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 here.
Psalm 86 (87)
Jerusalem, mother of all nations |
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Glorious things are said of you, city of God.
Its foundations are set on the sacred mountains –
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the tents of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, city of God!
I shall count Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.
The Philistines, Tyrians, Ethiopians –
all have their birthplace here.
Of Zion it will be said “Here is the birthplace of all people:
the Most High himself has set it firm.”
The Lord shall write in the book of the nations:
“Here is their birthplace.”
They will sing as in joyful processions:
“All my being springs from you.”
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.
Glorious things are said of you, city of God.
| The good shepherd is God, the Most High |
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The Lord comes in his strength and with the rewards of victory.
Behold, the Lord God comes in strength, and his right arm triumphs.
Behold, his reward is with him, his prize is before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock,
he gathers the lambs in his arms and lifts them to his breast;
he carries the pregnant ewes.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and arranged the heavens with his palms?
Who has measured the dust of the earth,
weighed out the mountains,
weighed the hills on the balance?
Who directed the spirit of the Lord?
Who gave him advice in his task?
With whom did he consult? Who taught him?
Who led him in the paths of justice,
gave him knowledge,
showed him the way of understanding?
Behold, the Gentiles are like a drop in a bucket,
a piece of fluff on the scales.
All the islands are a handful of dust.
What burnt-offering could be worthy of the Lord?
The forests of Lebanon could not feed that fire;
all the animals of Lebanon would not be enough for that sacrifice.
All the nations count for nothing before him:
for him, they are nothingness and emptiness.
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.
The Lord comes in his strength and with the rewards of victory.
Psalm 98 (99)
The Lord our God is holy |
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Praise the Lord our God and worship on his holy mountain.
The Lord reigns! let the peoples tremble.
He is enthroned on the cherubim: let the earth shake.
The Lord is great in Zion,
he is high above all the peoples.
Let them proclaim his name – great and terrible it is,
let them proclaim his holy name,
the powerful king, who loves justice.
The laws you establish are just:
you have given Jacob uprightness and right judgement.
Praise the Lord, our God,
worship at his footstool,
for he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his prophets,
Samuel one of those who called on him.
They called on the Lord and he listened,
and from the pillar of cloud he spoke to them.
They kept his decrees
and the commands he gave them.
Lord our God, you listened to them;
O God, you were gracious to them,
but you punished their wrongdoing.
Praise the Lord, our God,
worship on his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy.
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.
Praise the Lord our God and worship on his holy mountain.
| Short reading | 1 Peter 4:10-11 © |
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Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God, put yourselves at the service of others. If you are a speaker, speak in words which seem to come from God; if you are a helper, help as though every action was done at God’s orders; so that in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ, since to him alone belong all glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
I cry to you from the bottom of my heart: hear me, Lord.
– I cry to you from the bottom of my heart: hear me, Lord.
I will keep your commandments.
– I cry to you from the bottom of my heart: hear me, Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– I cry to you from the bottom of my heart: hear me, Lord.
| The Messiah and his forerunner |
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Let us serve the Lord in holiness, and he will free us from our enemies.
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.
Let us serve the Lord in holiness, and he will free us from our enemies.
| Prayers and Intercessions | |
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Let us give thanks to God the Father, who lovingly guides and nourishes his people. Let us cry out with joy:
– Glory to you, Lord, for ever.
Most gentle Father, we praise you for your love:
for the miracle of our creation and the greater miracle of our renewal.
– Glory to you, Lord, for ever.
As this day begins, fill our hearts with a desire to serve you:
may our thoughts and our actions give you glory.
– Glory to you, Lord, for ever.
Purify our hearts from all desire for evil:
let us always seek to do your will.
– Glory to you, Lord, for ever.
Open wide our hearts to the needs of all our brethren:
may they not be deprived of our love.
– Glory to you, Lord, for ever.
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, shed the brightness of your light on the people living in the shadow of death:
the light that was brought to us by the Dawn from on high,
our Dawn, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He 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
