Lord; I will learn from you the way of perfection.

Ant. 2 Lord, do not withhold your compassion from us.

Canticle: Daniel 3:26, 27, 29, 34-41
Azariah’s prayer in the furnace.
With your whole hearts turn to God and he will blot out all your sins (Acts 3:19).

Blessed are you, and praiseworthy,
O Lord, the God of our fathers,
and glorious forever is your name.

For you are just in all you have done;
all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right,
and all your judgments proper.

For we have sinned and transgressed
by departing from you,
and we have done every kind of evil.

For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.

Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

to whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.

We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
as though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks,
or thousands of fat lambs,
so let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we pray to you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, do not withhold your compassion from us.

Ant. 3 O God, I will sing to you a new song.

Psalm 144
Prayer for victory and peace
I can do all things in him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war.

He is my love, my fortress;
he is my stronghold, my savior
my shield, my place of refuge.
He brings peoples under my rule.

Lord, what is man that you care for him,
mortal man, that you keep him in mind;
man, who is merely a breath
whose life fades like a passing shadow?

Lower your heavens and come down;
touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke.
Flash your lightnings; rout the foe,
shoot your arrows and put them to flight.

Reach down from heaven and save me;
draw me out from the mighty waters,
from the hands of alien foes
whose mouths are filled with lies,
whose hands are raised in perjury.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;
I will play on the ten-stringed harp
to you who give kings their victory,
who set David your servant free.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

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.

Ant. O God, I will sing to you a new song.

READING Wisdom 7:13-14

Simply I learned about Wisdom, and ungrudgingly do I share – her riches I do not hide away. For to men she is an unfailing treasure; those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God, to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.
— Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.

With joyful praise let the Church tell forth
— the wisdom of the saints.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Strengthened by Christ, blessed Peter has remained steadfast as a rock in his guidance of the Church.

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Strengthened by Christ, blessed Peter has remained steadfast as a rock in his guidance of the Church.

INTERCESSIONS

Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise and thank him as we pray:
Nourish your people, Lord.

Christ, you decided to show your merciful love through your holy shepherds,
— let your mercy always reach us through them.
Nourish your people, Lord.

Through your vicars you continue to perform the ministry of shepherd of souls,
— direct us always through our leaders.
Nourish your people, Lord.

Through your holy ones, the leaders of your people, you served as physician of our bodies and our spirits,
— continue to fulfill your ministry of life and holiness in us.
Nourish your people, Lord.

You taught your flock through the prudence and love of your saints,
— grant us continual growth in holiness under the direction of our pastors.
Nourish your people, Lord.

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.

Concluding Prayer

O God,
who never allow the gates of hell
to prevail against your Church,
firmly founded on the apostolic rock,
grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo,
she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Midmorning Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120
Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress
I call and he answers me.
“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,
from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,
O treacherous tongue?
The warrior’s arrows sharpened
and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling
with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
they are for fighting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121
Guardian of his people
Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God’s house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 John 3:17-18

I ask you, how can God’s love survive in a man who has enough of this world’s goods yet close his heart to his brother when he sees him in need? Little children, let us love in deed and in truth and not merely talk about it.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Happy the man who is compassionate and thoughtful
— His memory will be cherished for ever.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

All-powerful and ever-living God,
in midmorning you poured out the Holy Spirit
as a constant Friend and Guide for your apostles.
Send that same Spirit of love to us
to make us faithful witnesses to you
in the sight of all mankind.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1140 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Do the things you have learned, and you will be blessed.

Psalm 119
XVIII (Sade)

Lord, you are just indeed;
your decrees are right.
You have imposed your will with justice
and with absolute truth.

I am carried away by anger
for my foes forget your word.
Your promise is tried in fire,
the delight of your servant.

Although I am weak and despised
I remember your precepts.
Your justice is eternal justice
and your law is truth.

Though anguish and distress have seized me,
I delight in your commands.
The justice of your will is eternal:
if you teach me, I shall live.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You are just indeed, Lord, and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Ant. Do the things you have learned, and you will be blessed.

Ant. 2 Let my prayer rise up before you, O Lord.

Psalm 88
Prayer of a person who is gravely ill
This is your moment — when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).

I

Lord my God, I call for help by day;
I cry at night before you.
Let my prayer come into your presence.
O turn your ear to my cry.

For my soul is filled with evils;
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb:
I have reached the end of my strength,

like one alone among the dead;
like the slain lying in their graves;
like those you remember no more,
cut off, as they are, from your hand.

You have laid me in the depths of the tomb,
in places that are dark, in the depths.
Your anger weighs down upon me:
I am drowned beneath your waves.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let my prayer rise up before you, O Lord.

Ant. 3 I cry to you, O Lord; do not hide your face from me.

II

You have taken away my friends
and made me hateful in their sight.
Imprisoned, I cannot escape;
my eyes are sunken with grief.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead?
Will the shades stand and praise you?

Will your love be told in the grave
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark
or your justice in the land of oblivion?

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face?

Wretched, close to death from my youth,
I have borne your trials; I am numb.
Your fury has swept down upon me;
your terrors have utterly destroyed me.

They surround me all the day like a flood,
they assail me all together.
Friend and neighbor you have taken away:
my one companion is darkness.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, redeemer of all and author of our salvation, for us you went down to the realm of death and became free of death. Hear the prayers of your family and lift us from our slavery to evil, that we may be redeemed by you and see your Father’s glory.

Ant. I cry to you, O Lord; do not hide your face from me.

READING Deuteronomy 30:11, 14

This command which I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Your word, O Lord, as a lantern guides my steps.
— And lights up my pathway before me.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God,
you made known to Peter
your desire to bring all nations to salvation.
Let all our work give you praise
and carry out your loving plan.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, peace!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

READING Isaiah 55:10-11

Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to him who sows
and bread to him who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

The Lord has sent his word to the earth.
— Swiftly runs his decree.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
you sent your angel to Cornelius
to show him the way to salvation
Help us to work generously for the salvation of the world
so that your Church may bring us and all mankind
into your presence.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.