Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary) podcast

Father, as you made springs in valleys to form streams between mountains, so you made living streams of grace flow from the Apostles that their teaching may bring salvation to all the nations. May we have a practical knowledge of their doctrine, be obedient to their commands, obtain remission of our sins through their prayers, and finally receive the reward of eternal happiness.

Ant. The Lord looked upon all he had made and saw that it was very good, alleluia.

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.

Blessed are your eyes, for they see God’s works.

— And your ears, for they hear his word.

READINGS

First reading

From the beginning of the book of the prophet Amos

1:1 – 2:3

The Lord’s judgment on the nations

The words of Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa, which he received in vision concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake:

The Lord will roar from Zion,

and from Jerusalem raise his voice:

The pastures of the shepherds will languish,

and the summit of Carmel wither.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of Damascus, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because they threshed Gilead

with sledges of iron,

I will send fire upon the house of Hazael,

to devour the castles of Ben-hadad.

I will break the bar of Damascus;

I will root out those who live in the Valley of Aven,

And the sceptered ruler of Beth-eden;

the people of Aram shall be exiled to Kir, says the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of Gaza, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because they took captive whole groups

to hand over to Edom,

I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza,

to devour her castles;

I will root out those who live in Ashdod,

and the sceptered ruler of Ashkelon;

I will turn my hand against Ekron,

and the last of the Philistines shall perish,

says the Lord God.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of Tyre, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because they delivered whole groups captive to Edom,

and did not remember the pact of brotherhood,

I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre,

to devour her castles.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of Edom, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because he pursued his brother with the sword,

choking up all pity;

Because he persisted in his anger

and kept his wrath to the end,

I will send fire upon Teman,

and it will devour the castles of Bozrah.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of the Ammonites, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because they ripped open expectant mothers in Gilead,

while extending their territory,

I will kindle a fire upon the wall of Rabbah,

and it will devour her castles

Amid clamor on the day of battle

and stormwind in a time of tempest.

Their king shall go into captivity,

he and his princes with him, says the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:

For three crimes of Moab, and for four,

I will not revoke my word;

Because he burned to ashes

the bones of Edom’s king,

I will send fire upon Moab,

to devour the castles of Kerioth;

Moab shall meet death amid uproar

and shouts and trumpet blasts.

I will root out the judge from her midst,

and her princes I will slay with him, says the Lord.

RESPONSORY Psalm 9:8, 9; Amos 1:2

The Lord sits enthroned for ever; he will judge the world with justice;

— he will govern the peoples fairly.

The Lord roars from Zion and raises his voice from Jerusalem.

— He will govern the peoples fairly.

Second reading

From the beginning of a letter attributed to Barnabas

Hope of life is the beginning and end of our faith

Greetings, sons and daughters. In the name of the Lord who loves us, peace be to you.

Because the Lord has granted you an abundance of blessings, I rejoice immeasurably in your blessed and glorious company. You have received abundantly that indwelling grace which is the Spirit’s gift, and for this reason I hope in my own salvation and I give thanks all the more when I see the bountiful fullness of the Lord’s Spirit pouring over you. I have longed so much for you that when I saw you I was overwhelmed.

I am now convinced and fully aware that I have learned much by speaking with you, for the Lord accompanied me on the road to righteousness, and so I am driven in all ways to love you more than my own life. For surely there is a great store of faith and charity within you because of your hope for life in Christ. Therefore, I have been thinking that if my concern for you inspires me to pass on to you a portion of what I have received, then I will be rewarded for ministering to souls such as yours. Consequently, I am writing you, that you may have perfect knowledge along with your faith.

The Lord has given us these three basic doctrines: hope for eternal life, the beginning and end of our faith; justice, the beginning and end of righteousness; and love, which bears cheerful and joyous witness to the works of righteousness. Now the Lord has made the past and present known to us through his prophets, and he has given us the ability to taste the fruits of the future beforehand. Thus, when we see prophecies fulfilled in their appointed order, we ought to grow more fully and deeply in awe of him. Let me suggest a few things—not as a teacher, but as one of you—which should bring you joy in the present situation.

When evil days are upon us and the worker of malice gains power, we must attend to our own souls and seek to know the ways of the Lord. In those times reverential fear and perseverance will sustain our faith, and we will find need of forbearance and self-restraint as well. Provided that we hold fast to these virtues and look to the Lord, then wisdom, understanding, knowledge and insight will make joyous company with them.

Truly, the Lord has revealed to us through the prophets that he has no need of sacrifice, burnt offerings or oblations. He says in one place: Your endless sacrifices, what are they to me? says the Lord. I have had my fill of holocausts; I do not want the fat of your lambs, nor the blood of your bulls and goats, nor your presence in my sight. Indeed, who has made these demands of you? No more will you trample my courts. Your sacrifices of fine flour are in vain; your incense is loathsome to me; I cannot bear your feasts of the new moon, nor your sabbaths.

RESPONSORY Galatians 2:16; Genesis 15:6

We know that no one is justified by obedience to the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,

— and we have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in him.

Abraham put his faith in God, who counted it as an act of righteousness.

— And we have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in him.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;

You are the Lord: we acclaim you;

You are the eternal Father:

All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,

Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: