Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If you have already recited the Invitatory Psalm today, you should use the alternative opening.
Lord, open our lips.
And we shall praise your name.
| Invitatory Psalm | Psalm 23 (24) |
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Let us rejoice in the Lord, with songs let us praise him.
(repeat antiphon*)
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas
and set it firm over the waters.
(repeat antiphon*)
Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord
and be justified by God his saviour.
This is the way of those who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
(repeat antiphon*)
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power.
The Lord, strong in battle.
(repeat antiphon*)
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts
– he is the king of glory.
(repeat antiphon*)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
(repeat antiphon*)
* If you are reciting this on your own, you can choose to say the antiphon once only at the start of the psalm and not repeat it.
Come, O Creator Spirit, come,
And make within our hearts your home;
To us your grace eternal give,
Who of your breathing move and live.
Our senses with your light inflame,
Our hearts to heavenly love reclaim;
Our bodies’ poor infirmity
With strength perpetual fortify.
Our earthly foe afar repel:
grant us henceforth in peace to dwell;
and so to us, with you for guide,
no ill shall come, no harm betide.
May we by you the Father learn,
And know the Son, and you discern,
Who are of both; and thus adore
In perfect faith for evermore.
Psalm 41 (42)
Longing for the Lord and his temple
When can I enter and see the face of God?
Like a deer that longs for springs of water,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God:
when shall I come and stand before the face of God?
My tears are my food, by day and by night,
and everyone asks, “where is your God?”.
I remember how I went up to your glorious dwelling-place
and into the house of God:
the memory melts my soul.
The sound of joy and thanksgiving,
the crowds at the festival.
Why are you so sad, my soul,
and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
my saviour and my God.
My soul is sad within me,
and so I will remember you
in the lands of Jordan and Hermon,
on the mountain of Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in your rushing waters:
and all your torrents, all your waves
have flowed over me.
By day the Lord sends his kindness upon me;
by night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
I will say to God:
“You are my support, why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go in mourning, while the enemy persecutes me?.”
As my bones break,
my persecutors deride me,
all the time saying “where is your God?.”
Why are you so sad, my soul,
and anxious within me?
Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still,
my saviour and my God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
When can I enter and see the face of God?
| Canticle |
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| Ecclesiasticus 36 |
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A prayer for Jerusalem, the holy city
Show us, Lord, the light of your mercy.
God of all, have mercy on us, take notice of us,
and show us the light of your mercies.
Make the nations fear you, who have not sought you out,
make them know that there is no God except you,
let them tell of your wonders.
Lift up your hand over foreign nations, that they may see your power –
for just as in their sight you have been sanctified in us,
so in our sight you will be magnified in them.
Lift up your hand so that they may know, as we know,
that there is no God but you, Lord.
Bring forth new signs and repeat your wonders;
glorify your hand, show the strength of your arm.
Gather together all the tribes of Jacob,
give them back the inheritance they had from the beginning.
Take pity on your people, over whom we invoke your name,
and on Israel, whom you have made equal to your firstborn.
Take pity on the city you have sanctified,
Jerusalem, the place of your rest.
Fill Zion with your majesty;
fill your temple with your glory.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Show us, Lord, the light of your mercy.
Psalm 18 (19)
Praise of God the creator
Blessed are you, Lord, in the vault of heaven.
The skies tell the story of the glory of God,
the firmament proclaims the work of his hands;
day pours out the news to day,
night passes to night the knowledge.
Not a speech, not a word,
not a voice goes unheard.
Their sound is spread throughout the earth,
their message to all the corners of the world.
At the ends of the earth he has set up
a dwelling place for the sun.
Like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
it rejoices like an athlete at the race to be run.
It appears at the edge of the sky,
runs its course to the sky’s furthest edge.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the vault of heaven.
| Short Reading | Jeremiah 15:16 © |
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When your words came, I devoured them: your word was my delight and the joy of my heart; for I was called by your name, Lord, God of hosts.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
– Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Sing to him a new song.
– Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, for he has visited us and freed us.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies
and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
– freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him,
for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Blessed be the Lord, for he has visited us and freed us.
| Prayers and intercessions | |
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Christ has given us all a share in his priesthood. We offer our prayers and ourselves in union with him.
– Lord, accept our love and service.
Jesus Christ, you are the eternal priest:
make this morning’s offering acceptable to the Father.
– Lord, accept our love and service.
Lord, you are love itself:
grant that we may love you.
– Lord, accept our love and service.
Give us today the fruits of the Holy Spirit:
make us patient, kind and gentle.
– Lord, accept our love and service.
Give us the discernment to know the needs of our neighbours,
and give us the courage to love them as brothers.
– Lord, accept our love and service.
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.
Almighty Lord and God,
protect us by your power throughout the course of this day,
even as you have enabled us to begin it.
Do not let us turn aside to any sin,
but let our every thought, word and deed
aim at doing what is pleasing in your sight.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
(one) God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons; The Universalis apps and programs do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
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