Morning Prayer (Lauds)

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

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted here.

Psalm 50 (51) God, have mercy on me

Even bones crushed into the ground will rejoice in the Lord.

Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;

in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.

Wash me ever more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am:

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned,

and I have done evil in your sight.

Know this, so that you may give just sentence

and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt,

in sin my mother conceived me;

but you love truth in the heart,

and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;

you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;

the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins

and wipe out all my transgressions;

create a pure heart in me, God,

put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence,

or withdraw your holy spirit from me;

give me again the joy of your salvation,

and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways,

and the impious will return to you.

Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,

and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord,

and my mouth will proclaim your praise;

for you do not delight in sacrifices:

if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.

The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:

a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,

so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,

Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;

then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Even bones crushed into the ground will rejoice in the Lord.

Canticle	Isaiah 38

The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness

Lord, rescue my soul from the gates of the underworld.

I said, in the middle of my days

I am going to the gates of the underworld.

Where shall I find the remainder of my years?

I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living,

I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth.

My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me,

like the tent of a shepherd.

Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life

and cut it off from the loom.

From morning to night,

you have made an end of me.

I cried for help till daybreak;

like a lion, he has crushed all my bones.

From morning to night,

you have made an end of me.

I twitter like a fledgling sparrow,

make noises like a dove.

My eyes are weak

from looking upward.

But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction,

you have put all my sins behind you.

For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you,

nor death praise you;

those who go down there

do not wait in hope for your faithfulness.

It is the living, the living who will proclaim you,

as I do today.

Fathers will pass on to their children

the truth of your faithfulness.

Save me, Lord,

and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you,

all the days of our life,

in the house of the Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord, rescue my soul from the gates of the underworld.

Psalm 145 (146) The blessedness of those who hope in the Lord

I will praise God all my life.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life,

make music to my God as long as I exist.

Do not trust in princes to save you,

they are only sons of men.

One day their breath will leave them, they will return to the ground;

on that day perish all their plans.

Happy the one whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

who made heaven and earth and all that is in them,

who keeps faith for ever,

who gives justice to the oppressed,

who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord frees prisoners,

he gives light to the blind,

he raises the fallen.

The Lord loves the upright, cares for strangers,

sustains orphans and widows;

but the wicked he sends astray.

The Lord will reign for all ages,

your God, O Zion, from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I will praise God all my life.

Short reading	1 Thessalonians 4:14 ©

We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.

Short Responsory

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

– I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

You have turned my weeping into rejoicing.

– I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he is dead, will live; anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.

He has raised up the sign of salvation

in the house of his servant David,

as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,

his prophets through the ages:

to rescue us from our enemies

and all who hate us,

to take pity on our fathers,

to remember his holy covenant

and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,

that he would give himself to us,

that we could serve him without fear

– freed from the hands of our enemies –

in uprightness and holiness before him,

for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:

for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,

to let his people know their salvation,

so that their sins may be forgiven.

Through the bottomless mercy of our God,

one born on high will visit us

to give light to those who walk in darkness,

who live in the shadow of death;

to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he is dead, will live; anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us cry out to God the almighty Father, who raised Christ from the dead and will bring life to our own mortal bodies:

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

Holy Father, in baptism we have died and been buried in Christ and shared his resurrection. Bestow on us the gift of living a new life –

so that even when we die, we may live forever with Christ.

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

Most provident Father, you have given us the living bread that comes down from heaven to be our constant holy food:

make us have eternal life and be raised up on the last day.

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

Lord, you sent an angel to give your Son strength in his agony:

as we are dying, bring us your gentle consolation.

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

You rescued the three young men from the burning fiery furnace:

free the souls of the departed from the penalties deserved by their sins.

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

God of the living and the dead, you raised Jesus from the dead:

raise up the dead, and bring us as well as them to eternal glory.

– Lord, bring us to life in Christ.

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.

Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers:

as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead,

so may we receive a more solid hope

of the future resurrection of your servants.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen.

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

A M E N

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted here.

Psalm 120 (121) The guardian of the people

The Lord will guard you from every evil. May the Lord guard your soul.

I shall lift my eyes to the hills:

where is my help to come from?

My help will come from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip:

he will not doze, your guardian.

Behold, he will not doze or sleep,

the guardian of Israel.

The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;

he is at your right hand.

By day the sun will not strike you;

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will guard you from all harm;

the Lord will guard your life.

The Lord will guard your coming and your going

both now and for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord will guard you from every evil. May the Lord guard your soul.

Psalm 129 (130) Out of the depths

If you took notice of our wickedness, Lord – Lord, who, would survive?

Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord:

Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears listen out

for the voice of my pleading.

If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord –

Lord, who would be left?

But with you is forgiveness,

and for this we revere you.

I rely on you, Lord,

my spirit relies on your promise;

my soul hopes in the Lord,

more than the watchman for daybreak.

More than the watchman for daybreak,

let Israel hope in the Lord:

for with the Lord there is kindness

and abundant redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel

from all its transgressions.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

If you took notice of our wickedness, Lord – Lord, who, would survive?

Canticle	Philippians 2

Christ, God's servant

Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son, too, gives life to whom he will.

Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature,

did not try to seize equality with God for himself;

but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave,

and became like a man:

not in appearance only,

for he humbled himself by accepting death,

even death on a cross.

For this, God has raised him high,

and given him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend,

in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,

and every tongue will proclaim

“Jesus Christ is Lord,”

to the glory of God the Father.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son, too, gives life to whom he will.

Short reading	1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ©

Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Short Responsory

In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.

– In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.

You will come to judge both the living and the dead.

– In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– In your loving kindness, Lord, give them rest.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

All that the Father has given into my care will come to me. Whoever comes to me, I will not throw him out.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

All that the Father has given into my care will come to me. Whoever comes to me, I will not throw him out.

Prayers and Intercessions

Christ the Lord gives us the hope that our lowly bodies will take on the form of his body of light. And so let us acclaim him:

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

Christ, Son of the living God, you raised your friend Lazarus from the dead:

raise the dead to life and glory, for you have redeemed them by your precious blood.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

Christ, consoler of those who mourn, you wiped away the tears of Lazarus’ family, of Jairus and the widow of Naim:

bring consolation and comfort to all who mourn their dead.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

Christ, our saviour, dethrone sin from ruling over our mortal bodies, so that just as we have deserved death as the wages of sin,

we may receive the reward of eternal life in you.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

Christ, our redeemer, look upon those who have no hope because they do not know you:

make them believe in the resurrection and the life of the world to come.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

You gave the blind man the gift of seeing light, and abundant sight of you:

show your face to the dead who have not so far seen your light.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

At length you will permit our earthly home itself to disappear:

grant us an eternal home in heaven, one not made by human hands.

– Lord, you are our life and our resurrection.

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.

Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers:

as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead,

so may we receive a more solid hope

of the future resurrection of your servants.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen.

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

A M E N

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

Hymn

Now that the daylight dies away,

By all thy grace and love,

Thee, Maker of the world, we pray

To watch our bed above.

Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,

The offspring of the night,

Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye,

Pure in our foe’s despite.

This grace on thy redeemed confer,

Father, co-equal Son,

And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,

Eternal Three in One.

Psalm 85 (86) A poor man's prayer in time of trouble

Lord God, you are full of mercies, patient and true.

Turn your ear to me, Lord, and hear me,

for I am poor and destitute.

Keep my life safe, for I am faithful;

O God, save your servant, who trusts in you.

Take pity upon me, O Lord,

for I call to you all the day long.

Make your servant’s heart glad,

for to you, O Lord, I have raised it.

For you, Lord, are gentle and mild:

you are kind to all those who call on you.

Let your ears hear my prayer, O Lord!

Turn to the voice of my pleading!

In my time of trouble I call on you,

for you, O Lord, will hear me.

No other god is like you, O Lord,

and nothing compares with your works.

All people – all nations you made –

will come and worship before you;

they will give glory to your name.

For you are great, you work wonders:

you alone are God.

O Lord, teach me your paths,

and I will come to your truth.

Make my heart simple and guileless,

so that it honours your name.

I will proclaim you, Lord my God,

and give you praise with all my heart.

I will give glory to your name for ever,

for your great kindness is upon me:

you have rescued me from the deepest depths.

O God, the proud rise against me,

in the meetings of the powerful they seek my life:

they do not keep you in their sight.

And you, Lord, are a God of compassion,

full of mercies, patient and true.

Look upon me, have mercy upon me,

give your strength and protection to your servant:

your servant, the child of your handmaid.

Give me a sign of your goodness,

let my enemies see it and be confounded;

because you, O Lord, have helped me and given me comfort.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord God, you are full of mercies, patient and true.

Reading	1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

God chose that we should receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us; so that, asleep or awake, we should still live with him.

Short Responsory

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.

You have fulfilled your promise.

My own eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.

A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;

the glory of your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Let us pray.

Give our bodies rest, Lord, to restore them; and let the seeds sown by our labours today grow and yield an eternal harvest.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

	Salve Regina

Hail to you, O Queen, mother of loving kindness,

our life, our happiness, our hope.

Hear us cry out to you,

children of Eve in our exile.

Hear as we sigh, with groaning and weeping

in this life, this valley of tears.

Come then, our Advocate, turn towards us

the gaze of your kind and loving eyes.

And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb,

when at last our exile here is ended.