Redazione
Friday, 26 May 2023 07:31
Evening Prayer II
HYMN
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die
In his awful judgment day.
Christ when you shall call me hence,
Be your mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 In the blood of the Cross,
God has made you spouse and mother,
ever a virgin.
PSALM 122 Greeting to the Holy City of Jerusalem
You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
And now our feet are standing *
within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city,*
walled round about.
Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the Lord, †
as it was decreed for Israel, *
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
Here are the thrones of justice, *
the thrones of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray: *
“May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your ramparts, *
prosperity within your towers.”
For family and friends *
I say, “May peace be yours.”
For the house of the Lord, our God,*
I pray, “May blessings be yours.”
Ant. 1 In the blood of the Cross,
God has made you spouse and mother,
ever a virgin.
Ant. 2 You were the chosen one of God,
O Virgin Mary;
all peoples will praise you forever.
PSALM 127 All toil is useless without the Lord
Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. You are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians3:7,9)
Unless the Lord build the house, *
they labor in vain who build.
Unless the Lord guard the city, *
in vain does the guard keep watch.
It is vain for you to rise early *
and put off your rest at night,
To eat bread earned by hard toil-- *
all this God gives to his beloved in sleep.
Children too are a gift from the Lord,*
the fruit of the womb, a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior *
are the children born in one's youth.
Blessed are they *
whose quivers are full.
They will never be shamed *
contending with foes at the gate.
Ant. 2 You were the chosen one of God,
O Virgin Mary;
all peoples will praise you forever.
Ant. 3 The beauty of your Son Jesus
has made you resplendent.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
In the Virgin Mother, Christ has revealed to us the mystery of the Father.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 The beauty of your Son Jesus
has made you resplendent.
READING 2 Timothy 2:10-12a
I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him.
RESPONSORY
R. Mary was standing * near the cross of her Son.
-- Mary was standing near the cross of her Son.
V. She faced the martyrdom of her heart with strength,
-- near the cross of her Son.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Mary was standing near the cross of her Son.
Magnificat Ant. We rejoice with you, Woman of the New Covenant;
through the Cross of your Son, death has been defeated.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. We rejoice with you, Woman of the New Covenant;
through the Cross of your Son, death has been defeated.
INTERCESSIONS
With Our Lady of Sorrows, let us look lovingly at the crucified Christ and pray to our heavenly Father saying:
Reveal to us, Father, the mysterious glory of the Cross.
God of love, in the blood of your Son, poured out on the Cross, you ratified the eternal covenant with your people,
- grant that we may live it as Mary did, faithful to your loving plan and in solidarity with all our sisters and brothers.
God of compassion, in view of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, you preserved the Virgin Mary undefiled,
- keep us free from sin.
God of life, you strengthened Mary at the foot of the Cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of her Son,
- support us amid the trials of life and strengthen us in hope.
God of peace, in the blood of your Son you reconciled humanity to yourself and restored harmony in creation,
- make us builders of peace, generous in service and solicitous in love.
God of kindness, through your Son, the sole Mediator, who died and rose for us,
- grant to our deceased brothers and sisters a share in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die
In his awful judgment day.
Christ when you shall call me hence,
Be your mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 In the blood of the Cross,
God has made you spouse and mother,
ever a virgin.
PSALM 122 Greeting to the Holy City of Jerusalem
You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
And now our feet are standing *
within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city,*
walled round about.
Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the Lord, †
as it was decreed for Israel, *
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
Here are the thrones of justice, *
the thrones of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray: *
“May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your ramparts, *
prosperity within your towers.”
For family and friends *
I say, “May peace be yours.”
For the house of the Lord, our God,*
I pray, “May blessings be yours.”
Ant. 1 In the blood of the Cross,
God has made you spouse and mother,
ever a virgin.
Ant. 2 You were the chosen one of God,
O Virgin Mary;
all peoples will praise you forever.
PSALM 127 All toil is useless without the Lord
Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. You are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians3:7,9)
Unless the Lord build the house, *
they labor in vain who build.
Unless the Lord guard the city, *
in vain does the guard keep watch.
It is vain for you to rise early *
and put off your rest at night,
To eat bread earned by hard toil-- *
all this God gives to his beloved in sleep.
Children too are a gift from the Lord,*
the fruit of the womb, a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior *
are the children born in one's youth.
Blessed are they *
whose quivers are full.
They will never be shamed *
contending with foes at the gate.
Ant. 2 You were the chosen one of God,
O Virgin Mary;
all peoples will praise you forever.
Ant. 3 The beauty of your Son Jesus
has made you resplendent.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
In the Virgin Mother, Christ has revealed to us the mystery of the Father.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 The beauty of your Son Jesus
has made you resplendent.
READING 2 Timothy 2:10-12a
I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him.
RESPONSORY
R. Mary was standing * near the cross of her Son.
-- Mary was standing near the cross of her Son.
V. She faced the martyrdom of her heart with strength,
-- near the cross of her Son.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Mary was standing near the cross of her Son.
Magnificat Ant. We rejoice with you, Woman of the New Covenant;
through the Cross of your Son, death has been defeated.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. We rejoice with you, Woman of the New Covenant;
through the Cross of your Son, death has been defeated.
INTERCESSIONS
With Our Lady of Sorrows, let us look lovingly at the crucified Christ and pray to our heavenly Father saying:
Reveal to us, Father, the mysterious glory of the Cross.
God of love, in the blood of your Son, poured out on the Cross, you ratified the eternal covenant with your people,
- grant that we may live it as Mary did, faithful to your loving plan and in solidarity with all our sisters and brothers.
God of compassion, in view of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, you preserved the Virgin Mary undefiled,
- keep us free from sin.
God of life, you strengthened Mary at the foot of the Cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of her Son,
- support us amid the trials of life and strengthen us in hope.
God of peace, in the blood of your Son you reconciled humanity to yourself and restored harmony in creation,
- make us builders of peace, generous in service and solicitous in love.
God of kindness, through your Son, the sole Mediator, who died and rose for us,
- grant to our deceased brothers and sisters a share in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 07:28
Daytime Prayer
Complementary psalmody. However, if the solemnity is celebrated on Sunday, the psalms are taken from Sunday, Week I.
Mid-morning
Ant. In holiness God created me;
He took me by my hand,
and redeemed me.
READING Genesis 3:14a–15
The Lord said to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”
V. The Virgin Mary, as a rose from thorns, is born from Eve.
R. So that the power of God might wipe out sin; and his grace, our guilt.
Midday
Ant. When they reached the summit of Calvary,
Jesus was crucified.
READING Hebrews 5:7-9
In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
V. Mother of Christ-God, a sword pierced your most holy soul
R. when you saw your Son and God voluntarily ascend the Cross.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. The Lord says to his mother:
Woman, behold your son!
And to the disciple: Behold your mother!
READING Genesis 9:17
God said: This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all mortal creatures that are on the earth.
V. At the foot of the Cross, you appointed the Virgin Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
R. reconciler of sinners.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Mid-morning
Ant. In holiness God created me;
He took me by my hand,
and redeemed me.
READING Genesis 3:14a–15
The Lord said to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”
V. The Virgin Mary, as a rose from thorns, is born from Eve.
R. So that the power of God might wipe out sin; and his grace, our guilt.
Midday
Ant. When they reached the summit of Calvary,
Jesus was crucified.
READING Hebrews 5:7-9
In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
R. when you saw your Son and God voluntarily ascend the Cross.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. The Lord says to his mother:
Woman, behold your son!
And to the disciple: Behold your mother!
READING Genesis 9:17
God said: This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all mortal creatures that are on the earth.
V. At the foot of the Cross, you appointed the Virgin Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
R. reconciler of sinners.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 07:16
Morning Prayer
HYMN
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
O sweet Mother! Font of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.
Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain.
Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with you,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of you to give.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen.
Or:
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
Sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
Has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
But has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
And freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
We might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
Might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
For all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
And I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
And make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
And he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
Which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
And may the heavens and the earth be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ the Son of God *
Who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 On Calvary, Our Lady of Sorrows ushers us
into the nuptial feast of the New Covenant.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
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.
Ant. 1 On Calvary, Our Lady of Sorrows ushers us
into the nuptial feast of the New Covenant.
Ant. 2 With the Virgin Mary,
may all creatures of heaven and earth,
bless the Lord Jesus for the gift of redemption.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
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, *
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; *
lightning 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 in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2 With the Virgin Mary,
may all creatures of heaven and earth,
bless the Lord Jesus for the gift of redemption.
Ant. 3 With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
the Church raises hymns of praise to the Lord.
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.
Ant. 3 With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
the Church raises hymns of praise to the Lord.
READING 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
RESPONSORY
R The Cross of Christ * is the sign of reconciliation.
-- The Cross of Christ is the sign of reconciliation.
V. In the blood of the new covenant,
-- is the sign of reconciliation.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
-- The Cross of Christ is the sign of reconciliation.
Benedictus Ant. Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
because you believed in Christ Jesus who visited and redeemed us.
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 ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
because you believed in Christ Jesus who visited and redeemed us.
INTERCESSIONS
In union with Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, let us raise our prayers to the Lord Jesus, and ask:
Make us companions and witnesses of your life, Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, you call blessed those who listen to your word and observe it;
- grant that we, too, may savor it and keep it as a source of blessedness.
Lord Jesus, in your love you have called women and men to your discipleship;
- may the example of the Virgin Mary encourage many young people to follow you and share your saving mission.
Lord Jesus, by the deep sorrow that pierced your beloved Mother,
- with your presence, console all those burdened by suffering.
Lord Jesus, who joined your holy Mother to yourself in life and in glory,
- by her intercession, remember to your heavenly Father all those whom you have redeemed with your blood.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
O sweet Mother! Font of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.
Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain.
Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with you,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of you to give.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen.
Or:
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
Sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
Has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
But has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
And freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
We might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
Might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
For all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
And I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
And make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
And he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
Which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
And may the heavens and the earth be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ the Son of God *
Who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 On Calvary, Our Lady of Sorrows ushers us
into the nuptial feast of the New Covenant.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
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.
Ant. 1 On Calvary, Our Lady of Sorrows ushers us
into the nuptial feast of the New Covenant.
Ant. 2 With the Virgin Mary,
may all creatures of heaven and earth,
bless the Lord Jesus for the gift of redemption.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
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, *
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; *
lightning 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 in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2 With the Virgin Mary,
may all creatures of heaven and earth,
bless the Lord Jesus for the gift of redemption.
Ant. 3 With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
the Church raises hymns of praise to the Lord.
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.
Ant. 3 With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
the Church raises hymns of praise to the Lord.
READING 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
RESPONSORY
R The Cross of Christ * is the sign of reconciliation.
-- The Cross of Christ is the sign of reconciliation.
V. In the blood of the new covenant,
-- is the sign of reconciliation.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
-- The Cross of Christ is the sign of reconciliation.
Benedictus Ant. Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
because you believed in Christ Jesus who visited and redeemed us.
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 ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
because you believed in Christ Jesus who visited and redeemed us.
INTERCESSIONS
In union with Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, let us raise our prayers to the Lord Jesus, and ask:
Make us companions and witnesses of your life, Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, you call blessed those who listen to your word and observe it;
- grant that we, too, may savor it and keep it as a source of blessedness.
Lord Jesus, in your love you have called women and men to your discipleship;
- may the example of the Virgin Mary encourage many young people to follow you and share your saving mission.
Lord Jesus, by the deep sorrow that pierced your beloved Mother,
- with your presence, console all those burdened by suffering.
Lord Jesus, who joined your holy Mother to yourself in life and in glory,
- by her intercession, remember to your heavenly Father all those whom you have redeemed with your blood.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 07:08
Office of Readings
INVITATORY
Ant. In memory of Mary
united with her Son in his passion,
let us adore Christ our Lord.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
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.)
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, 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.)
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.)
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.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
HYMN
At the cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
all his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed
of the sole-begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
‘whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
For the sins of his own nation
saw him hang in desolation
till his spirit forth he sent.
O sweet Mother! Font of love,
touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with yours accord.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
be your Mother my defense,
be your cross my victory. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Mary, you are blessed by the Lord;
the God of salvation has made you holy.
PSALM 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all it holds, *
the world and those who live there.
For God founded it on the seas, *
established it over the rivers.
Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? *
Who can stand in his holy place?
“The clean of hand and pure of heart, †
who are not devoted to idols, *
who have not sworn falsely.
They will receive blessings from the Lord,*
and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the Lord, *
that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates; †
rise up, you ancient portals, *
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory? †
The Lord, a mighty warrior, *
the Lord, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates; †
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory? *
The Lord of hosts is the king of glory.
Ant. 1. Mary, you are blessed by the Lord,
the God of salvation has made you holy.
Ant. 2. The Most High has sanctified his dwelling-place.
PSALM 46
God is our refuge and our strength, *
an ever-present help in distress.
Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken *
and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
Though its waters rage and foam *
and mountains totter at its surging.
The Lord of hosts is with us; *
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Streams of the river gladden the city of God,*
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; *
God will help it at break of day.
Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, *
God's voice thunders and the earth trembles.
The Lord of hosts is with us; *
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come and see the works of the Lord, *
who has done fearsome deeds on earth;
Who stops wars to the ends of the earth, †
breaks the bow, splinters the spear, *
and burns the shields with fire;
Who says: “Be still and confess that I am God! *
I am exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;*
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Ant. 2 The Most High has sanctified his dwelling-place.
Ant. 3 Marvelous things are said of you,
O Virgin Mary!
PSALM 87
The Lord loves the city founded on holy mountains, †
loves the gates of Zion *
more than any dwelling in Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,*
O city of God!
From Babylon and Egypt I count those who acknowledge the Lord. †
Philistia, Ethiopia, Tyre, *
of them it can be said: “This one was born there.”
But of Zion it must be said: “They all were born here. *
The Most High confirms this.”
The Lord notes in the register of the peoples: *
“This one was born here.”
So all sing in their festive dance:*
“Within you is my true home.”
Ant. 3 Marvelous things are said of you,
O Virgin Mary!
V. In the fullness of time, God sent his Son, born of a woman,
R. to redeem us and to make us his children by adoption.
FIRST READING
From the first letter of Saint Paul the apostle to the Corinthians 1:17-30
Wisdom of the world and Christian wisdom
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.”
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong; and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
RESPONSORY
R. Blessed are you among women; you changed the curse of Eve into blessing;
* thanks to you, the blessing of the Father has shone upon all men and women.
V. Through you, your ancestors found salvation;
R. thanks to you, the blessing of the Father has shone upon all men and women.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin.
(Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias nn. 498, 471: Vol. II, ed. 1947)
The condescension of God toward us
Dearest daughter in Jesus, remember to be very, very devoted to Mary Most Holy; be persevering in often invoking her with confidence. Tell her to set you totally afire with love for Jesus. Let your thoughts dwell on the most holy Passion of her Son and his bitter sufferings. Often speak of God’s infinite charity in having given us his most Holy Son; speak also of the great beauty of Jesus and Mary. Let us love all with tender affection: they cost Jesus his blood and caused bitter sorrows to his Virgin Mother. Our hearts should be filled with zeal for their salvation, and we should offer our prayers for the salvation of souls.
Let us offer the blood of Jesus at the throne of Divine Mercy for the fulfillment of our desires, which are the gift of his goodness and which he wishes us to foster because they are his, not ours. Let us thank him.
Let us not become dismayed at the hardships and the fatigue to be borne. Let us reflect that a God endured the hard death of the cross to save souls. With infinite condescension he calls on us to help him.
Let us humble ourselves to the depths, and even lower, because of our sins. Let us place all our confidence in God and in the blood of Jesus Christ. Over and over let us abandon ourselves into the arms of the divine mercy, protesting that we should be happy to die for the salvation of souls. In this way we shall give joy to Jesus and Mary. My daughter, meditate on the great condescension of a God toward us.
I lose myself; I do not know how to express what I feel. We, work for Jesus? We, suffer for Jesus? …(I cannot understand). We, die for Jesus?…We? Who are we?
O great condescension of a God! O great condescension of Jesus! Let us consider, dearly loved daughter, that the law given us, to walk the way of sorrow and suffering, is not due to any hardness on the part of our most beloved God, because there cannot be such in that holiest and sweetest Heart. Rather, it is the effect of a most tender and unlimited love toward us, so that we can atone for our sins and make ourselves worthy of him. With profound respect and true attachment, let us adore the admirable mystery of the Cross…
They tell me I am always speaking about the Cross. My daughter, believe me, that is not just for form’s sake, but for the true love of my heart and the high esteem I have for that adorable Standard. And we can say in all truth that anyone who shares the sufferings of Jesus Christ is immensely honored.
As for myself (I admit the truth), I do not suffer anything; I feel ashamed and humiliated to appear before my Crucified Jesus. I shrink from every little inconvenience. Pray for me so that the Lord may make me worthy of his disappointments.
Let us lovingly embrace hardships for Jesus, and carry his most holy Cross in triumph.
RESPONSORY
R. Let us place all our trust in Mary Most Holy * and live hidden in the Cross.
V. In any need whatsoever, let us turn to Our Lady of Sorrows,
R. and live hidden in the Cross.
Or
From the writings of Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, priest
(“Sorrows of Mary Most Holy”, 3,1: Spiritual Writings, I, Rome 1995, 6 –12, selections)
The Passion of Jesus in Mary
Turn your eyes to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of incense, to lovers’ mountain, oh faithful people. Look at the tender Mother to whom it was once prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul. Truly, O Mother, your sorrow is as big as the sea. The heart of Mary is afflicted and in anguish by a twofold love: the love of her Son, innocent and crucified, causes her an ineffable martyrdom; the love for the redeemed sinner inflicts upon her unparalleled pain. Just like a ship battered by opposing winds, she is tossed back and forth, and at the end stands still.
After following the trace of Jesus’ blood from a distance, her mind overwhelmed by sorrow at the thought of his pain, Mary makes her way out of the crowd and places herself facing him; she became both a viewer and a performer of the cruel event.
And now she ponders Jesus’ pains, contemplates the gashes, and reflects on the killing. A bundle of thorns pierces Mary’s mind.
Where the world’s ruin began from Eve, there, the reparation began by Christ, who, after tasting the bitterness of the wood of the cross, passed it to his Mother to taste.
She stood there as a Priestess, more than as a Mother, contributing by her pain to the sacrifice for us human beings.
Mary’s sufferings were increased by the fact that she could not be of any solace to Jesus. She suffered most when she saw Jesus’ final agony, after he had suffered for several hours.
Oh Mother! My sin is the sword that Simeon foretold. I pierce through two hearts when I sin: your soul and that of your Son.
You, angels of peace, were weeping while she stood firm at the sight of her Son: her eyes were pitiful, but full of great dignity; they were in pain, but without tears. When, in compassion for Jesus the Redeemer, the tears, as tiny drops heralding suffering, would appear on her pupils, her love for redeemed humanity would stop their flow down the cheeks. While Jesus’ love touched her heart, her love for us human beings held back her tears.
The eternal Father gave us his Son out of his excessive love for us; Mary gave her own Son to us out of tender benevolence.
RESPONSORY cf. Lk 23:33; Jn 19:25; Lk 2:35
R. When they reached Calvary’s summit, they crucified him. * Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother.
V. The sword of sorrow pierced her soul.
R. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother.
HYMN Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers;
All the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Ant. In memory of Mary
united with her Son in his passion,
let us adore Christ our Lord.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
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.)
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, 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.)
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.)
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.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
HYMN
At the cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
all his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed
of the sole-begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
‘whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
For the sins of his own nation
saw him hang in desolation
till his spirit forth he sent.
O sweet Mother! Font of love,
touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with yours accord.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
be your Mother my defense,
be your cross my victory. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Mary, you are blessed by the Lord;
the God of salvation has made you holy.
PSALM 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all it holds, *
the world and those who live there.
For God founded it on the seas, *
established it over the rivers.
Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? *
Who can stand in his holy place?
“The clean of hand and pure of heart, †
who are not devoted to idols, *
who have not sworn falsely.
They will receive blessings from the Lord,*
and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the Lord, *
that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates; †
rise up, you ancient portals, *
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory? †
The Lord, a mighty warrior, *
the Lord, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates; †
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory? *
The Lord of hosts is the king of glory.
Ant. 1. Mary, you are blessed by the Lord,
the God of salvation has made you holy.
Ant. 2. The Most High has sanctified his dwelling-place.
PSALM 46
God is our refuge and our strength, *
an ever-present help in distress.
Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken *
and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,
Though its waters rage and foam *
and mountains totter at its surging.
The Lord of hosts is with us; *
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Streams of the river gladden the city of God,*
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; *
God will help it at break of day.
Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, *
God's voice thunders and the earth trembles.
The Lord of hosts is with us; *
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come and see the works of the Lord, *
who has done fearsome deeds on earth;
Who stops wars to the ends of the earth, †
breaks the bow, splinters the spear, *
and burns the shields with fire;
Who says: “Be still and confess that I am God! *
I am exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;*
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Ant. 2 The Most High has sanctified his dwelling-place.
Ant. 3 Marvelous things are said of you,
O Virgin Mary!
PSALM 87
The Lord loves the city founded on holy mountains, †
loves the gates of Zion *
more than any dwelling in Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,*
O city of God!
From Babylon and Egypt I count those who acknowledge the Lord. †
Philistia, Ethiopia, Tyre, *
of them it can be said: “This one was born there.”
But of Zion it must be said: “They all were born here. *
The Most High confirms this.”
The Lord notes in the register of the peoples: *
“This one was born here.”
So all sing in their festive dance:*
“Within you is my true home.”
Ant. 3 Marvelous things are said of you,
O Virgin Mary!
V. In the fullness of time, God sent his Son, born of a woman,
R. to redeem us and to make us his children by adoption.
FIRST READING
From the first letter of Saint Paul the apostle to the Corinthians 1:17-30
Wisdom of the world and Christian wisdom
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.”
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong; and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
RESPONSORY
R. Blessed are you among women; you changed the curse of Eve into blessing;
* thanks to you, the blessing of the Father has shone upon all men and women.
V. Through you, your ancestors found salvation;
R. thanks to you, the blessing of the Father has shone upon all men and women.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin.
(Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias nn. 498, 471: Vol. II, ed. 1947)
The condescension of God toward us
Dearest daughter in Jesus, remember to be very, very devoted to Mary Most Holy; be persevering in often invoking her with confidence. Tell her to set you totally afire with love for Jesus. Let your thoughts dwell on the most holy Passion of her Son and his bitter sufferings. Often speak of God’s infinite charity in having given us his most Holy Son; speak also of the great beauty of Jesus and Mary. Let us love all with tender affection: they cost Jesus his blood and caused bitter sorrows to his Virgin Mother. Our hearts should be filled with zeal for their salvation, and we should offer our prayers for the salvation of souls.
Let us offer the blood of Jesus at the throne of Divine Mercy for the fulfillment of our desires, which are the gift of his goodness and which he wishes us to foster because they are his, not ours. Let us thank him.
Let us not become dismayed at the hardships and the fatigue to be borne. Let us reflect that a God endured the hard death of the cross to save souls. With infinite condescension he calls on us to help him.
Let us humble ourselves to the depths, and even lower, because of our sins. Let us place all our confidence in God and in the blood of Jesus Christ. Over and over let us abandon ourselves into the arms of the divine mercy, protesting that we should be happy to die for the salvation of souls. In this way we shall give joy to Jesus and Mary. My daughter, meditate on the great condescension of a God toward us.
I lose myself; I do not know how to express what I feel. We, work for Jesus? We, suffer for Jesus? …(I cannot understand). We, die for Jesus?…We? Who are we?
O great condescension of a God! O great condescension of Jesus! Let us consider, dearly loved daughter, that the law given us, to walk the way of sorrow and suffering, is not due to any hardness on the part of our most beloved God, because there cannot be such in that holiest and sweetest Heart. Rather, it is the effect of a most tender and unlimited love toward us, so that we can atone for our sins and make ourselves worthy of him. With profound respect and true attachment, let us adore the admirable mystery of the Cross…
They tell me I am always speaking about the Cross. My daughter, believe me, that is not just for form’s sake, but for the true love of my heart and the high esteem I have for that adorable Standard. And we can say in all truth that anyone who shares the sufferings of Jesus Christ is immensely honored.
As for myself (I admit the truth), I do not suffer anything; I feel ashamed and humiliated to appear before my Crucified Jesus. I shrink from every little inconvenience. Pray for me so that the Lord may make me worthy of his disappointments.
Let us lovingly embrace hardships for Jesus, and carry his most holy Cross in triumph.
RESPONSORY
R. Let us place all our trust in Mary Most Holy * and live hidden in the Cross.
V. In any need whatsoever, let us turn to Our Lady of Sorrows,
R. and live hidden in the Cross.
Or
From the writings of Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, priest
(“Sorrows of Mary Most Holy”, 3,1: Spiritual Writings, I, Rome 1995, 6 –12, selections)
The Passion of Jesus in Mary
Turn your eyes to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of incense, to lovers’ mountain, oh faithful people. Look at the tender Mother to whom it was once prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul. Truly, O Mother, your sorrow is as big as the sea. The heart of Mary is afflicted and in anguish by a twofold love: the love of her Son, innocent and crucified, causes her an ineffable martyrdom; the love for the redeemed sinner inflicts upon her unparalleled pain. Just like a ship battered by opposing winds, she is tossed back and forth, and at the end stands still.
After following the trace of Jesus’ blood from a distance, her mind overwhelmed by sorrow at the thought of his pain, Mary makes her way out of the crowd and places herself facing him; she became both a viewer and a performer of the cruel event.
And now she ponders Jesus’ pains, contemplates the gashes, and reflects on the killing. A bundle of thorns pierces Mary’s mind.
Where the world’s ruin began from Eve, there, the reparation began by Christ, who, after tasting the bitterness of the wood of the cross, passed it to his Mother to taste.
She stood there as a Priestess, more than as a Mother, contributing by her pain to the sacrifice for us human beings.
Mary’s sufferings were increased by the fact that she could not be of any solace to Jesus. She suffered most when she saw Jesus’ final agony, after he had suffered for several hours.
Oh Mother! My sin is the sword that Simeon foretold. I pierce through two hearts when I sin: your soul and that of your Son.
You, angels of peace, were weeping while she stood firm at the sight of her Son: her eyes were pitiful, but full of great dignity; they were in pain, but without tears. When, in compassion for Jesus the Redeemer, the tears, as tiny drops heralding suffering, would appear on her pupils, her love for redeemed humanity would stop their flow down the cheeks. While Jesus’ love touched her heart, her love for us human beings held back her tears.
The eternal Father gave us his Son out of his excessive love for us; Mary gave her own Son to us out of tender benevolence.
RESPONSORY cf. Lk 23:33; Jn 19:25; Lk 2:35
R. When they reached Calvary’s summit, they crucified him. * Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother.
V. The sword of sorrow pierced her soul.
R. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother.
HYMN Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers;
All the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 07:01
Evening Prayer I
HYMN
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In his awful judgement day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 For you we praise the Father,
O sorrowful Virgin;
in the blood of your Son Jesus,
we have the fullness of life.
PSALM 113 Praise the name of the Lord
He has thrown down the powerful from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. (Luke 1:52)
Praise, you servants of the Lord,*
praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord*
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting*
let the name of the Lord be praised.
High above all nations is the Lord; *
above the heavens God's glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God enthroned on high, *
looking down on heaven and earth?
The Lord raises the needy from the dust,*
lifts the poor from the ash heap,
Seats them with princes,*
the princes of the people,
Gives the childless wife a home, *
the joyful mother of children.
Ant. 1 For you we praise the Father,
O sorrowful Virgin;
in the blood of your Son Jesus,
we have the fullness of life.
Ant. 2 Woman of the New Covenant, standing beside the cross,
your divine Son
named you Mother of his disciples.
PSALM 147 (12-20) God’s word restores Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride, the spouse of the lamb. (Revelation 21:9)
Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem; *
Zion, offer praise to your God,
Who has strengthened the bars of your gates, *
blessed your children within you.
He has brought peace to your borders, *
and filled you with finest wheat.
The Lord sends a command to earth;*
his word runs swiftly!
Thus snow is spread like wool, *
frost is scattered like ash,
Hail is dispersed like crumbs;*
before such cold the waters freeze.
Again he sends his word and they melt; *
the wind is unleashed and the waters flow.
The Lord also proclaims his word to Jacob, *
decrees and laws to Israel.
God has not done this for other nations; *
of such laws they know nothing.
Ant. 2 Woman of the New Covenant, standing beside the cross,
your divine Son
named you Mother of his disciples.
Ant. 3 Rejoice, full of grace,
and dance, O joyful Mother;
the blood of your Son Jesus
has reconciled heaven and earth.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
In the Virgin Mother, Christ has revealed to us the mystery of the Father.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 Rejoice, full of grace,
and dance, O joyful Mother;
the blood of your Son Jesus
has reconciled heaven and earth.
READING Colossians 1:24-25
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake; and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me, to bring to completion for you the word of God.
RESPONSORY
R. Obtain salvation for us, * O Virgin Mary.
-- Obtain salvation for us, O Virgin Mary.
V. Through the passion of Christ your Son,
-- O Virgin Mary
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Obtain salvation for us, O Virgin Mary.
Magnificat Ant. Jesus says to his mother: “Woman behold your son!”
And to the disciple whom he loved: “Behold your mother!”
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Jesus says to his mother: “Woman behold your son!”
And to the disciple whom he loved: “Behold your mother!”
INTERCESSIONS
With Our Lady of Sorrows, let us look lovingly at the crucified Christ and pray to our heavenly Father saying:
Reveal to us, Father, the mysterious glory of the Cross.
God of love, in the blood of your Son, poured out on the Cross, you ratified the eternal covenant with your people,
- grant that we may live it as Mary did, faithful to your loving plan and in solidarity with all our sisters and brothers.
God of compassion, in view of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, you preserved the Virgin Mary undefiled,
- keep us free from sin.
God of life, you strengthened Mary at the foot of the Cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of her Son,
- support us amid the trials of life and strengthen us in hope.
God of peace, in the blood of your Son you reconciled humanity to yourself and restored harmony in creation,
- make us builders of peace, generous in service and solicitous in love.
God of kindness, through your Son, the sole Mediator, who died and rose for us,
- grant to our deceased brothers and sisters a share in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Our Father
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In his awful judgement day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 For you we praise the Father,
O sorrowful Virgin;
in the blood of your Son Jesus,
we have the fullness of life.
PSALM 113 Praise the name of the Lord
He has thrown down the powerful from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. (Luke 1:52)
Praise, you servants of the Lord,*
praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord*
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting*
let the name of the Lord be praised.
High above all nations is the Lord; *
above the heavens God's glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God enthroned on high, *
looking down on heaven and earth?
The Lord raises the needy from the dust,*
lifts the poor from the ash heap,
Seats them with princes,*
the princes of the people,
Gives the childless wife a home, *
the joyful mother of children.
Ant. 1 For you we praise the Father,
O sorrowful Virgin;
in the blood of your Son Jesus,
we have the fullness of life.
Ant. 2 Woman of the New Covenant, standing beside the cross,
your divine Son
named you Mother of his disciples.
PSALM 147 (12-20) God’s word restores Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride, the spouse of the lamb. (Revelation 21:9)
Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem; *
Zion, offer praise to your God,
Who has strengthened the bars of your gates, *
blessed your children within you.
He has brought peace to your borders, *
and filled you with finest wheat.
The Lord sends a command to earth;*
his word runs swiftly!
Thus snow is spread like wool, *
frost is scattered like ash,
Hail is dispersed like crumbs;*
before such cold the waters freeze.
Again he sends his word and they melt; *
the wind is unleashed and the waters flow.
The Lord also proclaims his word to Jacob, *
decrees and laws to Israel.
God has not done this for other nations; *
of such laws they know nothing.
Ant. 2 Woman of the New Covenant, standing beside the cross,
your divine Son
named you Mother of his disciples.
Ant. 3 Rejoice, full of grace,
and dance, O joyful Mother;
the blood of your Son Jesus
has reconciled heaven and earth.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
In the Virgin Mother, Christ has revealed to us the mystery of the Father.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 Rejoice, full of grace,
and dance, O joyful Mother;
the blood of your Son Jesus
has reconciled heaven and earth.
READING Colossians 1:24-25
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake; and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me, to bring to completion for you the word of God.
R. Obtain salvation for us, * O Virgin Mary.
-- Obtain salvation for us, O Virgin Mary.
V. Through the passion of Christ your Son,
-- O Virgin Mary
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Obtain salvation for us, O Virgin Mary.
Magnificat Ant. Jesus says to his mother: “Woman behold your son!”
And to the disciple whom he loved: “Behold your mother!”
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Jesus says to his mother: “Woman behold your son!”
And to the disciple whom he loved: “Behold your mother!”
INTERCESSIONS
With Our Lady of Sorrows, let us look lovingly at the crucified Christ and pray to our heavenly Father saying:
Reveal to us, Father, the mysterious glory of the Cross.
God of love, in the blood of your Son, poured out on the Cross, you ratified the eternal covenant with your people,
- grant that we may live it as Mary did, faithful to your loving plan and in solidarity with all our sisters and brothers.
God of compassion, in view of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, you preserved the Virgin Mary undefiled,
- keep us free from sin.
God of life, you strengthened Mary at the foot of the Cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of her Son,
- support us amid the trials of life and strengthen us in hope.
God of peace, in the blood of your Son you reconciled humanity to yourself and restored harmony in creation,
- make us builders of peace, generous in service and solicitous in love.
God of kindness, through your Son, the sole Mediator, who died and rose for us,
- grant to our deceased brothers and sisters a share in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Our Father
Prayer
Father most holy, who willed to associate Our Lady of Sorrows, Woman of the New Covenant, to the sacrifice of your Son; through the merits of his precious blood, grant, we pray, that your Church, born of Christ’s pierced side, may always celebrate the memorial of his work of redemption with the love of our Mother Mary showed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 06:49
Evening Prayer II
HYMN
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
our garments cleansed in him,
saved and made new by Love,
we sing praise to you, Lord Christ.
With you we are raised on the Cross,
with you, baptized into your death,
in you, O Christ, we are now risen,
and restored to life in the heart of the Father.
O Christ, your life is an immense font
of joy, springing up eternally;
unending splendor, in you is immersed
the human smallness of the redeemed.
Our day passes, declining;
Lord, remain with us this evening,
and may the certainty of our faith
light up the advancing night.
Grant that our death be absorbed
by the glorious light of the Resurrection
and, having died your own death,
may we live in you, who are our life.
O Father of kindness, we ask you this
through your Son who is risen,
and through the eternal Love who leads us
toward the sweet light of your face.
Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant 1 You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
PSALM 110:1-5, 7 The Messiah, king and priest
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord says to you, my lord: *
“Take your throne at my right hand,
while I make your enemies your footstool.”
The scepter of your sovereign might the Lord will extend from Zion. *
The Lord says: “Rule over your enemies!
Yours is princely power from the day of your birth.*
In holy splendor before the daystar,
like the dew I begot you.”
The Lord has sworn and will not waver:*
“Like Melchizedek you are a priest forever.”
At your right hand is the Lord, *
who crushes kings on the day of wrath,
who drinks from the brook by the wayside *
and thus holds high the head.
Ant. 1 You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
Ant. 2 Christ Jesus gave himself
as a ransom for all.
PSALM 116:1-13 Giving Thanks in the Temple
Through him (Christ) let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I love the Lord, who listened *
to my voice in supplication,
Who turned an ear to me *
on the day I called.
I was caught by the cords of death; *
the snares of Sheol had seized me;
I felt agony and dread. †
Then I called on the name of the Lord,*
“O Lord, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord and just;*
yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord protects the simple; *
I was helpless, but God saved me.
Return, my soul, to your rest; *
the Lord has been good to you.
For my soul has been freed from death, †
my eyes from tears, *
my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord *
in the land of the living.
I kept faith, even when I said, *
“I am greatly afflicted!”
I said in my alarm, *
“No one can be trusted!”
How can I repay the Lord *
for all the good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation *
and call on the name of the Lord
Ant. 2 Christ Jesus gave himself
as a ransom for all.
Ant. 3 To make us holy and spotless before the Father,
Jesus lovingly accepted the cross.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 To make us holy and spotless before the Father,
Jesus lovingly accepted the cross.
READING 1 Peter 1:18-21
You realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
RESPONSORY
R. Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ,
* and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
-- Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ, and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
V. It was poured out for our salvation
-- and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ, and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
Magnificat Ant. With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
let us glorify the Father who has redeemed us in his Son.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
let us glorify the Father who has redeemed us in his Son.
INTERCESSIONS
With faith and gratitude, let us beseech Christ who has reconciled humanity with God in his blood:
By your blood poured out for us, hear us, Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, you gave your life in a sacrifice of expiation at the close of day;
- we pray for the Church: make her an effective instrument of unity, communion and peace for the whole human race.
Lord Jesus, your blood poured out for us is an expression of your immense love;
- we pray for all peoples: guide and hear their desires for freedom, justice and truth.
Lord Jesus, with your precious blood you justified us before the Father;
- we pray for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized: in their need, let them experience solidarity, help and support from all of us.
Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood you free us from the Evil One;
- we pray for all those who proclaim the Gospel: give them honesty in communication, integrity of life, and joy in sharing your victory over the powers of evil.
Lord Jesus, with your blood you purify and nourish your Church;
- we pray for this community: may the Eucharist, summit and source of life, be its daily food for mission.
Lord Jesus, crucified and risen for us, you granted pardon to the repentant thief;
- we pray for our dear deceased relatives and friends: grant them a share in the eternal nuptial banquet in the glory of the blessed.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
our garments cleansed in him,
saved and made new by Love,
we sing praise to you, Lord Christ.
With you we are raised on the Cross,
with you, baptized into your death,
in you, O Christ, we are now risen,
and restored to life in the heart of the Father.
O Christ, your life is an immense font
of joy, springing up eternally;
unending splendor, in you is immersed
the human smallness of the redeemed.
Our day passes, declining;
Lord, remain with us this evening,
and may the certainty of our faith
light up the advancing night.
Grant that our death be absorbed
by the glorious light of the Resurrection
and, having died your own death,
may we live in you, who are our life.
O Father of kindness, we ask you this
through your Son who is risen,
and through the eternal Love who leads us
toward the sweet light of your face.
Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant 1 You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
PSALM 110:1-5, 7 The Messiah, king and priest
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord says to you, my lord: *
“Take your throne at my right hand,
while I make your enemies your footstool.”
The scepter of your sovereign might the Lord will extend from Zion. *
The Lord says: “Rule over your enemies!
Yours is princely power from the day of your birth.*
In holy splendor before the daystar,
like the dew I begot you.”
The Lord has sworn and will not waver:*
“Like Melchizedek you are a priest forever.”
At your right hand is the Lord, *
who crushes kings on the day of wrath,
who drinks from the brook by the wayside *
and thus holds high the head.
Ant. 1 You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
Ant. 2 Christ Jesus gave himself
as a ransom for all.
PSALM 116:1-13 Giving Thanks in the Temple
Through him (Christ) let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I love the Lord, who listened *
to my voice in supplication,
Who turned an ear to me *
on the day I called.
I was caught by the cords of death; *
the snares of Sheol had seized me;
I felt agony and dread. †
Then I called on the name of the Lord,*
“O Lord, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord and just;*
yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord protects the simple; *
I was helpless, but God saved me.
Return, my soul, to your rest; *
the Lord has been good to you.
For my soul has been freed from death, †
my eyes from tears, *
my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord *
in the land of the living.
I kept faith, even when I said, *
“I am greatly afflicted!”
I said in my alarm, *
“No one can be trusted!”
How can I repay the Lord *
for all the good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation *
and call on the name of the Lord
Ant. 2 Christ Jesus gave himself
as a ransom for all.
Ant. 3 To make us holy and spotless before the Father,
Jesus lovingly accepted the cross.
CANTICLE cf Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 To make us holy and spotless before the Father,
Jesus lovingly accepted the cross.
READING 1 Peter 1:18-21
You realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
R. Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ,
* and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
-- Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ, and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
V. It was poured out for our salvation
-- and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Let us gaze upon the blood of Christ, and we will understand how precious it is before the Father.
Magnificat Ant. With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
let us glorify the Father who has redeemed us in his Son.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. With Mary, Woman of the New Covenant,
let us glorify the Father who has redeemed us in his Son.
INTERCESSIONS
With faith and gratitude, let us beseech Christ who has reconciled humanity with God in his blood:
By your blood poured out for us, hear us, Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, you gave your life in a sacrifice of expiation at the close of day;
- we pray for the Church: make her an effective instrument of unity, communion and peace for the whole human race.
Lord Jesus, your blood poured out for us is an expression of your immense love;
- we pray for all peoples: guide and hear their desires for freedom, justice and truth.
Lord Jesus, with your precious blood you justified us before the Father;
- we pray for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized: in their need, let them experience solidarity, help and support from all of us.
Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood you free us from the Evil One;
- we pray for all those who proclaim the Gospel: give them honesty in communication, integrity of life, and joy in sharing your victory over the powers of evil.
Lord Jesus, with your blood you purify and nourish your Church;
- we pray for this community: may the Eucharist, summit and source of life, be its daily food for mission.
Lord Jesus, crucified and risen for us, you granted pardon to the repentant thief;
- we pray for our dear deceased relatives and friends: grant them a share in the eternal nuptial banquet in the glory of the blessed.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Tagged under
Friday, 26 May 2023 06:45
Daytime Prayer
Complementary psalmody. However, if the solemnity is celebrated on Sunday, the psalms are taken from Sunday, Week I.
Mid-morning
Ant. The soldier’s lance opened the side of Jesus;
and blood and water came out.
READING 1 John 5: 6-9
This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this: that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
V. The blood of Christ has made us clean
R. with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Midday
Ant. The blood of Christ, crying out from the cross,
speaks of peace and reconciliation.
READING Colossians 1:19-22
In him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds. God has now reconciled you in his fleshly Body of Christ through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him.
V. Look, O God, our shield,
R. look at the face of your Christ.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. Christ, the Paschal Lamb,
was hung as a victim on a tree.
READING Revelation 21:3-6
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.” He said to me, “They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.
V. He was pierced for our faults;
R. and by his wounds we have been healed.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Mid-morning
Ant. The soldier’s lance opened the side of Jesus;
and blood and water came out.
READING 1 John 5: 6-9
This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this: that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
V. The blood of Christ has made us clean
R. with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Midday
Ant. The blood of Christ, crying out from the cross,
speaks of peace and reconciliation.
READING Colossians 1:19-22
In him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds. God has now reconciled you in his fleshly Body of Christ through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him.
V. Look, O God, our shield,
R. look at the face of your Christ.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. Christ, the Paschal Lamb,
was hung as a victim on a tree.
READING Revelation 21:3-6
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.” He said to me, “They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.
R. and by his wounds we have been healed.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Thursday, 25 May 2023 09:15
Morning Prayers
HYMN
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
but has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
and freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
we might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
for all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
and I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
and make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
and he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
and may the heavens and the earth
be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God *
who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Let us immerse ourselves in the opened side of Jesus Christ;
let us quench our thirst in the stream of his blood.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
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.
Ant. 1 Let us immerse ourselves in the opened side of Jesus Christ;
let us quench our thirst in the stream of his blood.
Ant. 2 Heaven and earth, every tongue and every living creature,
proclaim the redemption of the Son of God.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
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, *
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; *
lightning 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 in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2 Heaven and earth, every tongue and every living creature,
proclaim the redemption of the Son of God.
Ant. 3 With the Church, born from the side of Christ
we rejoice for the gift of salvation.
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.
Ant. 3 With the Church, born from the side of Christ
we rejoice for the gift of salvation.
READING 1 Peter 2:21-25a
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
RESPONSORY
R. Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: * immerse yourselves in my wounds.
-- Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: immerse yourselves in my wounds.
V. Come, be washed in this blood;
-- immerse yourselves in my wounds.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: immerse yourselves in my wounds
Benedictus Ant. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.
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 ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.
INTERCESSIONS
On this solemnity of the Most Precious Blood of Christ, let us praise the Father in the Holy Spirit and say:
Make us holy in the blood of Jesus!
Father, you desire that the Spouse of your Son be without spot or wrinkle,
- grant that the Church might be renewed continually in the saving power of Christ’s blood.
Father, through the sacrifice of Christ you reconciled heaven with earth,
- grant that all humanity might work toward reconciliation and peace.
Father, you gave us new birth through the offering of your Son,
- grant that our life may always be a sacrifice pleasing to you.
Father, you made one new person in place of the two, through the blood of Christ,
- grant that in the strength of your Spirit all Christians may reach the unity for which Jesus prayed and was sacrificed.
Father, in Jesus, high priest, you obtained for us eternal redemption,
- grant that its saving power might reach every tribe, tongue, people and nation.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
but has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
and freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
we might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
for all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
and I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
and make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
and he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
and may the heavens and the earth
be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God *
who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Let us immerse ourselves in the opened side of Jesus Christ;
let us quench our thirst in the stream of his blood.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
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.
Ant. 1 Let us immerse ourselves in the opened side of Jesus Christ;
let us quench our thirst in the stream of his blood.
Ant. 2 Heaven and earth, every tongue and every living creature,
proclaim the redemption of the Son of God.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
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, *
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; *
lightning 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 in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2 Heaven and earth, every tongue and every living creature,
proclaim the redemption of the Son of God.
Ant. 3 With the Church, born from the side of Christ
we rejoice for the gift of salvation.
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.
Ant. 3 With the Church, born from the side of Christ
we rejoice for the gift of salvation.
READING 1 Peter 2:21-25a
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
RESPONSORY
R. Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: * immerse yourselves in my wounds.
-- Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: immerse yourselves in my wounds.
V. Come, be washed in this blood;
-- immerse yourselves in my wounds.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Jesus calls us with the voice of his blood: immerse yourselves in my wounds
Benedictus Ant. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.
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 ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.
INTERCESSIONS
On this solemnity of the Most Precious Blood of Christ, let us praise the Father in the Holy Spirit and say:
Make us holy in the blood of Jesus!
Father, you desire that the Spouse of your Son be without spot or wrinkle,
- grant that the Church might be renewed continually in the saving power of Christ’s blood.
Father, through the sacrifice of Christ you reconciled heaven with earth,
- grant that all humanity might work toward reconciliation and peace.
Father, you gave us new birth through the offering of your Son,
- grant that our life may always be a sacrifice pleasing to you.
Father, you made one new person in place of the two, through the blood of Christ,
- grant that in the strength of your Spirit all Christians may reach the unity for which Jesus prayed and was sacrificed.
Father, in Jesus, high priest, you obtained for us eternal redemption,
- grant that its saving power might reach every tribe, tongue, people and nation.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Tagged under
Thursday, 25 May 2023 09:07
Office of Readings
Invitatory
Ant. Come, let us adore Christ Jesus, redeemer of the world:
he shed his blood for our salvation.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
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.)
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, 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.)
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.)
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.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
Hymn
Created for the glory of your name,
redeemed by your blood on the cross,
signed by the seal of your Spirit,
we beseech you: save us, O Lord!
You break the bonds of guilt,
protect the meek and free the oppressed.
You lead the people who believe in your love
to the restful meadows in heaven.
Praise and honor to you, good shepherd,
radiant beam of the eternal light,
who live with the Father and the Holy Spirit
in glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Here I am;
your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight.
PSALM 2 The Messiah, victorious King
Why do the nations protest *
and the peoples grumble in vain?
Kings on earth rise up †
and princes plot together *
against the Lord and his anointed:
“Let us break their shackles *
and cast off their chains!”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs;*
the Lord derides them,
Then speaks to them in anger, *
terrifies them in wrath:
“I myself have installed my king *
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord, †
who said to me, “You are my son; *
today I have begotten you.
Ant. 1 Here I am;
your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight.
Ant. 2 He was pierced for our sins.
By his wounds we were healed.
PSALM 3 The Lord sustains me
How many are my foes, Lord! *
How many rise against me!
How many say of me,*
“God will not save that one.”
But you, Lord, are a shield around me;*
my glory, you keep my head high.
Whenever I cried out to the Lord, *
I was answered from the holy mountain.
Whenever I lay down and slept, *
the Lord preserved me to rise again.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people †
arrayed against me on every side. *
Arise, Lord! Save me, my God!
You will shatter the jaws of all my foes; *
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
Safety comes from the Lord! *
Your blessing for your people!
Ant. 2 He was pierced for our sins.
By his wounds we were healed.
Ant. 3 I will pour out upon the house of David
a spirit of grace and of consolation;
they will look upon him whom they have pierced.
PSALM 16 The Lord is my inheritance
Keep me safe, O God; *
in you I take refuge
I say to the Lord, you are my Lord, *
you are my only good.
Worthless are all the false gods of the land. *
Accursed are all who delight in them.
They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. †
Blood libations to them I will not pour out *
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, *
you have made my destiny secure.
Pleasant places were measured out for me; *
fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
I bless the Lord who counsels me; *
even at night my heart exhorts me.
I keep the Lord always before me; *
with the Lord at my right, I shall never be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, †
my soul rejoices; *
my body also dwells secure,
For you will not abandon me to Sheol, *
nor let your faithful servant see the pit.
You will show me the path to life, †
abounding joy in your presence,*
the delights at your right hand forever.
Ant. 3 I will pour out upon the house of David
a spirit of grace and of consolation;
they will look upon him whom they have pierced.
V. You have redeemed us, Lord, with your blood.
R. And have made us a kingdom for our God.
FIRST READING
From the letter to the Hebrews 9:11-22; 10:19-24
Christ seals the new covenant with his blood
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. Now where there is a will, the death of the testator must be established. For a will takes effect only at death; it has no force while the testator is alive. Thus not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. When every commandment had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves (and goats), together with water and crimson wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is 'the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined upon you.'“ In the same way, he sprinkled also the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. According to the law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
RESPONSORY cf Ephesians 2:13-14
R. You who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. *
For he is our peace, he who made both one.
V. It pleased God to reconcile all things to himself through him.
R. For he is our peace, he who made both one.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, priest
(“Some Reflections on the Confraternity of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ”, respectfully submitted to Pope Leo XIII: Scritti del Fondatore, vol. XII, ff. 80-81)
In the devotion to the Precious Blood we go to the heart of our faith
It cannot be denied that God, always rich in mercy, has at all times used efficacious means to recall souls to the study of Christ crucified and to apply to all the divine Blood of redemption.
The first centuries of the Church were fruitful in martyrs; the following centuries witnessed sporadic attacks on one or the other doctrine of the Church, and lack of appreciation of some of her traditions and practices on the part of one or other segment of the Catholic world. In our miserable times, however, the crisis among the people is a general one. The perversion of faith and morals offers insult to the redemption and renders useless, because of human malice, the application of the merits of Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us at the price of his Blood. Consequently, is it not time to stir up our apostolic zeal and follow the light given to souls especially favored by God in order to recall to the minds of people the inestimable price of our redemption and excite them to penance and tears? Does not Sacred Scripture itself trace for us this reform by making peace through the Blood of his cross for those in heaven as well as those on earth? Does not divine Wisdom say that those justified by his Blood shall be saved from God’s wrath?
It is not enough merely to pronounce the name of God to be saved: None of those who cry out Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Two things, therefore, must be taken care of in our day. We must, first of all, find a way of placating the eternal, divine Father. For that purpose we have the merits of the divine Blood: The cup of salvation I will take up. Secondly, we must seek its effective application to souls, especially by means of missions and spiritual retreats, as well as other salutary religious activities adapted to the needs of the times. These were exactly the reasons which moved the holy Pontiff Pius VII to erect an Arch-confraternity under the august title of the Divine Blood. Sinners are abusing it terribly, and the Lord in the excess of his love is saying: What gain is there from my Blood? There should be dedicated persons who, by means of solemn worship, provide adoration and reparation, and at the same time preach to the people the glories of the divine Blood, emphasizing the fact that in this devotion we go to the heart of our faith. Hence, we say in the consecration of the chalice, The Mystery of Faith. There is an intimate connection between the devotion to the Blood of Christ and the salvation of souls.
Such is its centripetal force that all the prophetic utterances, symbols, figures and sacrifices of the Old Testament converge on it as the spokes of a wheel on a hub: In wine he washes his garments, his robe in the blood of grapes. Exodus says that the Hebrews were ordered to stain their doorposts with the blood of the lamb in order to be freed from the chastisements of Egypt as a symbol of the liberation of our souls from the servitude of the devil. Skipping many other references which could be made, we note what Moses did to his people: Taking the blood he sprinkled the book and all the people saying: This is the Blood of the covenant which God has enjoined upon you…Almost everything is purified by blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. We hear the Apostle saying: For if the blood of goats and bulls can sanctify those who are defiled, how much more will the Blood of Christ cleanse our consciences from dead works? We must pass up other references. Indeed, the Holy Scriptures are filled with sacred references to it: Why is your apparel red?… He wore a garment sprinkled with blood.
This devotion calls to mind baptism, through which the divine Blood purifies our souls, and reminds us of penance and the other sacraments, because you have redeemed us with your Blood, you have made us a kingdom, and priests to serve our God.
Whereas all other devotions are aids to Catholic piety, this devotion is its foundation, support and essence. Other devotions, products of various times, have holy and praiseworthy beginnings, but they go back only so far. This devotion, on the other hand, goes back to the moment when Adam sinned. Therefore, Jesus was called the Lamb who was slain from the world’s beginning. St. Thomas says: The Blood of Christ is the key to Paradise. St. John Chrysostom affirms: The Blood of Christ is the salvation of souls…an excellent wine is the Blood of Christ.
RESPONSORY 1 John 5:6-7
R. This is the one who came in water and blood, Jesus Christ; *
not in water only, but in water and blood.
V. It is the Spirit who gives testimony, because the Spirit is truth;
R. not in water only, but in water and blood.
Or
From the writings of Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin
(Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias, nn. 77; 701; 328; 355; 407; 543; 812; 710; 874:
ed. 1944 and 1947)
The blood of Jesus is all our hope and all our good
May our hearts never withdraw from that perennial fountain flowing from the loving wound of the side of our most loving Spouse Jesus Crucified! Here all our poor labors borne for love of him will be sweetened.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus Crucified and we can be sure he will not let us perish, provided we are faithful to him. Oh! What a beautiful honor is ours to serve God, to think always of God, to love God, to suffer in order to please God; in short, to live entirely in God. This he permits us in his infinite goodness. I say, he permits us, poor creatures and miserable worms that we are, to be elevated to union with him; nay more, he even commands it. How must not these reflections encourage the soul! She would never depart from the feet of her Lord in order to hear his most loving voice calling her to unite herself ever more to him. She does not tire of always blessing, loving, praising and thanking him with all her heart. She seeks nothing else but to give him pleasure. Her Lord’s good pleasure constitutes all her delight, and if she obtains that, she is rich and filled with so much consolation that she does not know how to express it.
Courage, therefore, and confidence in God, that, should everything else be wanting, it matters nothing, provided we enjoy the grace of our beloved Spouse, Jesus Crucified.
Let us pray very much for the Church and ardently love Jesus, our Savior, who founded it with his Precious Blood. Let us have faith in the most holy word of Jesus, who assures us that he will hear those who invoke him. We wish nothing else except his glory and the salvation of souls which cost his Blood; and therefore, let us hope firmly, for all our confidence lies in the merits of the Divine Redeemer who looks upon his spouse, the Holy Church, with tender love. And, if he now chastises her, he does so to purify her in order to make him dearer to his loving eyes. The design of our Lord Jesus Christ is to reunite all peoples in his Church, and therefore the chastisement is being felt everywhere. Oh! What a triumph! Oh! What a triumph! Let us pray, let us pray, let us pray.
What a beautiful consolation it is to see the Spouse of the Divine Lamb, the Adorers of his most Precious Blood, motivated by one sole will (the will of God), forming but one heart and one soul, and thus united, making the heavens resound with a hymn of thanksgiving to the infinite goodness of God, while at the same time they offer the Blood of his Son for the reconciliation of heaven with earth, of earth with heaven.
The Blood of Jesus is our only hope and our only Good – this Blood, shed with so much pain and so much love for our eternal salvation. Let our hearts be filled with courage, fearing nothing, not even death, so that at every moment the Precious Blood be glorified, loved and blessed by all!
My daughter, let us summon our spirit to union with God, in whom we shall find the person of his most holy Son given to us with infinite love, clothed with human flesh and covered with wounds and Blood, inviting us to contemplate him with fixed attention so that our hearts might respond to the delicacy of his most tender love.
Jesus loves us without any merit on our part. Let us love him very much because he is worthy of being loved. Let us love him also for the great gift of the redemption and for the Blood he willed to shed for us.
Let our only thought be to bring all, as far as is possible, to the knowledge of Jesus, our Crucified Love, who is covered with blood and wounds for our salvation.
Do not become disheartened. Courage and great confidence in the Blessed God. Much prayer. Jesus died for love of us; the merits of his sufferings are ours. Do not fear, my daughter. A loving glance at Jesus Crucified, and then take courage to labor for the school, for the salvation of souls, for the glory of his Precious Blood. I urge you to speak little and to pray much.
We shall pass through many tribulations in order to enter Heaven. Great confidence in the Precious Blood of Jesus. Let us ask God to make us understand the great value of sufferings. Suffering is dear to a soul that loves Jesus Christ, and it always seems to her that she does not suffer for Him who suffered so much and died crucified for love of us.
RESPONSORY cf Revelation 5:9-10; 19:5
R. You have redeemed us for God with your blood. * You have made us a kingdom for our God.
V. Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.
R. You have made us a kingdom for our God.
Hymn Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers;
All the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
PRAYER
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Ant. Come, let us adore Christ Jesus, redeemer of the world:
he shed his blood for our salvation.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
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.)
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, 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.)
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.)
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.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
Hymn
Created for the glory of your name,
redeemed by your blood on the cross,
signed by the seal of your Spirit,
we beseech you: save us, O Lord!
You break the bonds of guilt,
protect the meek and free the oppressed.
You lead the people who believe in your love
to the restful meadows in heaven.
Praise and honor to you, good shepherd,
radiant beam of the eternal light,
who live with the Father and the Holy Spirit
in glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 Here I am;
your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight.
PSALM 2 The Messiah, victorious King
Why do the nations protest *
and the peoples grumble in vain?
Kings on earth rise up †
and princes plot together *
against the Lord and his anointed:
“Let us break their shackles *
and cast off their chains!”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs;*
the Lord derides them,
Then speaks to them in anger, *
terrifies them in wrath:
“I myself have installed my king *
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord, †
who said to me, “You are my son; *
today I have begotten you.
Ant. 1 Here I am;
your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight.
Ant. 2 He was pierced for our sins.
By his wounds we were healed.
PSALM 3 The Lord sustains me
How many are my foes, Lord! *
How many rise against me!
How many say of me,*
“God will not save that one.”
But you, Lord, are a shield around me;*
my glory, you keep my head high.
Whenever I cried out to the Lord, *
I was answered from the holy mountain.
Whenever I lay down and slept, *
the Lord preserved me to rise again.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people †
arrayed against me on every side. *
Arise, Lord! Save me, my God!
You will shatter the jaws of all my foes; *
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
Safety comes from the Lord! *
Your blessing for your people!
Ant. 2 He was pierced for our sins.
By his wounds we were healed.
Ant. 3 I will pour out upon the house of David
a spirit of grace and of consolation;
they will look upon him whom they have pierced.
PSALM 16 The Lord is my inheritance
Keep me safe, O God; *
in you I take refuge
I say to the Lord, you are my Lord, *
you are my only good.
Worthless are all the false gods of the land. *
Accursed are all who delight in them.
They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. †
Blood libations to them I will not pour out *
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, *
you have made my destiny secure.
Pleasant places were measured out for me; *
fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
I bless the Lord who counsels me; *
even at night my heart exhorts me.
I keep the Lord always before me; *
with the Lord at my right, I shall never be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, †
my soul rejoices; *
my body also dwells secure,
For you will not abandon me to Sheol, *
nor let your faithful servant see the pit.
You will show me the path to life, †
abounding joy in your presence,*
the delights at your right hand forever.
Ant. 3 I will pour out upon the house of David
a spirit of grace and of consolation;
they will look upon him whom they have pierced.
V. You have redeemed us, Lord, with your blood.
R. And have made us a kingdom for our God.
FIRST READING
From the letter to the Hebrews 9:11-22; 10:19-24
Christ seals the new covenant with his blood
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. Now where there is a will, the death of the testator must be established. For a will takes effect only at death; it has no force while the testator is alive. Thus not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. When every commandment had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves (and goats), together with water and crimson wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is 'the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined upon you.'“ In the same way, he sprinkled also the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. According to the law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
RESPONSORY cf Ephesians 2:13-14
R. You who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. *
For he is our peace, he who made both one.
V. It pleased God to reconcile all things to himself through him.
R. For he is our peace, he who made both one.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, priest
(“Some Reflections on the Confraternity of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ”, respectfully submitted to Pope Leo XIII: Scritti del Fondatore, vol. XII, ff. 80-81)
In the devotion to the Precious Blood we go to the heart of our faith
It cannot be denied that God, always rich in mercy, has at all times used efficacious means to recall souls to the study of Christ crucified and to apply to all the divine Blood of redemption.
The first centuries of the Church were fruitful in martyrs; the following centuries witnessed sporadic attacks on one or the other doctrine of the Church, and lack of appreciation of some of her traditions and practices on the part of one or other segment of the Catholic world. In our miserable times, however, the crisis among the people is a general one. The perversion of faith and morals offers insult to the redemption and renders useless, because of human malice, the application of the merits of Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us at the price of his Blood. Consequently, is it not time to stir up our apostolic zeal and follow the light given to souls especially favored by God in order to recall to the minds of people the inestimable price of our redemption and excite them to penance and tears? Does not Sacred Scripture itself trace for us this reform by making peace through the Blood of his cross for those in heaven as well as those on earth? Does not divine Wisdom say that those justified by his Blood shall be saved from God’s wrath?
It is not enough merely to pronounce the name of God to be saved: None of those who cry out Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Two things, therefore, must be taken care of in our day. We must, first of all, find a way of placating the eternal, divine Father. For that purpose we have the merits of the divine Blood: The cup of salvation I will take up. Secondly, we must seek its effective application to souls, especially by means of missions and spiritual retreats, as well as other salutary religious activities adapted to the needs of the times. These were exactly the reasons which moved the holy Pontiff Pius VII to erect an Arch-confraternity under the august title of the Divine Blood. Sinners are abusing it terribly, and the Lord in the excess of his love is saying: What gain is there from my Blood? There should be dedicated persons who, by means of solemn worship, provide adoration and reparation, and at the same time preach to the people the glories of the divine Blood, emphasizing the fact that in this devotion we go to the heart of our faith. Hence, we say in the consecration of the chalice, The Mystery of Faith. There is an intimate connection between the devotion to the Blood of Christ and the salvation of souls.
Such is its centripetal force that all the prophetic utterances, symbols, figures and sacrifices of the Old Testament converge on it as the spokes of a wheel on a hub: In wine he washes his garments, his robe in the blood of grapes. Exodus says that the Hebrews were ordered to stain their doorposts with the blood of the lamb in order to be freed from the chastisements of Egypt as a symbol of the liberation of our souls from the servitude of the devil. Skipping many other references which could be made, we note what Moses did to his people: Taking the blood he sprinkled the book and all the people saying: This is the Blood of the covenant which God has enjoined upon you…Almost everything is purified by blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. We hear the Apostle saying: For if the blood of goats and bulls can sanctify those who are defiled, how much more will the Blood of Christ cleanse our consciences from dead works? We must pass up other references. Indeed, the Holy Scriptures are filled with sacred references to it: Why is your apparel red?… He wore a garment sprinkled with blood.
This devotion calls to mind baptism, through which the divine Blood purifies our souls, and reminds us of penance and the other sacraments, because you have redeemed us with your Blood, you have made us a kingdom, and priests to serve our God.
Whereas all other devotions are aids to Catholic piety, this devotion is its foundation, support and essence. Other devotions, products of various times, have holy and praiseworthy beginnings, but they go back only so far. This devotion, on the other hand, goes back to the moment when Adam sinned. Therefore, Jesus was called the Lamb who was slain from the world’s beginning. St. Thomas says: The Blood of Christ is the key to Paradise. St. John Chrysostom affirms: The Blood of Christ is the salvation of souls…an excellent wine is the Blood of Christ.
RESPONSORY 1 John 5:6-7
R. This is the one who came in water and blood, Jesus Christ; *
not in water only, but in water and blood.
V. It is the Spirit who gives testimony, because the Spirit is truth;
R. not in water only, but in water and blood.
Or
From the writings of Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin
(Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias, nn. 77; 701; 328; 355; 407; 543; 812; 710; 874:
ed. 1944 and 1947)
The blood of Jesus is all our hope and all our good
May our hearts never withdraw from that perennial fountain flowing from the loving wound of the side of our most loving Spouse Jesus Crucified! Here all our poor labors borne for love of him will be sweetened.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus Crucified and we can be sure he will not let us perish, provided we are faithful to him. Oh! What a beautiful honor is ours to serve God, to think always of God, to love God, to suffer in order to please God; in short, to live entirely in God. This he permits us in his infinite goodness. I say, he permits us, poor creatures and miserable worms that we are, to be elevated to union with him; nay more, he even commands it. How must not these reflections encourage the soul! She would never depart from the feet of her Lord in order to hear his most loving voice calling her to unite herself ever more to him. She does not tire of always blessing, loving, praising and thanking him with all her heart. She seeks nothing else but to give him pleasure. Her Lord’s good pleasure constitutes all her delight, and if she obtains that, she is rich and filled with so much consolation that she does not know how to express it.
Courage, therefore, and confidence in God, that, should everything else be wanting, it matters nothing, provided we enjoy the grace of our beloved Spouse, Jesus Crucified.
Let us pray very much for the Church and ardently love Jesus, our Savior, who founded it with his Precious Blood. Let us have faith in the most holy word of Jesus, who assures us that he will hear those who invoke him. We wish nothing else except his glory and the salvation of souls which cost his Blood; and therefore, let us hope firmly, for all our confidence lies in the merits of the Divine Redeemer who looks upon his spouse, the Holy Church, with tender love. And, if he now chastises her, he does so to purify her in order to make him dearer to his loving eyes. The design of our Lord Jesus Christ is to reunite all peoples in his Church, and therefore the chastisement is being felt everywhere. Oh! What a triumph! Oh! What a triumph! Let us pray, let us pray, let us pray.
What a beautiful consolation it is to see the Spouse of the Divine Lamb, the Adorers of his most Precious Blood, motivated by one sole will (the will of God), forming but one heart and one soul, and thus united, making the heavens resound with a hymn of thanksgiving to the infinite goodness of God, while at the same time they offer the Blood of his Son for the reconciliation of heaven with earth, of earth with heaven.
The Blood of Jesus is our only hope and our only Good – this Blood, shed with so much pain and so much love for our eternal salvation. Let our hearts be filled with courage, fearing nothing, not even death, so that at every moment the Precious Blood be glorified, loved and blessed by all!
My daughter, let us summon our spirit to union with God, in whom we shall find the person of his most holy Son given to us with infinite love, clothed with human flesh and covered with wounds and Blood, inviting us to contemplate him with fixed attention so that our hearts might respond to the delicacy of his most tender love.
Jesus loves us without any merit on our part. Let us love him very much because he is worthy of being loved. Let us love him also for the great gift of the redemption and for the Blood he willed to shed for us.
Let our only thought be to bring all, as far as is possible, to the knowledge of Jesus, our Crucified Love, who is covered with blood and wounds for our salvation.
Do not become disheartened. Courage and great confidence in the Blessed God. Much prayer. Jesus died for love of us; the merits of his sufferings are ours. Do not fear, my daughter. A loving glance at Jesus Crucified, and then take courage to labor for the school, for the salvation of souls, for the glory of his Precious Blood. I urge you to speak little and to pray much.
We shall pass through many tribulations in order to enter Heaven. Great confidence in the Precious Blood of Jesus. Let us ask God to make us understand the great value of sufferings. Suffering is dear to a soul that loves Jesus Christ, and it always seems to her that she does not suffer for Him who suffered so much and died crucified for love of us.
RESPONSORY cf Revelation 5:9-10; 19:5
R. You have redeemed us for God with your blood. * You have made us a kingdom for our God.
V. Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.
R. You have made us a kingdom for our God.
Hymn Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers;
All the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
PRAYER
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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Thursday, 25 May 2023 09:02
Evening Prayer I
HYMN
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
our garments cleansed in him,
saved and made new by Love,
we sing praise to you, Lord Christ.
With you we are raised on the Cross,
with you, baptized into your death,
in you, O Christ, we are now risen,
and restored to life in the heart of the Father.
O Christ, your life is an immense font
of joy, springing up eternally;
unending splendor, in you is immersed
the human smallness of the redeemed.
Our day passes, declining;
Lord, remain with us this evening,
and may the certainty of our faith
light up the advancing night.
Grant that our death be absorbed
by the glorious light of the Resurrection
and, having died your own death,
may we live in you, who are our life.
O Father of kindness, we ask you this
through your Son who is risen,
and through the eternal Love who leads us
toward the sweet light of your face.
Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 You have been bought at a great price.
Glorify God, therefore, in your body.
PSALM 115 Praise to the true God
You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1Titus 1:9).
Not to us, Lord, not to us, †
but to your name give glory, *
because of your faithfulness and love.
Why should the nations say, *
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in heaven; *
whatever God wills is done.
Their idols are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but do not speak,*
eyes but do not see.
They have ears but do not hear, *
noses but do not smell.
They have hands but do not feel, †
feet but do not walk, *
and no sound rises from their throats.
Their makers shall be like them, *
all who trust in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
Those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
The Lord remembers us and will bless us, †
will bless the house of Israel, *
will bless the house of Aaron,
Will bless those who fear the Lord, *
small and great alike.
May the Lord increase your number, *
you and your descendants.
May you be blessed by the Lord, *
who made heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord, *
but the earth is given to us.
The dead do not praise the Lord, *
all those gone down into silence.
It is we who bless the Lord, *
both now and forever.
Ant. 1 You have been bought at a great price.
Glorify God, therefore, in your body.
Ant. 2 May all creation with one voice
sing the power of the blood of Christ.
PSALM 148 Glorification of God, Lord and Creator
To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever (Revelation 5:13).
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
give praise in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels; *
give praise, all you hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon; *
give praise, all shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens, *
you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the Lord’s name; *
for the Lord commanded and they were created,
assigned them duties forever, *
gave them tasks that will never change.
Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea monsters and all deep waters;
you lightning and hail, snow and clouds, *
storm winds that fulfill his command;
You mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
you animals wild and tame, *
you creatures that crawl and fly;
you kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all who govern on earth;
young men and girls *
women too, old and young alike.
Let them all praise the Lord’s name, †
for his name alone is exalted, *
majestic above earth and heaven.
The Lord has lifted high the horn of his people. †
A hymn of praise to the glory of all the faithful, *
of Israel, the people near to their God.
Ant. 2 May all creation with one voice
sing the power of the blood of Christ.
Ant. 3 With the blood of his cross,
Christ has reconciled earthly beings and those of heaven.
CANTICLE Revelation 4:11, 5: 9, 10, 12 Hymn of the Redeemed
Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory *
and honor and power,
for you created all things; †
because of your will they came to be *
and were created.
Worthy are you O Lord,
to receive the scroll *
and to break open its seals,
for you were slain †
and with your blood you purchased for God *
those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation.
You made them for our God
a kingdom of priests, *
and they will reign on earth.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain †
to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, *
honor and glory and blessing.
Ant. 3 With the blood of his cross,
Christ has reconciled earthly beings and those of heaven.
READING Hebrews 9:11-12
When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
RESPONSORY
R We announce Jesus, Love crucified: * his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
-- We announce Jesus, Love crucified: his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
V. He gives peace and redemption to all;
-- his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- We announce Jesus, Love crucified: his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
Magnificat Ant. With the Virgin Mother, origin of the blood of Christ,
let us rejoice in God, our salvation.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. With the Virgin Mother, origin of the blood of Christ,
let us rejoice in God, our salvation
INTERCESSIONS
With faith and gratitude, let us beseech Christ who has reconciled humanity with God in his blood:
By your blood poured out for us, hear us, Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, you gave your life in a sacrifice of expiation at the close of day;
- we pray for the Church: make her an effective instrument of unity, communion and peace for the whole human race.
Lord Jesus, your blood poured out for us is an expression of your immense love;
- we pray for all peoples: guide and hear their desires for freedom, justice and truth.
Lord Jesus, with your precious blood you justified us before the Father;
- we pray for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized: in their need, let them experience solidarity, help and support from all of us.
Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood you free us from the Evil One;
- we pray for all those who proclaim the Gospel: give them honesty in communication, integrity of life, and joy in sharing your victory over the powers of evil.
Lord Jesus, with your blood you purify and nourish your Church;
- we pray for this community: may the Eucharist, summit and source of life, be its daily food for mission.
Lord Jesus, crucified and risen for us, you granted pardon to the repentant thief;
- we pray for our dear deceased relatives and friends: grant them a share in the eternal nuptial banquet in the glory of the blessed.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
our garments cleansed in him,
saved and made new by Love,
we sing praise to you, Lord Christ.
With you we are raised on the Cross,
with you, baptized into your death,
in you, O Christ, we are now risen,
and restored to life in the heart of the Father.
O Christ, your life is an immense font
of joy, springing up eternally;
unending splendor, in you is immersed
the human smallness of the redeemed.
Our day passes, declining;
Lord, remain with us this evening,
and may the certainty of our faith
light up the advancing night.
Grant that our death be absorbed
by the glorious light of the Resurrection
and, having died your own death,
may we live in you, who are our life.
O Father of kindness, we ask you this
through your Son who is risen,
and through the eternal Love who leads us
toward the sweet light of your face.
Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 You have been bought at a great price.
Glorify God, therefore, in your body.
PSALM 115 Praise to the true God
You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1Titus 1:9).
Not to us, Lord, not to us, †
but to your name give glory, *
because of your faithfulness and love.
Why should the nations say, *
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in heaven; *
whatever God wills is done.
Their idols are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but do not speak,*
eyes but do not see.
They have ears but do not hear, *
noses but do not smell.
They have hands but do not feel, †
feet but do not walk, *
and no sound rises from their throats.
Their makers shall be like them, *
all who trust in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
Those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord, *
who is their help and shield.
The Lord remembers us and will bless us, †
will bless the house of Israel, *
will bless the house of Aaron,
Will bless those who fear the Lord, *
small and great alike.
May the Lord increase your number, *
you and your descendants.
May you be blessed by the Lord, *
who made heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord, *
but the earth is given to us.
The dead do not praise the Lord, *
all those gone down into silence.
It is we who bless the Lord, *
both now and forever.
Ant. 1 You have been bought at a great price.
Glorify God, therefore, in your body.
Ant. 2 May all creation with one voice
sing the power of the blood of Christ.
PSALM 148 Glorification of God, Lord and Creator
To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever (Revelation 5:13).
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
give praise in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels; *
give praise, all you hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon; *
give praise, all shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens, *
you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the Lord’s name; *
for the Lord commanded and they were created,
assigned them duties forever, *
gave them tasks that will never change.
Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea monsters and all deep waters;
you lightning and hail, snow and clouds, *
storm winds that fulfill his command;
You mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
you animals wild and tame, *
you creatures that crawl and fly;
you kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all who govern on earth;
young men and girls *
women too, old and young alike.
Let them all praise the Lord’s name, †
for his name alone is exalted, *
majestic above earth and heaven.
The Lord has lifted high the horn of his people. †
A hymn of praise to the glory of all the faithful, *
of Israel, the people near to their God.
Ant. 2 May all creation with one voice
sing the power of the blood of Christ.
Ant. 3 With the blood of his cross,
Christ has reconciled earthly beings and those of heaven.
CANTICLE Revelation 4:11, 5: 9, 10, 12 Hymn of the Redeemed
Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory *
and honor and power,
for you created all things; †
because of your will they came to be *
and were created.
Worthy are you O Lord,
to receive the scroll *
and to break open its seals,
for you were slain †
and with your blood you purchased for God *
those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation.
You made them for our God
a kingdom of priests, *
and they will reign on earth.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain †
to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, *
honor and glory and blessing.
Ant. 3 With the blood of his cross,
Christ has reconciled earthly beings and those of heaven.
READING Hebrews 9:11-12
When Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
RESPONSORY
R We announce Jesus, Love crucified: * his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
-- We announce Jesus, Love crucified: his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
V. He gives peace and redemption to all;
-- his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- We announce Jesus, Love crucified: his blood reconciles earth with heaven.
Magnificat Ant. With the Virgin Mother, origin of the blood of Christ,
let us rejoice in God, our salvation.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. With the Virgin Mother, origin of the blood of Christ,
let us rejoice in God, our salvation
INTERCESSIONS
With faith and gratitude, let us beseech Christ who has reconciled humanity with God in his blood:
By your blood poured out for us, hear us, Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, you gave your life in a sacrifice of expiation at the close of day;
- we pray for the Church: make her an effective instrument of unity, communion and peace for the whole human race.
Lord Jesus, your blood poured out for us is an expression of your immense love;
- we pray for all peoples: guide and hear their desires for freedom, justice and truth.
Lord Jesus, with your precious blood you justified us before the Father;
- we pray for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized: in their need, let them experience solidarity, help and support from all of us.
Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood you free us from the Evil One;
- we pray for all those who proclaim the Gospel: give them honesty in communication, integrity of life, and joy in sharing your victory over the powers of evil.
Lord Jesus, with your blood you purify and nourish your Church;
- we pray for this community: may the Eucharist, summit and source of life, be its daily food for mission.
Lord Jesus, crucified and risen for us, you granted pardon to the repentant thief;
- we pray for our dear deceased relatives and friends: grant them a share in the eternal nuptial banquet in the glory of the blessed.
Our Father.
Prayer
Father, who through the blood of Jesus your Son, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross, redeemed us, sanctified us, and made us your people; grant that all may accept this gift of your love, celebrate it joyfully in the Spirit, and drink of it in the Eucharistic chalice, the sign of your covenant and blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
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