Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 91 (92)
Praise of God, the Creator
It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night; on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre. For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts. The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand. When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom, it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally. For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered. You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil. I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me. The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon. They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish. They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days. They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness. 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.

Psalm 91 (92)

Praise of God, the Creator

It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night;
on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre.

For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands.
How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts.
The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand.
When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom,
it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally.

For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered.
You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil.
I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me.

The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon.
They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish.
They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days.
They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness.

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.

Canticle	Deuteronomy 32
The things God has done for his people
Listen, heavens to what I say; earth, hear the words of my mouth! Let my teaching fall like the rain, my speech descend like the dew, like a shower on the grass, like rain on the wheat. For I shall call on the name of the Lord: give praise to the greatness of our God! His works are like a rock: they are perfect, for all his ways are just. God is faithful, he can do no wrong: he is just and upright. They have sinned against him, they are no children of his – this filthy generation, wicked and perverse. Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and witless people? Is he not your father, who took charge of you, created you and made you exist? Remember the days of old: think upon each generation. Ask your father and he will tell you; ask your ancestors, and they will let you know. When the Most High divided the peoples, when he was separating the children of Adam, he laid down the boundaries of the people according to the number of the children of Israel: the Lord’s own portion was his people, Jacob the measure of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, in the howling wilderness. He protected him, looked after him, guarded him as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle teaching its chicks to fly, hovering close above them, he spread out his wings and lifted him up, carried him on his back. The Lord alone led Jacob; no foreign god was with him. 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.

Canticle

Deuteronomy 32

The things God has done for his people

Listen, heavens to what I say;
earth, hear the words of my mouth!
Let my teaching fall like the rain,
my speech descend like the dew,
like a shower on the grass,
like rain on the wheat.

For I shall call on the name of the Lord:
give praise to the greatness of our God!
His works are like a rock: they are perfect,
for all his ways are just.
God is faithful, he can do no wrong:
he is just and upright.

They have sinned against him, they are no children of his –
this filthy generation, wicked and perverse.
Is this how you repay the Lord,
you foolish and witless people?
Is he not your father, who took charge of you,
created you and made you exist?

Remember the days of old: think upon each generation.
Ask your father and he will tell you;
ask your ancestors, and they will let you know.

When the Most High divided the peoples,
when he was separating the children of Adam,
he laid down the boundaries of the people
according to the number of the children of Israel:
the Lord’s own portion was his people,
Jacob the measure of his inheritance.

He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror,
in the howling wilderness.
He protected him, looked after him,
guarded him as the apple of his eye.
Like an eagle teaching its chicks to fly, hovering close above them,
he spread out his wings and lifted him up,
carried him on his back.

The Lord alone led Jacob; no foreign god was with him.

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.

Psalm 8
The greatness of God, the dignity of man
How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! 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.

Psalm 8

The greatness of God, the dignity of man

How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!
How exalted is your glory above the sky!

Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place –
what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!

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.

Short reading	Wisdom 7:26-27 ©
She is a reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God’s active power, image of his goodness. Although alone, she can do all; herself unchanging, she makes all things new. In each generation she passes into holy souls, she makes them friends of God and prophets.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
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.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us give glory to Christ, the image of God: - Christ, Son of God, hear us.
Son of God, you showed us the Father’s love for us:: may we show it to others, by our own brotherly love.
You showed us that you were the Lord of life:: give us a full share in your life.
Grant that our bodies may bear witness to your life: and that our self-denial may bear witness to your sufferings.
Fill our hearts with light,: the light of the knowledge of God’s glory.

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 and eternal God, by the birth of your only-begotten Son you created us anew.
In him our human nature is united to you:
grant, then, that by your grace we may come to share his form.

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.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

January 2009
Fri 9	Friday after Epiphany Sunday
Sat 10
Sun 11	The Baptism of the Lord Feast
Mon 12	Monday of week 1 of the year or Saint Aelred of Rievaulx, Abbot
Tue 13	Tuesday of week 1 of the year or Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor
Wed 14
Thu 15
Fri 16

Calendar used: Europe - England

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. For on-line information about other Random House, Inc. books and authors, see the Internet web site at http://www.randomhouse.com.

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