From: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
The Institution of the Passover
[14] “This day shalt be for you a memorial day, and you shalt keep it as a feast
to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for
ever.”
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
12:1-14 This discourse of the Lord contains a number of rules for celebrating the
Passover and the events commemorated in it; it is a kind of catechetical-liturgi-
cal text which admirably summarizes the profound meaning of that feast.
The Passover probably originated as a shepherds’ feast held in springtime, when
lambs are born and the migration to summer pastures was beginning; a new-born
lamb was sacrificed and its blood used to perform a special rite in petition for the
protection and fertility of the flocks. But once this feast became connected with
the history of the Exodus it acquired a much deeper meaning, as did the rites
attaching to it.
Thus, the “congregation” (v. 3) comprises all the Israelites organized as a reli-
gious community to commemorate the most important event in their history, de-
liverance from bondage.
The victim will be a lamb, without blemish (v. 5) because it is to be offered to God.
Smearing the doorposts and lintel with the blood of the victim (vv 7, 13), an essen-
tial part of the rite, signifies protection from dangers. The Passover is essentially
sacrificial from the very start. The meal (v. 11) is also a necessary part, and the
manner in which it is held is a very appropriate way of showing the urgency im-
posed by circumstances: there is no time to season it (v. 9); no other food is ea-
ten with it, except for the bread and desert herbs (a sign of indigence); the dress
and posture of those taking part (standing, wearing sandals and holding a staff)
how that they are on a journey. In the later liturgical commemoration of the Pass-
over, these things indicate that the Lord is passing among his people.
The rules laid down for the Passover are evocative of very ancient nomadic desert
rites, where there was no priest or temple or altar. When the Israelites had set-
tled in Palestine, the Passover continued to be celebrated at home, always retai-
ning the features of a sacrifice, a family meal and, very especially, a memorial of
the deliverance the Lord brought about on that night.
Our Lord chose the context of the Passover Supper to institute the Eucharist:
“By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover
meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus’ passing
over to his Father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipa-
ted in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Pass-
over and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom”
(”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 1340).
12:2. This event is so important that it is going to mark the starting point in the
reckoning of time. In the history of Israel there are two types of calendar, both
based on the moon—one which begins the year in the autumn, after the feast of
Weeks (cf. 23:16; 34:22), and the other beginning it in spring, between March
and April. This second calendar probably held sway for quite a long time, for we
know that the first month, known, as Abib (spring) — cf. 13:4: 23:18; 34:18 —
was called, in the post-exilic period (from the 6th century BC onwards) by the
Babylonian name of Nisan (Neh 2:1; Esther 3:7). Be that as it may, the fact that
this month is called the first month is a way of highlighting the importance of the
event which is going to be commemorated (the Passover).
12:11. Even now it is difficult to work out the etymology of the word “Passover”.
In other Semitic languages it means “joy” or “festive joy” or also “ritual and fes-
tive leap”. In the Bible the same root means “dancing or limping” in an idolatrous
rite (cf. 1 Kings 18:21, 26) and “protecting” (cf. Is 31:5), so it could mean “punish-
ment, lash” and also “salvation, protection”. In the present text the writer is provi-
ding a popular, non-scholarly etymology, and it is taken as meaning that “the
Lord passes through”, slaying Egyptians and sparing the Israelites.
In the New Testament it will be applied to Christ’s passage to the Father by
death and resurrection, and the Church’s “passage” to the eternal Kingdom: “The
Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when
she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection” (”Catechism of the Catho-
lic Church”, 677).
12:14. The formal tone of these words gives an idea of the importance the Pass-
over always had. If the historical books (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) har-
dly mention it, the reason is that they allude only to sacrifices in the temple, and
the Passover was always celebrated in people’s homes. When the temple ceased
to be (6th century BC), the feast acquired more prominence, as can be seen from
the post-exilic biblical texts (cf. Ezra 6:19-22; 2 Chron 30:1-27; 35:1-19) and ex-
trabiblical texts such as the famous “Passover papyrus of Elephantine” (Egypt) of
the 5th century BC. In Jesus’ time a solemn passover sacrifice was celebrated in
the temple and the passover meal was held at home.
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Apr 05, Invitatory for Holy Thursday
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Antiphon: 1043
Psalm: 1298
Christian Prayer:
Antiphon: 687
Psalm: 820
Lord, open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Psalm 67
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
The earth has yielded its fruit
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.
Apr 05, Office of Readings for Thursday of Holy Week
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1045
Proper of Seasons: 457
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 1301
Office of Readings for Holy Thursday
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 for ever. Amen.
HYMN
According to Thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee.
Thy body, broken for my sake,
My bread from Heaven shall be;
The testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee.
Gethsemane can I forget?
Or there Thy conflict see,
Thine agony, and bloody sweat,
And not remember Thee?
When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
And rest on Calvary,
O Lamb of God, my sacrifice,
I must remember Thee;
Remember Thee, and all Thy pains
And all Thy love to me;
Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains,
Will I remember Thee.
And when these failing lips grow dumb
And mind and memory flee,
When Thou shalt in Thy kingdom come,
Jesus, remember me.
Title: According to Thy gracious word; Words: James Montgomery
According to Thy gracious word by Choir Of King’s College Cambridge is available from Amazon.com
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Lord, you are our savior; we will praise you for ever.
Psalm 44
The misfortunes of God’s people
We triumph over all these things through him who loved us (Romans 8:37)
I
We heard with our own ears, O God,
our fathers have told us the story
of the things you did in their days,
you yourself, in days long ago.
To plant them you uprooted the nations:
to let them spread you laid peoples low.
No sword of their own won the land;
no arm of their own brought them victory.
It was your right hand, your arm
and the light of your face: for you loved them.
It is you, my king, my God,
who granted victories to Jacob.
Through you we beat down our foes;
in your name we trampled our aggressors.
For it was not in my bow that I trusted
nor yet was I saved by my sword:
it was you who saved us from our foes,
it was you who put our foes to shame.
All day long our boast was in God,
and we praised your name without ceasing.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Lord, you are our savior; we will praise you for ever.
Ant. 2 Spare us, O Lord; do not bring your own people into contempt.
II
Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us:
you no longer go forth with our armies.
You make us retreat from the foe
and our enemies plunder us at will.
You make us like sheep for the slaughter
and scatter us among the nations.
You sell your own people for nothing
and make no profit by the sale.
You make us the taunt of our neighbors,
the laughing stock of all who are near.
Among the nations, you make us a byword,
among the peoples a thing of derision.
All day long my disgrace is before me:
my face is covered with shame
at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer,
at the sight of the foe and avenger.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Spare us, O Lord; do not bring your own people into contempt.
Ant. 3 Rise up, O Lord, and save us, for you are merciful.
III
This befell us though we had not forgotten you;
though we had not been false to your covenant,
though we had not withdrawn our hearts;
though our feet had not strayed from your path.
Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows
and covered us with the shadow of death.
Had we forgotten the name of our God
or stretched our hands to another god
would not God have found this out,
he who knows the secrets of the heart?
It is for you that we face death all day long
and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep?
Arise, do not reject us for ever!
Why do you hide your face from us
and forget our oppression and misery?
For we are brought down low to the dust;
our body lies prostrate on the earth.
Stand up and come to our help!
Redeem us because of your love!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, rise up and come to our aid; with your strong arm lead us to freedom, as you mightily delivered our forefathers. Since you are the king who knows the secrets of our hearts, fill them with the light of truth.
Ant. Rise up, O Lord, and save us, for you are merciful.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
When I am lifted up from the earth.
– I will draw all people to myself.
READINGS
First reading
From the letter to the Hebrews
4:14 – 5:10
Jesus Christ, the great high priest
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our profession of faith. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet never sinned. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need.
Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with erring sinners, for he himself is beset by weakness and so must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. One does not take this honor on his own initiative, but only when called by God as Aaron was.
Even Christ did not glorify himself with the office of high priest; he received it from the One who said to him,
“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you”;
just as he says in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”
In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to God, 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 perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, designated by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
RESPONSORY Hebrews 5:8,9,7
Though he was the Son of God, Christ learned obedience through what he suffered;
– and now, for all who obey him, he has become the source of eternal life.
In the days of his earthly life he prayed, crying aloud, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard.
– And now, for all who obey him, he has become the source of eternal life.
Second reading
From an Easter homily by Saint Melito of Sardis, bishop
The lamb that was slain has delivered us from death and given us life
There was much proclaimed by the prophets about the mystery of the Passover: that mystery is Christ, and to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
For the sake of suffering humanity he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin’s womb, and was born a man. Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the pain of fallen man upon himself; he triumphed over the diseases of soul and body that were its cause, and by his Spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt man’s destroyer, death, a fatal blow.
He was led forth like a lamb; he was slaughtered like a sheep. He ransomed us from our servitude to the world, as he had ransomed Israel from the land of Egypt; he freed us from our slavery to the devil, as he had freed Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. He sealed our souls with his own Spirit, and the members of our body with his own blood.
He is the One who covered death with shame and cast the devil into mourning, as Moses cast Pharaoh into mourning. He is the One who smote sin and robbed iniquity of offspring. He is the One who brought us out of slavery into freedom, out of darkness into light, out of death into life, out of tyranny into an eternal kingdom; who made us a new priesthood, a people chosen to be his own for ever. He is the Passover that is our salvation.
It is he who endured every kind of suffering in all those who foreshadowed him. In Abel he was slain, in Isaac bound, in Jacob exiled, in Joseph sold, in Moses exposed to die. He was sacrificed in the Passover lamb, persecuted in David, dishonored in the prophets.
It is he who was made man of the Virgin, he who was hung on the tree; it is he who was buried in the earth, raised from the dead, and taken up to the heights of heaven. He is the mute lamb, the slain lamb, the lamb born of Mary, the fair ewe. He was seized from the flock, dragged off to be slaughtered, sacrificed in the evening, and buried at night. On the tree no bone of his was broken; in the earth his body knew no decay. He is the One who rose from the dead, and who raised man from the depths of the tomb.
RESPONSORY Romans 3:23-25; John 1:29
Everyone has sinned and is deprived of God’s glory. We are justified through the free gift of his grace and through the redemption of Christ Jesus.
– God made Christ’s sacrificial death the means of expiating the sins of all believers.
This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
– God made Christ’s sacrificial death the means of expiating the sins of all believers.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
who anointed your Only Begotten Son
with the Holy Spirit
and made him Christ and Lord,
graciously grant
that, being made sharers in his consecration,
we may bear witness to your Redemption in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
Apr 05, Morning Prayer for Thursday of Holy Week
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1049
Proper of Seasons: 460
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 1305
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Proper of Seasons: 404
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 824
Morning Prayer for Holy Thursday
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 for ever. Amen.
HYMN
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord:
Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well:
the voice of my complaint.
If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done
amiss: O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee:
therefore shalt thou be feared.
I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him:
in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord:
before the morning watch,
I say, before the morning watch.
O Israel, trust in the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy:
and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.
“Out of the deep”; Based on a text in Latin, “Psalmus 129 (130)”
“Out Of The Deep” by Guildford Cathedral Choir is available from Amazon.com
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Look, O Lord, and see my suffering. Come quickly to my aid.
Psalm 80
Lord, come, take care of your vineyard
Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
God of hosts bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
and abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
to plant it you drove out the nations.
Before it you cleared the ground;
it took root and spread through the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow,
the cedars of God with its boughs.
It stretched out its branches to the sea,
to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.
Then why have you broken down its walls?
It is plucked by all who pass by.
It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,
devoured by the beasts of the field.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit the vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
They have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.
May they perish at the frown of your face.
May your hand be on the man you have chosen,
the man you have given your strength.
And we shall never forsake you again;
give us life that we may call upon your name.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, eternal shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us remain in your Son as branches on the vine, that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere.
Ant. Look, O Lord, and see my suffering. Come quickly to my aid.
Ant. 2 God is my savior; I trust in him and shall not fear.
Canticle – Isaiah 12:1-6
Joy of God’s ransomed people
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37).
I give you thanks, O Lord;
though you have been angry with me,
your anger has abated, and you have consoled me.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. God is my savior; I trust in him and shall not fear.
Ant. 3 The Lord has fed us with the finest wheat; he has filled us with honey from the rock.
Psalm 81
Solemn renewal of the Covenant
See that no one among you has a faithless heart (Hebrews 3:12).
Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;
blow the trumpet at the new moon,
when the moon is full, on our feast.
For this is Israel’s law,
a command of the God of Jacob.
He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,
when he went out against the land of Egypt.
A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.
I answered, concealed in the storm cloud;
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, to my warning.
O Israel, if only you would heed!
Let there be no foreign god among you.
no worship of an alien god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people did not heed my voice
and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
to follow their own designs.
O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.
The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last for ever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, open our mouths to proclaim your glory. Help us to leave sin behind and to rejoice in professing your name.
Ant. The Lord has fed us with the finest wheat; he has filled us with honey from the rock.
READING Hebrews 2:9-10
We see Jesus crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, that through God’s gracious will he might taste death for the sake of all men. Indeed, it was fitting that when bringing many sons to glory God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should make their leader in the work of salvation perfect through suffering.
Sacred Silence(indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
By your own blood, Lord, you brought us back to God.
– By your own blood, Lord, you brought us back to God.
From every tribe, and tongue, and people and nation,
– you brought us back to God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– By your own blood, Lord, you brought us back to God.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. I have longed to eat this meal with you before I suffer.
Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner
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 for ever. Amen.
Ant. I have longed to eat this meal with you before I suffer.
INTERCESSIONS
The Father anointed Christ with the Holy Spirit to proclaim forgiveness to those in bondage. Let us humbly call upon the eternal priest:
– Lord, have mercy on us.
You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and so enter into your glory,
bring your Church to the Passover feast of heaven.
– Lord, have mercy on us.
You were lifted high on the cross and pierced by the soldier’s lance,
heal our wounds.
– Lord, have mercy on us.
You made the cross the tree of life,
give its fruit to those reborn in baptism.
– Lord, have mercy on us.
On the cross you forgave the repentant thief,
forgive us our sins.
– Lord, have mercy on us.
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
O God,
who anointed your Only Begotten Son
with the Holy Spirit
and made him Christ and Lord,
graciously grant
that, being made sharers in his consecration,
we may bear witness to your Redemption in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.
Apr 05, Midday Prayer for Thursday of Holy Week
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1054 (Midday)
Proper of Seasons: 462
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 1311
Midday Prayer for Holy Thursday, using the Current Psalmody
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 for ever. Amen.
HYMN
Glory to God in the highest
And peace to His people on earth
Lord God, Heavenly King, Almighty God and Father
We worship You
We give You thanks
We praise You for Your glory
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father
Lord God, Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Lord, have mercy on us
You are seated at the right hand of the Father
Receive our prayer
For You alone are the Holy One
For You alone are the Lord
For You alone are the Most High
Jesus Christ
With the Holy Spirit
In the glory of God the Father
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest by St. Paul’s Choir Indianapolis; Lyrics are based upon the text of the Sacred Liturgy
PSALMODY
Ant. I know my own sheep, and my own know me, as the Father knows me and as I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.
Psalm 119:65-72
IX (Teth)
Lord, you have been good to your servant
according to your word.
Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.
Before I was afflicted I strayed
but now I keep your word.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your commandments.
Though proud men smear me with lies
yet I keep your precepts.
Their minds are closed to good
but your law is my delight.
It was good for me to be afflicted,
to learn your will.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 56:2-7b, 9-14
Trust in God’s word
This psalm shows Christ in his passion (Saint Jerome).
Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;
they fight me all day long and oppress me.
My foes crush me all day long,
for many fight proudly against me.
When I fear, I will trust in you,
in God whose word I praise.
In God I trust, I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?
All day long they distort my words,
all their thought is to harm me.
They band together in ambush,
track me down and seek my life.
You have kept an account of my wanderings;
you have kept a record of my tears;
are they not written in your book?
Then my foes will be put to flight
on the day that I call to you.
This I know, that God is on my side.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?
I am bound by the vows I have made you.
O God, I will offer you praise
for you rescued my soul from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling
that I may walk in the presence of God
and enjoy the light of the living.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 57
Morning prayer in affliction
This psalm tells of our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I call to God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.
May God send his truth and his love.
My soul lies down among lions,
who would devour the sons of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharpened sword.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
They laid a snare for my steps,
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path
but fell in it themselves.
My heart is ready, O God,
my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul,
awake, lyre and harp,
I will awake the dawn.
I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
I will praise you among the nations,
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.
O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Ant. I know my own sheep, and my own know me, as the Father knows me and as I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.
READING Hebrews 7:26-27
It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; our Lord Jesus Christ did that once for all when he offered himself.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
Ours were the sufferings he bore.
– Ours the weight of guilt he endured.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
who anointed your Only Begotten Son
with the Holy Spirit
and made him Christ and Lord,
graciously grant
that, being made sharers in his consecration,
we may bear witness to your Redemption in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
Apr 05, Evening Prayer for Thursday of Holy Week
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1064
Proper of Seasons: 464
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 1315
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 406
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 830
Evening Prayer for Holy Thursday
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 for ever. Amen.
HYMN
Pange lingua gloriosi
Corporis mysterium.
Verbum caro, panem verum
Verbo carnem efficit:
Fitque sanguis Christi merum
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui
Praestet fides supplementum
Genitori, Genitoque
Procedenti ab utroque
Sit et benedictio.
English Translation:
I shall praise the Savior’s glory,
of His flesh the mystery sing.
Word made flesh, true bread of heaven
by His word made flesh to be;
from the wine His blood is taken
Therefore we, before Him falling,
this great sacrament revere;
faith our feeble senses aiding
To the everlasting Father
be all honor, glory, blessing,
power and endless majesty.
“Pange Lingua” performed by The Choir Of Holy Rosary Catholic Church; Words: Thomas Aquinas; tr. Edward Caswall; Music: Pange Ligua 87.87.87 Mode III plainsong
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth, has made us a royal people to serve his God and Father.
Psalm 72
The Messiah’s royal power
Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).
I
O God, give your judgment to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgment.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and save the children of the needy
and crush the oppressor.
He shall endure like the sun and the moon
from age to age.
He shall descend like rain on the meadow,
like raindrops on the earth.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Before him his enemies shall fall,
his foes lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and the seacoasts
shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth, has made us a royal people to serve his God and Father.
Ant. 2 The Lord will be the champion of the helpless; he will free the poor from the grip of the powerful.
II
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.
May corn be abundant in the land
to the peaks of the mountains.
May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;
may people flourish in the cities
like grass on the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.
Amen! Amen!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
We call upon your name, Father, and pronounce it blessed above the earth. Give your people the fullness of peace and justice in your kingdom.
Ant. The Lord will be the champion of the helpless; he will free the poor from the grip of the powerful.
Ant. 3 The saints won their victory over death through the blood of the Lamb and the truth to which they bore witness.
Canticle – Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
The judgment of God
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
you have begun your reign.
The nations have raged in anger,
but then came your day of wrath
and the moment to judge the dead:
The time to reward your servants the prophets
and the holy ones who revere you,
the great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come,
the reign of our God and the authority
of his Anointed One.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
and you that dwell therein!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. The saints won their victory over death through the blood of the Lamb and the truth to which they bore witness.
READING Hebrews 13:12-15
Jesus died outside the gate, to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us go to him outside the camp, bearing the insult which he bore. For here we have no lasting city; we are seeking one which is to come. Through him let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which acknowledge his name.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
In place of the responsory, the following is said:
For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
–For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. While they were at supper, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples.
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. While they were at supper, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples.
INTERCESSIONS
At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior entrusted to his Church the memorial of his death and resurrection, to be celebrated for ever. Let us adore him, and say:
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
Redeemer of the world, give us a greater share of your passion through a deeper spirit of repentance,
so that we may share the glory of your resurrection.
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
May your Mother, comfort of the afflicted, protect us,
may we console others as you console us.
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
In their trials enable your faithful people to share in your passion,
and so reveal in their lives your saving power.
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
You humbled yourself by being obedient even to accepting death, death on a cross,
give all who serve you the gifts of obedience and patient endurance.
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
Transform the bodies of the dead to be like your own in glory,
and bring us at last into their fellowship.
– Sanctify your people, redeemed by your blood.
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
O God,
who have called us
to participate in this most sacred Supper,
in which your Only Begotten Son,
when about to hand himself over to death,
entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity,
the banquet of his love, grant, we pray,
that we may draw from so great a mystery,
the fullness of charity and of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.
Apr 05, Night Prayer for Thursday of Holy Week
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol II:
Page 1628 and 466
Christian Prayer:
Page 1037 and 408
Night Prayer for Holy Thursday
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 for ever. Amen.
Examination of conscience:
We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.
Kýrie, eléison
– Kýrie, eléison
Christé, eléison
– Christé, eléison
Kýrie, eléison
– Kýrie, eléison
HYMN
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
“Abide With Me” by Norwich Cathedral Choir; Text: Henry F. Lyte, 1793-1847; Music: W.H. Monk, 1823-1889; Tune: EVENTIDE, Meter: 10 10.10 10
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering care
I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”
It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.
You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
his faithfulness is buckler and shield.
Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
and have made the Most High your dwelling.
Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.
They shall bear you upon their hands
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
and trample the young lion and the dragon.
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
I will save him in distress and give him glory.
With length of life I will content him;
I shall let him see my saving power.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
READING Revelation 22:4-5
They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.
Ant. For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Concluding Prayer
Lord,
we beg you to visit this house
and banish from it
all the deadly power of the enemy.
May your holy angels dwell here
to keep us in peace,
and may your blessing be upon us always.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.
Blessing
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
– Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| John | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| John 13 |
|||
| 1. | BEFORE the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. | Ante diem festum Paschæ, sciens Jesus quia venit hora ejus ut transeat ex hoc mundo ad Patrem : cum dilexisset suos, qui erant in mundo, in finem dilexit eos. | προ δε της εορτης του πασχα ειδως ο ιησους οτι εληλυθεν αυτου η ωρα ινα μεταβη εκ του κοσμου τουτου προς τον πατερα αγαπησας τους ιδιους τους εν τω κοσμω εις τελος ηγαπησεν αυτους |
| 2. | And when supper was done, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him,) | Et cœna facta, cum diabolus jam misisset in cor ut traderet eum Judas Simonis Iscariotæ : | και δειπνου γενομενου του διαβολου ηδη βεβληκοτος εις την καρδιαν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου ινα αυτον παραδω |
| 3. | Knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God; | sciens quia omnia dedit ei Pater in manus, et quia a Deo exivit, et ad Deum vadit : | ειδως ο ιησους οτι παντα δεδωκεν αυτω ο πατηρ εις τας χειρας και οτι απο θεου εξηλθεν και προς τον θεον υπαγει |
| 4. | He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. | surgit a cœna, et ponit vestimenta sua, et cum accepisset linteum, præcinxit se. | εγειρεται εκ του δειπνου και τιθησιν τα ιματια και λαβων λεντιον διεζωσεν εαυτον |
| 5. | After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. | Deinde mittit aquam in pelvim, et cœpit lavare pedes discipulorum, et extergere linteo, quo erat præcinctus. | ειτα βαλλει υδωρ εις τον νιπτηρα και ηρξατο νιπτειν τους ποδας των μαθητων και εκμασσειν τω λεντιω ω ην διεζωσμενος |
| 6. | He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet? | Venit ergo ad Simonem Petrum. Et dicit ei Petrus : Domine, tu mihi lavas pedes ? | ερχεται ουν προς σιμωνα πετρον και λεγει αυτω εκεινος κυριε συ μου νιπτεις τους ποδας |
| 7. | Jesus answered, and said to him: What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. | Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Quod ego facio, tu nescis modo : scies autem postea. | απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω ο εγω ποιω συ ουκ οιδας αρτι γνωση δε μετα ταυτα |
| 8. | Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. | Dicit ei Petrus : Non lavabis mihi pedes in æternum. Respondit ei Jesus : Si non lavero te, non habebis partem mecum. | λεγει αυτω πετρος ου μη νιψης τους ποδας μου εις τον αιωνα απεκριθη αυτω ο ιησους εαν μη νιψω σε ουκ εχεις μερος μετ εμου |
| 9. | Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. | Dicit ei Simon Petrus : Domine, non tantum pedes meos, sed et manus, et caput. | λεγει αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε μη τους ποδας μου μονον αλλα και τας χειρας και την κεφαλην |
| 10. | Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all. | Dicit ei Jesus : Qui lotus est, non indiget nisi ut pedes lavet, sed est mundus totus. Et vos mundi estis, sed non omnes. | λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ο λελουμενος ου χρειαν εχει η τους ποδας νιψασθαι αλλ εστιν καθαρος ολος και υμεις καθαροι εστε αλλ ουχι παντες |
| 11. | For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean. | Sciebat enim quisnam esset qui traderet eum ; propterea dixit : Non estis mundi omnes. | ηδει γαρ τον παραδιδοντα αυτον δια τουτο ειπεν ουχι παντες καθαροι εστε |
| 12. | Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? | Postquam ergo lavit pedes eorum, et accepit vestimenta sua : cum recubuisset iterum, dixit eis : Scitis quid fecerim vobis ? | οτε ουν ενιψεν τους ποδας αυτων και ελαβεν τα ιματια αυτου αναπεσων παλιν ειπεν αυτοις γινωσκετε τι πεποιηκα υμιν |
| 13. | You call me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am. | Vos vocatis me Magister et Domine, et bene dicitis : sum etenim. | υμεις φωνειτε με ο διδασκαλος και ο κυριος και καλως λεγετε ειμι γαρ |
| 14. | If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. | Si ergo ego lavi pedes vestros, Dominus et Magister, et vos debetis alter alterutrum lavare pedes. | ει ουν εγω ενιψα υμων τους ποδας ο κυριος και ο διδασκαλος και υμεις οφειλετε αλληλων νιπτειν τους ποδας |
| 15. | For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. | Exemplum enim dedi vobis, ut quemadmodum ego feci vobis, ita et vos faciatis. | υποδειγμα γαρ εδωκα υμιν ινα καθως εγω εποιησα υμιν και υμεις ποιητε |
Speaking of feet tonight, could you please pray for the speedy recovery of a slight fracture in my right foot. All I did was get up out of a chair and move toward a desk so I could turn some money in at the church office. (Turning my ankle of course!)
I heard a crack and drove straight to the doctor’s office. Will need to go to the fracture clinic tomorrow morning.
I think my biggest pain is not to be at church for the Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Masses. I have crutches so can get around. Maybe I will make it by Easter!