Ribbon Placement:

Christian Prayer:

Office of Readings for Friday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

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

HYMN

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me by the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of my enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of my Lord for ever.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Rise up Lord, and come to my aid.

Psalm 35:1-2,3c,9-19,22-23,27-28

I

O Lord, plead my cause against my foes;

O Lord, say to my soul:

But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord

Lying witnesses arise

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

Ant. Rise up Lord, and come to my aid.

Ant. 2 All powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.

II

When they were sick I went into mourning,

Now that I am in trouble they gather,

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

Ant. All powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.

Ant. 3 My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.

III

O Lord, how long will you look on?

Do not let my lying foes

O Lord, you have seen, do not be silent,

Let there be joy for those who love my cause.

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

Psalm-prayer

Lord, you rescue the poor from their oppressors, and you rose to the aid of your beloved Son against those who unjustly sought his life. Look on your Church as we journey to you, that the poor and weak may recognize the help you provide and proclaim your saving acts.

Ant. My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.

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.

My son, take my words to heart.

READINGS

First reading

If I must boast, I will make a point of my weaknesses. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows—blessed be he forever—that I do not lie. In Damascus the ethnarch of King Aretas was keeping a close watch on the city in order to arrest me, but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

I must go on boasting, however useless it may be, and speak of visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, whether he was in or outside his body I cannot say, only God can say—a man who was snatched up to the third heaven. I know that this man—whether in or outside his body I do not know, God knows—was snatched up to Paradise to hear words which cannot be uttered, words which no man may speak. About this man I will boast; but I will do no boasting about myself unless it be about my weaknesses. And even if I were to boast it would not be folly in me because I would only be telling the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from my lips.

As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud. Three times I begged the Lord that this might leave me. He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection.” And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.

What a fool I have become! You have driven me to it. You are the ones who should have been commending me. Even though I am nothing, I am in no way inferior to the “super-apostles.” Indeed, I have performed among you with great patience the signs that show the apostle, signs and wonders and deeds of power. In what way are you inferior to the other churches except in this, that I was no burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

RESPONSORY 2 Corinthians 12:9; 4:7

Willingly I boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me,

We possess this treasure in earthen vessels to show that this surpassing power comes from God.

Second reading

Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to Polycarp, who is bishop of the Church of Smyrna, or rather who has for his bishop God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, greetings and all good wishes.

Recognizing your devotion to God, firmly built as if upon a solid rock, I am full of thanksgiving to him for allowing me to see your blessed countenance – may I ever enjoy the sight of it in God! I beseech you by the grace with which you are endowed to press forward on your course and to exhort all men to salvation. Justify your episcopal dignity by your unceasing concern for the spiritual and temporal welfare of your flock; let unity, the greatest of all goods, be your preoccupation. Carry the burdens of all men as the Lord carries yours; have patience with all in charity, as indeed you do. Give yourself to prayer continually, ask for wisdom greater than you now have, keep alert with an unflagging spirit. Speak to each man individually, following God’s example; bear the infirmities of all, like a perfect athlete of God. The greater the toil, the richer the reward.

If you love only your good disciples, you gain no merit; rather you must win over the more troublesome of them by kindness. The same salve does not heal all wounds; convulsions should be allayed with poultices. Be prudent as the serpent in all things, and innocent as the dove always. You are both body and soul; treat gently the manifestations of human fault, even as you pray for the knowledge of things invisible, and then you will lack nothing but abound in every blessing. Do as the circumstances require, like the pilot looking to the wind and the storm-tossed sailor to the harbor, that you may win your way to God with your people. Exercise self-discipline, for you are God’s athlete; the prize is immortality and eternal life, as you know full well. In everything I am your devoted friend – I and my chains, which you have kissed.

Do not be overwhelmed by those who seem trustworthy and yet teach heresy. Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer. The good athlete must take punishment in order to win. And above all we must bear with everything for God, so that he in turn may bear with us. Increase your zeal. Read the signs of the times. Look for him who is outside time, the eternal one, the unseen, who became visible for us; he cannot be touched and cannot suffer, yet he became subject to suffering and endured so much for our sake.

Do not neglect widows; after the Lord, it is you who must be their guardian. Nothing must be done without your approval, and you must do nothing without God’s approval, as indeed is the case; stand firm. Services should be held often; seek out everyone by name. Do not look down upon slaves, whether men or women; yet they too should not be arrogant, but should give better service for the glory of God so as to gain from him a better freedom. They should not be anxious for their freedom to be bought at the community’s expense, for they might then prove to be the slaves of their own desires.

RESPONSORY 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:10

Seek after integrity and holiness, faith and love, patience and gentleness;

I will bear all things for the sake of God’s chosen, that they may obtain salvation.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.