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Office of Readings

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

INTRODUCTION

Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.

Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen. Allelúia.

INTRODUCTION

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Hymnus

Hic est dies verus Dei,

sancto serénus lúmine,

quo díluit sanguis sacer

probrósa mundi crímina.

Fidem refúndit pérditis

cæcósque visu illúminat;

quem non gravi solvit metu

latrónis absolútio?

Opus stupent et ángeli,

pœnam vidéntes córporis

Christóque adhæréntem reum

vitam beátam cárpere.

Mystérium mirábile,

ut ábluat mundi luem,

peccáta tollat ómnium

carnis vítia mundans caro,

Quid hoc potest sublímius,

ut culpa quærat grátiam,

metúmque solvat cáritas

reddátque mors vitam novam?

Esto perénne méntibus

paschále, Iesu, gáudium

et nos renátos grátiæ

tuis triúmphis ággrega.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prǽnites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sǽcula. Amen.

Hymn

Love’s redeeming work is done,

fought the fight, the battle won.

Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er!

Lo, he sets in blood no more!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal!

Christ has burst the gates of hell;

death in vain forbids him rise;

Christ has opened paradise.

Lives again our victor King;

where, O death, is now thy sting?

Dying once, he all doth save;

where thy victory, O grave?

Soar we now where Christ has led,

following our exalted Head;

made like him, like him we rise,

ours the cross, the grave, the skies.

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!

Praise to thee by both be given:

thee we greet triumphant now;

hail, the Resurrection thou!

Ps 72:1-12
Cur iustus vexetur

“Beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me” (Mt 11, 6).

Quam bonus Israel Deus his qui recto sunt corde, allelúia.

1Quam bonus rectis est Deus,*

Deus his, qui mundo sunt corde!

2Mei autem pæne moti sunt pedes,*

pæne effúsi sunt gressus mei,

3quia zelávi super gloriántes,*

pacem peccatórum videns.

4Quia non sunt eis impediménta,*

sanus et pinguis est venter eórum.

5In labóre mortálium non sunt*

et cum homínibus non flagellántur.

6Ideo quasi torques est eis supérbia,*

et tamquam induméntum opéruit eos violéntia.

7Prodit quasi ex ádipe iníquitas eórum,*

erúmpunt cogitatiónes cordis.

8Subsannavérunt et locúti sunt nequítiam,*

iniquitátem ab excélso locúti sunt.

9Posuérunt in cælo os suum,*

et lingua eórum transívit in terra.

10Ideo in alto sedent,*

et aquæ plenæ non pervénient ad eos.

11Et dixérunt: «Quómodo scit Deus,*

et si est sciéntia in Excélso?».

12Ecce ipsi peccatóres et abundántes in sǽculo*

multiplicavérunt divítias.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Quam bonus Israel Deus his qui recto sunt corde, allelúia.

Psalm 72 (73)
Why should the just suffer?

How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart. Alleluia.

How good God is to the upright,

to those who are pure of heart!

But as for me, my feet nearly stumbled,

my steps were on the point of going astray,

as I envied the boasters and sinners,

envied their comfort and peace.

For them there are no burdens,

their bellies are full and sleek.

They do not labour, like ordinary men;

they do not suffer, like mortals.

They wear their pride like a necklace,

their violence covers them like a robe.

Wickedness oozes from their very being,

the thoughts of their hearts break forth:

they deride, they utter abominations,

and from their heights they proclaim injustice.

They have set their mouth in the heavens,

and their tongue traverses the earth.

Thus they sit in their lofty positions,

and the flood-waters cannot reach them.

They ask, “How can God know?

Does the Most High have any understanding?”

Behold, then, the wicked, always prosperous:

their riches growing for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart. Alleluia.

How to listen

Ps 72:13-20

Risus eórum in luctum convertétur et gáudium in mærórem, allelúia.

13Et dixi: «Ergo sine causa mundávi cor meum*

et lavi in innocéntia manus meas;

14et fui flagellátus tota die,*

et castigátio mea in matutínis».

15Si dixíssem: «Loquar ut illi»,*

ecce generatiónem filiórum tuórum prodidíssem.

16Et cogitábam, ut cognóscerem hoc;*

labor erat in óculis meis,

17donec intrávi in sanctuárium Dei*

et intelléxi novíssima eórum.

18Verúmtamen in lúbrico posuísti eos,*

deiecísti eos in ruínas.

19Quómodo facti sunt in desolatiónem!*

Súbito defecérunt, periérunt præ horróre.

20Velut sómnium evigilántis, Dómine,*

surgens imáginem ipsórum contémnes.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Risus eórum in luctum convertétur et gáudium in mærórem, allelúia.

Psalm 72 (73)

Their rejoicing will be turned to weeping, their joy to sorrow. Alleluia.

I said, “It was pointless to purify my heart,

to wash my hands in innocence –

for still I suffered all through the day,

still I was punished every morning.”

If I had said, “I will speak like them,”

I would have betrayed the race of your children.

I pondered and tried to understand:

my eyes laboured to see –

until I entered God’s holy place

and heard how they would end.

For indeed you have put them on a slippery surface

and have thrown them down in ruin.

How they are laid waste!

How suddenly they fall and perish in terror!

You spurn the sight of them, Lord,

as a dream is abandoned when the sleeper awakes.

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.

Their rejoicing will be turned to weeping, their joy to sorrow. Alleluia.

Ps 72:21-28

Qui elóngant se a te períbunt; mihi autem adhærére Deo bonum est, allelúia.

21Quia exacerbátum est cor meum,*

et renes mei compúncti sunt;

22et ego insípiens factus sum et nescívi:*

ut iuméntum factus sum apud te.

23Ego autem semper tecum;*

tenuísti manum déxteram meam.

24In consílio tuo dedúces me*

et póstea cum glória suscípies me.

25Quis enim mihi est in cælo?*

Et tecum nihil vólui super terram.

26Defécit caro mea et cor meum;*

Deus cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in ætérnum.

27Quia ecce, qui elóngant se a te, períbunt,*

perdidísti omnes, qui fornicántur abs te.

28Mihi autem adhærére Deo bonum est,*

pónere in Dómino Deo spem meam,

ut annúntiem omnes operatiónes tuas*

in portis fíliæ Sion.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Qui elóngant se a te períbunt; mihi autem adhærére Deo bonum est, allelúia.

Psalm 72 (73)

All those who abandon you shall perish; but to be near God is my happiness. Alleluia.

My heart was sore, my being was troubled –

I was a fool, I knew nothing;

I was like a dumb beast before you.

But still I stay with you:

you hold my right hand.

You lead me according to your counsel,

until you raise me up in glory.

For who else is for me, in heaven?

On earth, I want nothing when I am with you.

My flesh and heart are failing,

but it is God that I love:

God is my portion for ever.

Behold, those who abandon you will perish:

you have condemned all who go whoring away from you.

But for myself, I take joy in clinging to God,

in putting my trust in the Lord, my God,

to proclaim your works at the gates of the daughters of Zion.

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.

All those who abandon you shall perish; but to be near God is my happiness. Alleluia.

℣. Cor meum et caro mea, allelúia.

℟. Exsultavérunt in Deum vivum, allelúia.

℣. My heart and my soul ring out their joy, alleluia.

℟. To God, the living God, alleluia.

Lectio prior
De libro Apocalýpsis beáti Ioánnis apóstoli 13, 1-18

Duæ bestiæ

Ego Ioánnes 1vidi de mari béstiam ascendéntem habéntem córnua decem et cápita septem, et super córnua eius decem diadémata, et super cápita eius nómina blasphémiæ. 2Et béstia, quam vidi, símilis erat pardo, et pedes eius sicut ursi, et os eius sicut os leónis. Et dedit illi draco virtútem suam et thronum suum et potestátem magnam. 3Et unum de capítibus suis quasi occísum in mortem, et plaga mortis eius curáta est.

Et admiráta est univérsa terra post béstiam, 4et adoravérunt dracónem, quia dedit potestátem béstiæ, et adoravérunt béstiam dicéntes: «Quis símilis béstiæ, et quis potest pugnáre cum ea?».

5Et datum est ei os loquens magna et blasphémias, et data est illi potéstas fácere menses quadragínta duos. 6Et apéruit os suum in blasphémias ad Deum, blasphemáre nomen eius et tabernáculum eius, eos, qui in cælo hábitant. 7Et datum est illi bellum fácere cum sanctis et víncere illos, et data est ei potéstas super omnem tribum et pópulum et linguam et gentem. 8Et adorábunt eum omnes, qui inhábitant terram, cuiuscúmque non est scriptum nomen in libro vitæ Agni, qui occísus est, ab orígine mundi. 9Si quis habet aurem, áudiat:

10Si quis in captivitátem,

in captivitátem vadit;

si quis in gládio debet occídi,

opórtet eum in gládio occídi.

Hic est patiéntia et fides sanctórum.

11Et vidi áliam béstiam ascendéntem de terra, et habébat córnua duo simília agni, et loquebátur sicut draco. 12Et potestátem prióris béstiæ omnem facit in conspéctu eius. Et facit terram et inhabitántes in ea adoráre béstiam primam, cuius curáta est plaga mortis. 13Et facit signa magna, ut étiam ignem fáciat de cælo descéndere in terram in conspéctu hóminum. 14Et sedúcit habitántes terram propter signa, quæ data sunt illi fácere in conspéctu béstiæ, dicens habitántibus in terra, ut fáciant imáginem béstiæ, quæ habet plagam gládii et vixit. 15Et datum est illi, ut daret spíritum imágini béstiæ, ut et loquátur imágo béstiæ et fáciat, ut quicúmque non adoráverint imáginem béstiæ, occidántur. 16Et facit omnes pusíllos et magnos et dívites et páuperes et líberos et servos accípere charactérem in déxtera manu sua aut in fróntibus suis, 17et ne quis possit émere aut véndere, nisi qui habet charactérem, nomen béstiæ aut númerum nóminis eius. 18Hic sapiéntia est: qui habet intelléctum, cómputet númerum béstiæ; númerus enim hóminis est: et númerus eius est sescénti sexagínta sex.

First Reading
Apocalypse 13:1-18

The Two Beasts

Then I saw a beast emerge from the sea: it had seven heads and ten horns, with a coronet on each of its ten horns, and its heads were marked with blasphemous titles. I saw that the beast was like a leopard, with paws like a bear and a mouth like a lion; the dragon had handed over to it his own power and his throne and his worldwide authority. I saw that one of its heads seemed to have had a fatal wound but that this deadly injury had healed and, after that, the whole world had marvelled and followed the beast. They prostrated themselves in front of the dragon because he had given the beast his authority; and they prostrated themselves in front of the beast, saying, ‘Who can compare with the beast? How could anybody defeat him?’ For forty-two months the beast was allowed to mouth its boasts and blasphemies and to do whatever it wanted; and it mouthed its blasphemies against God, against his name, his heavenly Tent and all those who are sheltered there. It was allowed to make war against the saints and conquer them, and given power over every race, people, language and nation; and all people of the world will worship it, that is, everybody whose name has not been written down since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the sacrificial Lamb. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen: Captivity for those who are destined for captivity; the sword for those who are to die by the sword. This is why the saints must have constancy and faith.

Then I saw a second beast; it emerged from the ground; it had two horns like a lamb, but made a noise like a dragon. This second beast was servant to the first beast, and extended its authority everywhere, making the world and all its people worship the first beast, which had had the fatal wound and had been healed. And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fire from heaven on to the earth while people watched. Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to win over the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honour of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived. It was allowed to breathe life into this statue, so that the statue of the beast was able to speak, and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death. He compelled everyone – small and great, rich and poor, slave and citizen – to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead, and made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell anything unless he had been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name.

There is need for shrewdness here: if anyone is clever enough he may interpret the number of the beast: it is the number of a man, the number 666.

Responsorium
Ap 3, 5; Mt 10, 22 b

℟. Qui vícerit, vestiétur vestiméntis albis; et non delébo nomen eius de libro vitæ,* Et confitébor nomen eius coram Patre meo et ángelis eius, allelúia.

℣. Qui perseveráverit in finem, hic salvus erit.* Et confitébor.

Responsory
Rv 3:5; Mt 10:22

℟. He who wins the victory will be clothed in white, and I will not remove his name from the book of the living.* In the presence of my Father and of his angels I will declare openly that he belongs to me, alleluia.

℣. The man who stands firm to the end will be saved.* In the presence of my Father and of his angels I will declare openly that he belongs to me, alleluia.

Lectio altera
E Libro sancti Basilíi Magni epíscopi De Spíritu Sancto (Cap. 15, 35-36: PG 32, 130-131)

Spiritus vivificat

Qui nostram vitam dispénsat Dóminus, baptísmatis pactum nobis státuit, mortis ac vitæ typum habens: mortis quidem imáginem explénte aqua, Spíritu vero vitæ arrham præbénte. Hinc ítaque nobis perspícuum est quod quærebátur, quámobrem aqua coniúncta fúerit Spirítui. Cum enim duo scopi propósiti sint in baptísmo, vidélicet ut aboleátur corpus peccáti, ne póstea fructíficet morti, tum ut vivátur Spíritu, et fructus habeátur in sanctificatióne; aqua, mortis éxhibet imáginem, corpus velut in sepúlcro recípiens; Spíritus vero vim vivíficam immíttit, a morte peccáti rénovans ánimas nostras in prístinam vitam. Hoc ígitur est dénuo nasci ex aqua et Spíritu: quippe quia mors perfícitur in aqua, vitam vero nostram operátur Spíritus.

Tribus ígitur demersiónibus, ac tótidem invocatiónibus, magnum baptísmatis mystérium perágitur, ut et mortis figúra exprimátur, et per traditiónem divínæ sciéntiæ ánimus illustrétur eórum qui baptizántur. Itaque si qua est grátia in aqua, non est ex ipsíus aquæ natúra, sed ex Spíritus præséntia. Non enim est baptísmus deposítio sórdium córporis, sed consciéntiæ bonæ interrogátio apud Deum. Itaque ad eam vitam, quæ est ex resurrectióne, prǽparans nos Dóminus, totam evangélicam conversatiónem propónit; ut non irascámur, ut malórum tolerántes simus et a voluptátum amóre puri, ut a stúdio pecúniæ mores sint líberi, præscríbens, ita ut quæ illud sǽculum iuxta natúram póssidet, ea nos præcipiéntes ex ánimi inductióne peragámus.

Per Spíritum Sanctum datur in paradísum restitútio, ad regnum cælórum ascénsus, in adoptiónem filiórum réditus; datur fidúcia Deum appellándi Patrem suum, consórtem fíeri grátiæ Christi, fílium lucis appellári, ætérnæ glóriæ partícipem esse, et ut semel ómnia dicam, esse in omni benedictiónis plenitúdine, tum in præsénti hoc sǽculo, tum in futúro: repositórum nobis in promíssis bonórum, quæ per fidem fruénda exspectámus, perínde quasi iam adsint, grátiam velut in spéculo contemplántes. Nam si talis est árrhabo, quale est illud quod perféctum est? et si tantæ sunt primítiæ, quæ erit totíus consummátio?

Second Reading
St Basil the Great on the Holy Spirit

The Spirit gives life

For this cause the Lord, who gives us our life, gave us the covenant of baptism, containing a type of life and death, for the water fulfils the image of death, and the Spirit gives us the promise of life. Hence it follows that the answer to our question why the water was associated with the Spirit is clear. The reason is because in baptism two ends were proposed: on the one hand, the destroying of the body of sin, that it may never ripen into death; on the other hand, our coming to life in the Spirit, ripening and having our fruit in holiness. Like a tomb, the water receives the body, symbolizing death; while the Spirit pours in the quickening power, renewing our souls from the deadness of sin into their original life. This then is what it is to be born again of water and of the Spirit, the water bringing the necessary death while the Spirit creates life within us.

In three immersions, then, and with three invocations, the great mystery of baptism is performed. Thus the symbol of death is made complete, and by the passing on of the divine knowledge the baptized have their souls enlightened. It follows that if there is any grace in the water, it is not of the nature of the water, but of the presence of the Spirit. For baptism is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God. So in training us for the life that follows on the resurrection the Lord sets out all the manner of life required by the Gospel, laying down for us the law of gentleness, of endurance of wrong, of freedom from the defilement that comes of the love of pleasure, and from covetousness – all this so that we can by our own choice achieve all that the life to come of its inherent nature possesses.

Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our return to the status of adopted sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory – in a word, our being brought into a state of all fullness of blessing both in this world and in the world to come, of all the good gifts that are in store for us. Through faith we behold the reflection of their grace as though they were already present, but we still have to wait for the full enjoyment of them. If such is the promise, what will the perfection be like? If these are the first fruits, what will be the complete fulfilment?

Responsorium

℟. Carni nostræ, emergénti de lavácro post vétera delícta,* Colúmba Sancti Spíritus ádvolat, pacem Dei ófferens, emíssa de cælis, ubi Ecclésia est arca figuráta, allelúia.

℣. Felix sacraméntum aquæ, quo in vitam ætérnam liberámur.* Colúmba.

Responsory

℟. When we rise up from the water, cleansed of our sins,* the Holy Spirit – the dove bringing God’s offer of peace – comes down on us from heaven, where dwells the Church, foreshadowed by the ark, alleluia.

℣. How rich in blessings is the sacrament of baptism whereby we are set free for eternal life:* the Holy Spirit – the dove bringing God’s offer of peace – comes down on us from heaven, where dwells the Church, foreshadowed by the ark, alleluia.

Oremus.

Deus, qui in Fílii tui humilitáte iacéntem mundum erexísti, fidélibus tuis sanctam concéde lætítiam, ut, quos eripuísti a servitúte peccáti, gáudiis fácias pérfrui sempitérnis.

Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum,

qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,

per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Let us pray.

Lord God,

when our world lay in ruins,

you raised it up again on the foundation of your Son’s Passion and Death.

Give us grace to rejoice in the freedom from sin which he gained for us,

and bring us to everlasting joy.

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.

Benedicámus Dómino.

– Deo grátias.

Let us praise the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

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Dates

Copyright © 1996-2025 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Hodder & Stoughton and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.	This web site © Copyright 1996-2025 Universalis Publishing Ltd · Contact us · Cookies/privacy
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Office of Readings

Ps 72:1-12Cur iustus vexetur

Psalm 72 (73)Why should the just suffer?

Ps 72:13-20

Psalm 72 (73)

Ps 72:21-28

Psalm 72 (73)

Duæ bestiæ

The Two Beasts

Spiritus vivificat

The Spirit gives life

Dates

Today

Sun 11 May

Mon 12 May

Tue 13 May

Wed 14 May

Thu 15 May

Fri 16 May

Sat 17 May

Sun 18 May

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Ps 72:1-12
Cur iustus vexetur

Psalm 72 (73)
Why should the just suffer?