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Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
Office of Readings for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
Blest are the pure in heart,
The Lord, who left the heavens
He to the lowly soul
Lord, we thy presence seek;
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Lord, you are our savior; we will praise you for ever.
Psalm 44
I
We heard with our own ears, O God,
To plant them you uprooted the nations;
It is you, my king, my God,
For it was not in my bow that I trusted
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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 make us like sheep for the slaughter
You make us the taunt of our neighbors,
All day long my disgrace is before me;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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,
Had we forgotten the name of our God,
Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep?
For we are brought down low to the dust;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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.
You have shown me how to live.
READINGS
First Reading
My brothers, rejoice in the Lord. I find writing you these things no burden, and for you it is a safeguard.
Beware of unbelieving dogs. Watch out for workers of evil. Be on guard against those who mutilate. It is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus rather than putting our trust in the flesh—though I can be confident even there.
If anyone thinks he has a right to put his trust in external evidence, all the more can I! I was circumcised on the eighth day, being of the stock of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew origins; in legal observance I was a Pharisee, and so zealous that I persecuted the church. I was above reproach when it came to justice based on the law.
But those things I used to consider gain I have now reappraised as loss in the light of Christ. I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For his sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that Christ may be my wealth and I may be in him, not having any justice of my own based on observance of the law. The justice I possess is that which comes through faith in Christ. It has its origin in God and is based on faith. I wish to know Christ and the power flowing from his resurrection; likewise to know how to share in his sufferings by being formed into the pattern of his death. Thus do I hope that I may arrive at resurrection from the dead.
It is not that I have reached it yet, or have already finished my course; but I am racing to grasp the prize if possible, since I have been grasped by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I do not think of myself as having reached the finish line. I give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead. My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God calls me—life on high in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are spiritually mature must have this attitude. If you see it another way, God will clarify the difficulty for you. It is important that we continue on our course, no matter what stage we have reached.
RESPONSORY Philippians 3:8, 10; Romans 6:8
I have counted all things worthless so that I might gain Christ.
We believe that if we die with Christ, we shall also live with him.
Second reading
Since my longing for martyrdom was powerful and unsettling, I turned to the epistles of Saint Paul in the hope of finally finding an answer. By chance the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians caught my attention, and in the first section I read that not everyone can be an apostle, prophet or teacher, that the Church is composed of a variety of members, and that the eye cannot be the hand. Even with such an answer revealed before me, I was not satisfied and did not find peace.
I persevered in the reading and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others. For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God. At length I had found peace of mind.
When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognized myself in none of the members which Saint Paul described, and what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favorably within the whole body. Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realized that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.
Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed: O Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is love. Certainly I have found my place in the Church, and you gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love, and thus I will be all things, as my desire finds its direction.
RESPONSORY See Psalm 21:4; Job 31:18; Ephesians 3:18; Psalm 31:20
From the very beginning, O God, you came to me with your love, which has grown since my childhood.
O Lord, how great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)
Let us praise the Lord.
Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
Morning Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
Your lamp of virtue, work and prayer,
As chosen bride of Spouse divine,
Teach us to live true Christian lives
True model of a virgin’s life,
All glory be to God on high,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Psalm 80
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
God of hosts, bring us back;
Lord God of hosts, how long
God of hosts, bring us back;
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
The mountains were covered with its shadow,
Then why have you broken down its walls?
God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
May your hand be on the man you have chosen,
God of hosts, bring us back;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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. Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.
Ant. 2 The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Canticle — Isaiah 12:1-6
I give you thanks, O Lord;
God indeed is my savior;
With joy you will draw water
Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.
Ant. 3 Ring out your joy to God our strength.
Psalm 81
Ring out your joy to God our strength,
Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
For this is Israel’s law,
A voice I did not know said to me:
I answered, concealed in the storm cloud,
Let there be no foreign god among you,
But my people did not heed my voice
O that my people would heed me,
The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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. Ring out your joy to God our strength.
READING Song of Songs 8:7
Deep waters cannot quench love,
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
My heart is ever pleading, show me your face.
I long to gaze upon you, Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. Truly I say to you, unless you change your lives and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 1:68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
In the tender compassion of our God
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
Ant. Truly I say to you, unless you change your lives and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ is the spouse and crowning glory of virgins. Let us praise him with joy in our voices and pray to him with sincerity in our hearts:
Christ, the holy virgins loved you as their one true spouse,
You crowned Mary, your mother, queen of virgins,
Your handmaids were always careful to love you with whole and
Lord Jesus, you are the spouse whose coming was anticipated by the wise virgins,
Through the intercession of this saint and virgin we commemorate today,
Our Father who art in heaven,
Concluding Prayer
O God,
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
Ribbon Placement:
Midmorning Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
New every morning is the love
New mercies, each returning day,
If on our daily course our mind
Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
The trivial round, the common task,
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.
Psalm 120
To the Lord in the hour of my distress
What shall he pay you in return,
Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,
Long enough have I been dwelling
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.
Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
May he never allow you to stumble!
The Lord is your guard and your shade;
The Lord will guard you from evil,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.
Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.
Psalm 122
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Jerusalem is built as a city
For Israel’s law it is,
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
For love of my brethren and friends
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.
READING Galatians 5:13-14
My brothers remember that you have been called to live in freedom – but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh. Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service. The whole law has found its fulfillment in this one saying: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
Lightly I run in the way that you have shown.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Lord,
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Midday Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using Current Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
Jesus, only begotten Son and Lamb of God the Father
Chorus:
Jesus, Son of Mary, be near me and uphold me
Chorus:
My helper, my encircler,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.
Psalm 119
Lord, you have been good to your servant
Before I was afflicted I strayed
Though proud men smear me with lies
It was good for me to be afflicted,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Lord, teach us goodness, discipline and wisdom, and these gifts will keep us from becoming hardened by evil, weakened by laziness or ignorant because of foolishness.
Ant. More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.
Ant. 2 I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.
Psalm 56
Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;
When I fear, I will trust in you,
All day long they distort my words,
You have kept an account of my wanderings;
This I know, that God is on my side.
I am bound by the vows I have made you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, victim for our sins, you trusted in your Father’s protection and kept silent when you were tormented. Give us that same confidence and we will gladly suffer with you and for you, offering the Father our sacrifice of praise and walking before him in the light of the living.
Ant. I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.
Ant. 3 Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.
Psalm 57
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
I call to God the Most High,
May God send his truth and his love.
O God, arise above the heavens;
They laid a snare for my steps,
My heart is ready, O God,
I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
O God, arise above the heavens;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son.
Ant. Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.
READING Galatians 5:16-17
Live in accord with the spirit and you will not yield to the cravings of the flesh. The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; the two are directly opposed. That is why you do not do what your will intends.
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.
O God, you are good, and all goodness flows from you.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
All-powerful and ever-living God,
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
Ribbon Placement:
Midafternoon Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
O God, creation’s secret force,
Grant us, when this short life is past,
O Father, that we ask be done,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.
Psalm 126
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.
Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.
Psalm 127
If the Lord does not build the house,
In vain is your earlier rising,
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
O the happiness of the man
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.
Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Psalm 128
O blessed are those who fear the Lord
By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
Indeed thus shall be blessed
On Israel, peace!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
READING Galatians 5:22,23a,25
The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patient endurance, kindness, generosity, faith, mildness, and chastity. Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s lead.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
Lord, show me the path I must follow.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Lord,
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
Evening Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
O Crown of Virgins, Jesus Lord,
As Spouse, of beauty past compare,
They follow in a happy band
In tender pity hear our cry,
All honor, glory, virtue, praise
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 72
I
O God, give your judgment to the king,
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
He shall endure like the sun and the moon
In his days justice shall flourish
Before him his enemies shall fall,
The kings of Sheba and Seba
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Ant. 2 The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.
II
For he shall save the poor when they cry
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
May corn be abundant in the land
May his name be blessed for ever
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
Amen! Amen!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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 save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.
Ant. 3 Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.
Canticle – Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
The nations have raged in anger,
Now have salvation and power come,
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.
READING 1 Corinthians 7:32b, 34
The unmarried man is busy with the Lord’s affairs, concerned with pleasing the Lord. The virgin—indeed, any unmarried woman—is concerned with things of the Lord, in pursuit of holiness in body and spirit.
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
The virgins are led into the presence of the King, amid gladness and joy.
They are brought into the King’s dwelling-place,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Rejoice and be glad, for your names are written in heaven.
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
He has mercy on those who fear him
He has shown the strength of his arm,
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
He has filled the hungry with good things,
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
Ant. Rejoice and be glad, for your names are written in heaven.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ extolled those who practiced virginity for the sake of the kingdom. Let us praise him joyfully and pray to him:
Christ, you presented the Church to yourself as a chaste virgin to her spouse,
Christ, the holy virgins went out to meet you with their lamps alight,
Lord, your virgin Church has always kept its faith whole and untarnished,
You have given your people joy in celebrating the feast of your holy virgin,
You have admitted the holy virgins to your marriage banquet,
Our Father who art in heaven,
Concluding Prayer
O God,
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
General instruction:
Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.
Night Prayer for Thursday
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
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.
Lord Jesus raise us to new life:
Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins:
Lord Jesus you feed us with your body and blood:
HYMN
Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the king of creation!
Praise to the Lord, who over all things is wondrously reigning;
Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore him!
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.
Psalm 16
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
He has put into my heart a marvelous love
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
You will show me the path of life,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.
READING 1 Thessalonians 5:23
May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
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
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
my own eyes have seen the salvation
a light to reveal you to the nations
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
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 God,
Blessing
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Ave Maria, gratia plena
Ave Maria Mater Dei
English Translation
Hail Mary, full of grace,
Lord, open my lips.
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Psalm 95
Come, let us sing to the Lord
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
The Lord is God, the mighty God,
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Forty years I endured that generation.
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
Office of Readings for Wednesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
O God, our help in ages past,
Beneath the shadow of Your throne
Before the hills in order stood,
A thousand ages in your sight
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
O God, our help in ages past,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Psalm 39
I
I said: “I will be watchful of my ways
My heart was burning within me.
You have given me a short span of days;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Ant. 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
II
And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
Take away your scourge from me.
O Lord, turn your ear to my cry.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.
Ant. Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
Ant. 3 I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
Psalm 52
Why do you boast of your wickedness,
You love evil more than good,
For this God will destroy you
The just shall see and fear.
But I am like a growing olive tree
I will thank you for evermore;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Father, you cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.
Ant. I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
You will hear the word from my mouth.
READINGS
First reading
My dearly beloved, obedient as always to my urging, work with anxious concern to achieve your salvation, not only when I happen to be with you but all the more now that I am absent. It is God who, in his good will toward you, begets in you any measure of desire or achievement.
In everything you do, act without grumbling or arguing; prove yourselves innocent and straightforward, children of God beyond reproach in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky while holding fast to the word of life. As I look to the Day of Christ, you give me cause to boast that I did not run the race in vain or work to no purpose. Even if my life is to be poured out as a libation over the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad of it and rejoice with all of you. May you be glad on the same score, and rejoice with me!
I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you very soon, that I may derive courage from learning how things go with you. I have no one quite like him for genuine interest in whatever concerns you. Everyone is busy seeking his own interests rather than those of Christ Jesus.
You know from experience what Timothy’s qualities are, how he was like a son at his father’s side serving the gospel along with me. I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. In fact, I am confident in the Lord that I myself will be coming soon.
I have decided, too, that I must send you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker, and comrade in arms, whom you sent to take care of my needs. He has been longing for all of you, and was distressed that you heard about his illness. He was, in fact, sick to the point of death, but God took pity on him; not just on him, I should say, but on me, too, so as to spare me one sorrow after another. I have been especially eager to send him so that you may renew your joy on seeing him, and my own anxieties may be lessened. Welcome him joyously in the Lord and hold men like him in esteem, for he came near to death for the sake of Christ’s work. He risked his life in an effort to render me those services you could not render.
RESPONSORY 2 Peter 1:10,11; Ephesians 5:8,11
Strive all the more to confirm God’s choice and calling of you.
Live as children of light
Second reading
I interpret as I should, following the command of Christ: Search the Scriptures, and Seek and you shall find. Christ will not say to me what he said to the Jews: You erred, not knowing the Scriptures and not knowing the power of God. For if, as Paul says, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, and if the man who does not know Scripture does not know the power and wisdom of God, then ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.
Therefore, I will imitate the head of a household who brings out of his storehouse things both new and old, and says to his spouse in the Song of Songs: I have kept for you things new and old, my beloved. In this way permit me to explain Isaiah, showing that he was not only a prophet, but an evangelist and an apostle as well. For he says about himself and the other evangelists: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news, of those who announce peace. And God speaks to him as if he were an apostle: Whom shall I send, who will go to my people? And he answers: Here I am; send me.
No one should think that I mean to explain the entire subject matter of this great book of Scripture in one brief sermon, since it contains all the mysteries of the Lord. It prophesies that Emmanuel is to be born of a virgin and accomplish marvelous works and signs. It predicts his death, burial and resurrection from the dead as the Savior of all men. I need say nothing about the natural sciences, ethics and logic. Whatever is proper to holy Scripture, whatever can be expressed in human language and understood by the human mind, is contained in the book of Isaiah. Of these mysteries the author himself testifies when he writes: You shall be given a vision of all things, like words in a sealed scroll. When they give the writings to a wise man, they will say: Read this. And he will reply: I cannot, for it is sealed. And when the scroll is given to an uneducated man and he is told: Read this, he will reply: I do not know how to read.
Should this argument appear weak to anyone, let him listen to the Apostle: Let two or three prophets speak, and let others interpret; if, however, a revelation should come to one of those who are seated there, let the first one be quiet. How can they be silent, since it depends on the Spirit who speaks through his prophets whether they remain silent or speak? If they understood what they were saying, all things would be full of wisdom and knowledge. But it was not the air vibrating with the human voice that reached their ears, but rather it was God speaking within the soul of the prophets, just as another prophet says: It is an angel who spoke in me; and again, Crying out in our hearts, Abba, Father, and I shall listen to what the Lord God says within me.
RESPONSORY
All Scripture is inspired by God and is valuable
The wise son is one who keeps God’s law.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)
Let us praise the Lord.
Ribbon Placement:
Christian Prayer:
Morning Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
God, come to my assistance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
HYMN
Jesus, our Teacher, loving Lord and Master,
Humbly we thank you, Shepherd through the ages,
Masters of learning were your eager servants,
All tongues should praise you, Jesus, divine Master,
May this day's patron, whom we gladly honor,
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?
Psalm 77
I cry aloud to God,
In the day of my distress I sought the Lord.
You withheld sleep from my eyes.
“Will the Lord reject us for ever?
I said: “This is what causes my grief;
Your ways, O God, are holy.
The waters saw you, O God,
Your thunder rolled round the sky,
You guided your people like a flock
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Father, you established your ancient covenant by signs and wonders, but more wondrously you confirmed the new one through the sacrifice of your Son. Guide your Church through the pathways of life, that we may be led to the land of promise and celebrate your name with lasting praise.
Ant. O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?
Ant.2 My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.
Canticle – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
My heart exults in the Lord,
I have swallowed up my enemies;
Speak boastfully no longer,
The bows of the mighty are broken,
The Lord puts to death and gives life;
He raises the needy from the dust;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
The Most High in heaven thunders;
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Ant. My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.
Ant. 3 The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.
Psalm 97
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
A fire prepares his path;
The mountains melt like wax
Let those who serve idols be ashamed,
Zion hears and is glad;
For you indeed are the Lord
The Lord loves those who hate evil;
Light shines forth for the just
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Psalm-prayer
Father, you clothe the sky with light and the depths of the ocean with darkness. Among the sons of men you work wonders, and rain terror upon the enemy. Look upon your servants. Do not try us by fire but bring us rejoicing to the shelter of your home.
Ant. The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.
READING Wisdom 7:13-14
Simply I learned about Wisdom, and ungrudgingly do I share –
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
Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.
With joyful praise let the Church tell forth
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. Those who are learned will be as radiant as the sky in all its beauty; those who instruct the people in goodness will shine like the stars for all eternity.
Luke 1:68 – 79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
In the tender compassion of our God
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
Ant. Those who are learned will be as radiant as the sky in all its beauty; those who instruct the people in goodness will shine like the stars for all eternity.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise and thank him as we pray:
Christ, you decided to show your merciful love through your holy shepherds,
Through your vicars you continue to perform the ministry of shepherd of souls,
Through your holy ones, the leaders of your people, you served as physician of our bodies and our spirits,
You taught your flock through the prudence and love of your saints,
Our Father who art in heaven,
Concluding Prayer
O God,
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
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