God, come to my assistance. – Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
SONG:As Morning Breaks, Michael Joncas As morning breaks I look to you; I look to you, O Lord, to be my strength this day, as morning breaks, as morning breaks.
PSALMODY Psalm 33 Antiphon: Rejoice, you righteous, in the Lord, praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise. Sing to him a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant. For the LORD’s word is upright; all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right. The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD. By the LORD’s word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathered the waters of the sea as a mound; he sets the deep into storage vaults.
Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all who dwell in the world show him reverence. For he spoke, and it came to be, commanded, and it stood in place. The LORD foils the plan of nations, frustrates the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever, the designs of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people chosen as his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down and observes the children of Adam, From his dwelling place he surveys all who dwell on earth. The One who fashioned together their hearts is the One who knows all their works.
A king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior delivered by great strength. Useless is the horse for safety; despite its great strength, it cannot be saved. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, upon those who count on his mercy, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD, he is our help and shield. For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. May your mercy, LORD, be upon us; as we put our hope in you.
Antiphon: Rejoice, you righteous, in the Lord, praise from the upright is fitting.
SCRIPTURE: Hosea 6: 1-2 Come, let us return to the LORD, For it is he who has torn, but he will heal us; he has struck down, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. SILENT REFLECTION INTERCESSIONS
May God’s wisdom, compassion and mercy guide Pope Francis, and leaders of the church as they share the Good News of salvation with all God’s people.
May God’s plan for peace and justice motivate all civil authorities.
May God’s love and mercy surround all who feel lost, abandoned, excluded, or rejected.
May the Body of Christ be transformed by the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.
May those who have died know the fullness of joy in the resurrection.
CANTICLE of ZECHARIAH Luke 1:68 – 79 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 will be forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
CONCLUDING PRAYER God of infinite compassion, to love you is to be made holy; fill our hearts with your love. By the death of your Son you have given us hope, born of faith; by his rising again fulfill this hope in the perfect love of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
BLESSING May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.