Divine Office Office of Readings

Lord, open my lips.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Forty years I endured that generation.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Ribbon Placement:

Christian Prayer:

Office of Readings for Wednesday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

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

HYMN

For the beauty of the earth,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

For the beauty of each hour

Lord of all, to thee we raise

For the joy of ear and eye,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

For the joy of human love,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

For each perfect gift of Thine,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Bless the Lord, my soul; never forget all he has done for you.

Psalm 103

I

My soul, give thanks to the Lord,

It is he who forgives all your guilt,

The Lord does deeds of justice,

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

Ant. Bless the Lord, my soul; never forget all he has done for you.

Ant. 2 As a father is gentle with his children, so is the Lord with those who revere him.

II

The Lord is compassion and love,

For as the heavens are high above the earth

As a father has compassion on his sons,

As for man, his days are like grass;

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

Ant. As a father is gentle with his children, so is the Lord with those who revere him.

Ant. 3 Bless the Lord, all you his works!

III

But the love of the Lord is everlasting

The Lord has set his sway in heaven

Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts,

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

Psalm-prayer

You have compassion for the sinner, Lord, as a father has compassion for his children. Heal the weakness of your people and save us from lasting death that we may praise and glorify you for ever.

Ant. Bless the Lord, all you his works!

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.

Lord, make me understand the way of your precepts.

READINGS

First reading

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank. Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, to be brought in so that the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.

Suddenly, opposite the lampstand, the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king’s palace. When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched; his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook, and his knees knocked.

The king shouted for the enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers to be brought in. “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means,” he said to the wise men of Babylon, “shall be clothed in purple, wear a golden collar about his neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom.” But though all the king’s wise men came in, none of them could either read the writing or tell the king what it meant. Then King Belshazzar was greatly terrified; his face went ashen, and his lords were thrown into confusion.

Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king. The king asked him, “Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile, whom my father, the king, brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom. Now, the wise men and enchanters were brought in to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning, but they could not say what the words meant. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties; if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be clothed in purple, wear a gold collar about your neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom.”

Daniel answered the king: “You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means.

“This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean: MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it; TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Then by order of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel in purple, with a gold collar about his neck, and proclaimed him third in the government of the kingdom. The same night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was slain: And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

RESPONSORY Psalm 75:6, 8, 9; Revelation 14:9, 10

Do not be arrogant in the presence of the Most High, for God is our judge: one man he humbles and another he raises up.

Whoever worships the beast or its image will drink the wine of God’s wrath.

Second reading

For the sake of eternal life, my brothers, let us do the will of the Father who called us, resisting the temptations that lead us into sin and striving earnestly to advance in virtue. Let us revere God for fear of the evils that spring from impiety. If we are zealous in doing good, we shall have peace, but there is no peace for those who, governed by human respect, prefer present enjoyment to the future promises. They realize neither the torment that is laid up for them on account of these momentary pleasures, nor the joy of the promises to come. And indeed it could be endured if their conduct affected only themselves, but as it is, they persist in corrupting the innocent, unaware that they incur a double condemnation, for themselves and their disciples.

So let us serve God with a pure heart, and then we shall be living as we should. If we fail to serve him because of our disbelief, we shall only be miserable. Wretched are those of wavering faith, says the prophet, the people who double in their hearts and say: We heard all this even when our parents were alive and day after day we have waited in vain for any proof of it. O foolish ones! Think of a tree, and see how you resemble it. A vine, for example, first sheds its leaves and then the bud appears; after that there comes the sour grape and finally a cluster of ripened fruit. So it is with my people. They have had their tumults and afflictions, but afterward will come to their reward.

Therefore, my brothers, in order to obtain the reward, we must endure in hope with unwavering faith. He who made the promise to repay every man as his deeds deserve will be faithful to it. If we do what is right in God’s sight, we shall enter into his kingdom and receive the promise which no ear has heard, no eye seen, no human heart conceived.

So let us live loving and upright lives, in hourly expectation of the kingdom of God, since we do not know when it will come. Let us repent at once of our great folly and wickedness, and from now on always be ready to do good. We should blot out past sins by being truly sorry for them, and then we shall be saved. We must have no desire to curry favor with men, nor should we think only of making ourselves acceptable to our fellow Christians. We should live upright lives in order to win the respect of non-Christians as well. The Name must not be blasphemed on our account.

RESPONSORY 1 Cor. 15:58; 2 Thess. 3:13

Be steadfast, stand firm,

Never grow weary of doing good.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

Lord, open my lips.

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

Psalm 67

O God, be gracious and bless us

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

Let the nations be glad and exult

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

The earth has yielded its fruit

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

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

Ant. Come into the Lord’s presence singing for joy.

Ribbon Placement:

Christian Prayer:

Office of Readings for Thursday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

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

HYMN

I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud

I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face.

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. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face.

Ant. 2 Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face.

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. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face.

Ant. 3 Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever.

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 Jesus, you foretold that we would share in the persecutions that brought you to a violent death. The Church formed at the cost of your precious blood is even now conformed to your Passion; may it be transformed, now and eternally, by the power of your resurrection.

Ant. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever.

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.

Let the light of your face shine on me, O Lord.

READINGS

First reading

It was the first year that Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of the race of the Medes, reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, tried to understand in the Scriptures the counting of the years of which the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah: that for the ruins of Jerusalem seventy years must be fulfilled.

I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I prayed to the Lord, my God, and confessed, “Give ear, O my God, and listen; open your eyes and see our ruins and the city which bears your name. When we present our petition before you, we rely not on our just deeds, but on your great mercy. O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon! O Lord, be attentive and act without delay, for your own sake, O my God, because this city and your people bear your name!”

I was still occupied with my prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, presenting my petition to the Lord, my God, on behalf of his holy mountain—I was still occupied with this prayer, when Gabriel, the one whom I had seen before in vision, came to me in rapid flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me in these words: “Daniel, I have now come to give you understanding. When you began your petition, an answer was given which I have come to announce, because you are beloved. Therefore, mark the answer and understand the vision.

“Seventy weeks are decreed

Know and understand this:

During sixty-two weeks

For one week he shall make

RESPONSORY Baruch 2:16; Daniel 9:18; Psalms 80:20

Look down from your holy dwelling place, O Lord, and think of us. Turn your ear toward us, my God, and listen;

O Lord of hosts, restore us; let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.

Second reading

My name is constantly blasphemed by unbelievers, says the Lord. Woe to the man who causes my name to be blasphemed. Why is the Lord’s name blasphemed? Because we say one thing and do another. When they hear the words of God on our lips, unbelievers are amazed at their beauty and power, but when they see that those words have no effect in our lives, their admiration turns to scorn, and they dismiss such words as myths and fairy tales.

They listen, for example, when we tell them that God has said: It is no credit to you if you love those who love you, but only if you love your enemies, and those who hate you. They are full of admiration at such extraordinary virtue, but when they observe that we not only fail to love people who hate us, but even those who love us, they laugh us to scorn, and the Name is blasphemed.

Therefore, brothers, if we do the will of God the Father, we shall be members of the first spiritual Church that was created before the sun and the moon; but if we fail to do the will of the Lord, we shall be among those to whom it is said in Scripture: My house has been made into a robbers’ den. We must choose then, if we want to be saved, to be members of the Church of life.

You surely cannot be ignorant of the fact that the living Church is the body of Christ; for Scripture says: God made man male and female. Now the male signifies Christ, and the female signifies the Church, which, according to both the Old and the New Testament, is no recent creation, but has existed from the beginning. At first the Church was purely spiritual, even as our Jesus was spiritual, but it appeared in the last days to save us.

For the spiritual Church was made manifest in the body of Christ, in order to show us that if we uphold its honor in the outward, visible form, and do not defile it, we shall, through the Holy Spirit be made its members in the true, spiritual sense. For the body of the Church is a copy of the Spirit, and no one who defaces the copy can have any part in what the copy represents. In other words, brothers, you must preserve the honor of the body in order to share in the Spirit. For if we say that the body is the Church and the Spirit is Christ, it follows that anyone who dishonors his body, dishonors the Church. Such a man will have no part in the Spirit, which is Christ. But if the Holy Spirit is joined to it, this body can receive an immortal life that is wonderful beyond words, for the blessings God has made ready for his chosen ones surpass all human powers of description.

RESPONSORY Jeremiah 7:3; James 4:8

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says this:

Draw near and he will draw near to you;

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,

Acclamation (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

Lord, open my lips.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

Forty years I endured that generation.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

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

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord in whom is all our delight.

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 My God, do not reject my cry for help, assailed as I am by the wicked.

Psalm 55

I

O God, listen to my prayer,

I tremble at the shouts of the foe,

My heart is stricken within me,

O that I had wings like a dove

I would hasten to find a shelter

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

Ant. My God, do not reject my cry for help, assailed as I am by the wicked.

Ant. 2 The Lord himself will free us from hostile and treacherous hands.

II

For I can see nothing but violence

It is full of wickedness and evil;

If this had been done by an enemy

But it is you, my own companion,

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

Ant. The Lord himself will free us from hostile and treacherous hands.

Ant. 3 Entrust your cares to the Lord; he will sustain you.

III

As for me, I will cry to God

He will deliver my soul in peace

God will hear and will humble them,

The traitor has turned against his friends;

Entrust your cares to the Lord

But you, O God, will bring them down

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

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, you were rejected by your people, betrayed by the kiss of a friend, and deserted by your disciples. Give us the confidence that you had in the Father, and our salvation will be assured.

Ant. Entrust your cares to the Lord; he will sustain you.

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.

Children, listen to my words of wisdom.

READINGS

First reading

In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel, who had been named Belteshazzar. The revelation was certain: a great war; he understood it from the vision.

In those days, I, Daniel, mourned three full weeks. I ate no savory food, I took no meat or wine, and I did not anoint myself at all until the end of the three weeks.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was on the bank of the great river, the Tigris. As I looked up, I saw a man dressed in linen with a belt of fine gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face shown like lightning, his eyes were like fiery torches, his arms and feet looked like burnished bronze, and his voice sounded like the roar of a multitude.

I alone, Daniel, saw the vision; but great fear seized the men who were with me; they fled and hid themselves, although they did not see the vision. So I was left alone, seeing this great vision. No strength remained in me; I turned the color of death and was powerless. When I heard the sound of his voice, I fell face forward in a faint.

But then a hand touched me, raising me to my hands and knees. “Daniel, beloved,” he said to me, “understand the words which I am speaking to you; stand up, for my mission now is to you.”

When he said this to me, I stood up trembling. “Fear not, Daniel,” he continued; “from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. Because of it I started out, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the days to come; for there is yet a vision concerning those days.”

While he was speaking thus to me, I fell forward and kept silent. Then something like a man’s hand touched my lips; I opened my mouth and said to the one facing me, “My lord, I was seized with pangs at the vision and I was powerless. How can my lord’s servant speak with you, my lord? For now no strength or even breath is left in me.” The one who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me, saying, “Fear not, beloved, you are safe; take courage and be strong.”

When he spoke to me, I grew strong and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” “Do you know,” he asked, “why I have come to you? Soon I must fight the prince of Persia again. When I leave, the prince of Greece will come; but I shall tell you what is written in the truthful book. No one supports me against all these except Michael, your prince.”

RESPONSORY Daniel 10:12, 19, 21

From the moment you resolved to acquire understanding and to humble yourself before God,

Do not be afraid, Daniel; I shall tell you what is written in the book of truth.

Second reading

With regard to self-control, I believe I have given you good advice. No one who follows it will have reason for regret but will save his own soul and mine as well, since I have been his counselor. Indeed there is no small reward for converting an erring soul and saving it from perishing. Moreover, whether it is our duty to speak or to listen, we have it in our power to make some recompense to the God who created us, by speaking or listening with faith and love.

We must remain firm in our faith, therefore, and live upright and holy lives, for we shall then feel at ease and confident when we present our petitions to God, who says: While you are still speaking I will say: “See, I am here!” In these words the Lord makes a wonderful promise, and shows us that he is more ready to give than we are to ask. We all have a share in this extraordinary goodness, so the great blessings we receive should never make us envy one another. In fact, the degree of pleasure these words bring to those who live by them is equaled only by the condemnation they will bring on those who disregard them.

So you see, my brothers, that we have been given every inducement to amend our lives. We have been called by God, and now it is up to us to return to him while we still have time and one who is ready to receive us. For if we renounce sinful pleasures and practice self control by refusing to yield to our evil desires, we shall share in the mercy of Jesus.

You must know, however, that the day of judgment, like a flaming furnace, is already approaching. Sun, moon and stars will be consumed, and the whole earth will become like lead melting in the fire. All that each man has done, whether openly or in secret, will then be brought to light. Therefore, a very good way of atoning for our sins is by being generous to the poor. Fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving surpasses both, for love covers a multitude of sins. Nevertheless, prayer delivers the soul from death if it proceeds from a good conscience. Happy the man who is found rich in these virtues; by relieving the poor, he himself will be relieved of his sins.

To make sure that none of us is lost, we must repent from the bottom of our hearts. Since we have been commanded to go out and rescue idolaters and to instruct them, is it not even more important to save souls who already know God? If we are all to be saved, we shall have to help one another and support the weak in their struggle to live a good life. When one of us does wrong, it is for the others to warn him and persuade him of his error.

RESPONSORY Jude 21: Titus 2:12

Keep yourselves in God’s love

We must reject godless ways and worldly desires,

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

Lord, open my lips.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Psalm 100

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Go within his gates, giving thanks.

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

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

Ant. Let us listen to the voice of God, let us enter into his rest.

Ribbon Placement:

Christian Prayer:

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

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

HYMN

Ave Maria, gratia plena

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei

Amen.

English Translation:

Hail Mary, full of grace

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Amen.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord summons heaven and earth to witness his judgment on his people.

Psalm 50

I

The God of gods, the Lord,

Our God comes, he keeps silence no longer.

Before him fire devours,

“Summon before me my people

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

Ant. The Lord summons heaven and earth to witness his judgment on his people.

Ant. 2 Come to me in your distress, and I will save you.

II

“Listen, my people, I will speak;

I find no fault with your sacrifices,

For I own all the beasts of the forest,

Were I hungry, I would not tell you,

Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God

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

Ant. Come to me in your distress, and I will save you.

Ant. 3 A sacrifice of praise will give me glory.

III

But God says to the wicked:

“But how can you recite my commandments

you who see a thief and go with him;

you who sit and malign your brother

Mark this, you who never think of God,

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

Psalm-prayer

Father, because Jesus, your servant, became obedient even unto death, his sacrifice was greater than all holocausts of old. Accept the sacrifice of praise we offer you through him and may we show the effects of it in our lives by striving to do your will until our whole life becomes adoration in Spirit and truth.

Ant. A sacrifice of praise will give me glory.

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.

We are always praying earnestly for you.

READINGS

First reading

The angel said to me:

“As for you, Daniel, keep secret the message and seal the book until the end time; many shall fall away and evil shall increase.”

I, Daniel, looked and saw two others, one standing on either bank of the river. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, “How long shall it be to the end of these appalling things?” The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, lifted his right and left hands to heaven; and I heard him swear by him who lives forever that it should be for a year, two years, a half-year; and that, when the power of the destroyer of the holy people was brought to an end, all these things should end.

I heard, but I did not understand; so I asked, “My lord, what follows this?” “Go, Daniel,” he said, “because the words are to be kept secret and sealed until the end time. Many shall be refined, purified, and tested, but the wicked shall prove wicked; none of them shall have understanding, but the wise shall have it. From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the horrible abomination is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is the man who has patience and perseveres until the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Go, take your rest, you shall rise for your reward at the end of days.”

RESPONSORY See Luke 20:35, 36, 38

Those considered worthy of the resurrection from the dead can no longer die;

He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for to him all things are alive.

Second reading

Let us be sure that when the day of judgment comes, our place will be among those who give thanks to God and have served him, and not with the ungodly who face condemnation. As for myself, I am only a sinner, not yet beyond the reach of temptation; but even amidst all the devil’s machinations, I still strive to make progress and hope to attain at least some virtue, for I fear the judgment that awaits me.

My brothers and sisters, you have heard the word of God who is the very fountainhead of truth. Therefore, I now read you an appeal to heed what is written, and thereby save both yourselves and your reader. The reward I ask is that you repent with your whole heart, to save yourselves and find life. If we do this, we shall set an example for all young people, for whom the glory and goodness of God is a challenge to be generous in his service.

Let me say also that when we are given a warning and corrected for doing something wrong, we should not be so foolish as to take offense and be angry. There are times when we are unconscious of the sins we commit because our hearts are fickle, lacking in faith. Futile desires becloud our minds. We need to pull ourselves up, therefore, because our very salvation is at stake. Those who keep God’s commandments will have reason to rejoice. For a short time in this world they may have to suffer, but they will rise again and their reward will endure for ever. No one who holds God in reverence should grieve over the hardships of this present time, for a time of blessedness awaits him. He will live again in heaven in the company of all those who have gone before him; for all eternity he will rejoice, never to know sorrow again.

So do not be disturbed at the sight of wicked men possessing great wealth while the servants of God suffer want. We, my brothers and sisters, must have faith. Competing as we are in the arena of the living God, we are receiving the training in this present life that will make us worthy to be crowned in the life to come. No honest man becomes rich overnight; he has to wait for the reward of his labors. If God gave virtue an immediate recompense, we should straightway find ourselves engaging in commerce, instead of perfecting ourselves in his service. Although to all outward appearance we might be irreproachable, we should not be seeking God, but our own advantage, and bringing down on our sinful souls the divine judgment that would soon make us feel the full weight of our chains.

To the one invisible God, the Father of truth, who sent forth the Savior, the author of immortality, and through him revealed to us the truth and the heavenly life – to him be glory throughout all ages, for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORY Psalm 37:27, 28, 1

Turn away from evil and do good,

Do not emulate the wicked

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

Lord, open my lips.

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation.

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

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

Ant. Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us, alleluia.

Ribbon Placement:

Christian Prayer:

Office of Readings for Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, come to my assistance.

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

HYMN

1. God Father, praise and glory

Refrain:

2. And you, Lord Coeternal,

Refrain:

3. O Holy Ghost, Creator

Refrain:

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

Psalm 1

Happy indeed is the man

Ant. See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

He is like a tree that is planted

Ant. See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

For they like winnowed chaff

Ant. See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

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

Psalm-prayer

Lord, you are the fullness of life of holiness and of joy. Fill our days and night with the love of your wisdom, that we may bear fruit in the beauty of holiness, like a tree watered by running streams.

Ant. See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

Ant. 2 Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

Psalm 2

Why this tumult among nations,

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

I will announce the decree of the Lord:

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

Now, O kings, understand,

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

Blessed are they who put their trust in God.

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

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

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, you gave the peoples of the world as the inheritance of your only Son; you crowned him as King of Zion, your holy city, and gave him your Church to be his bride. As he proclaims the law of your eternal kingdom, may we serve him faithfully, and so share his royal power forever.

Ant. Here is a King of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

Ant. 3 Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

Psalm 3

How many are my foes, O Lord!

Ant. Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

But you, Lord, are a shield about me,

Ant. Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

I lie down to rest and I sleep.

Ant. Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

Arise, Lord; save me, my God,

Ant. Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

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

Psalm-prayer

Lord God, you heard the cry of your Son when he was oppressed and saved him from the sleep of death. Arise, Lord, help your Church. Be its shield so that it may hold up its head and radiate the glory of the resurrection.

Ant. Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

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.

May the word of Christ ever fill your hearts.

READINGS

First reading

Thus says the Lord:

And do you, O children of Zion, exult

And I will repay you for the years

And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel;

Then afterward I will pour out

And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth,

Then everyone shall be rescued

RESPONSORY Luke 21:25, 31; Mark 13:33

There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars.

Be on your guard and pray,

Second reading

All the trees of the forest will exult before the face of the Lord, for he has come, he has come to judge the earth. He has come the first time, and he will come again. At his first coming, his own voice declared in the gospel: Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds. What does he mean by hereafter? Does he not mean that the Lord will come at a future time when all the nations of the earth will be striking their breasts in grief ? Previously he came through his preachers, and he filled the whole world. Let us not resist his first coming, so that we may not dread the second.

What then should the Christian do? He ought to use the world, not become its slave. And what does this mean? It means having, as though not having. So says the Apostle: My brethren, the appointed time is short: from now on let those who have wives live as though they had none; and those who mourn as though they were not mourning; and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy as though they had no goods; and those who deal with this world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. But I wish you to be without anxiety. He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes. For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear his coming? Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame? We love him, yet we fear his coming. Are we really certain that we love him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore let us hate our sins and love him who will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because he is not coming just now, he will not come at all. He will come, you know not when; and provided he finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of his coming will not be held against you.

All the trees of the forest will exult. He has come the first time, and he will come again to judge the earth; he will find those rejoicing who believed in his first coming, for he has come.

He will judge the world with equity and the peoples in his truth. What are equity and truth? He will gather together with him for the judgment his chosen ones, but the others he will set apart; for he will place some on his right, others on his left. What is more equitable, what more true than that they should not themselves expect mercy from the judge, who themselves were unwilling to show mercy before the judge’s coming. Those, however, who were willing to show mercy will be judged with mercy. For it will be said to those placed on his right: Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And he reckons to their account their works of mercy: For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

What is imputed to those placed on his left side? That they refused to show mercy. And where will they go? Depart into the everlasting fire. The hearing of this condemnation will cause much wailing. But what has another psalm said? The just man will be held in everlasting remembrance; he will not fear the evil report. What is the evil report? Depart into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. Whoever rejoices to hear the good report will not fear the bad. This is equity, this is truth.

Or do you, because you are unjust, expect the judge not to be just? Or because you are a liar, will the truthful one not be true? Rather, if you wish to receive mercy, be merciful before he comes; forgive whatever has been done against you; give of your abundance. Of whose possessions do you give, if not from his? If you were to give of your own, it would be largess; but since you give of his, it is restitution. For what do you have, that you have not received? These are the sacrifices most pleasing to God: mercy, humility, praise, peace, charity. Such as these, then, let us bring and, free from fear, we shall await the coming of the judge who will judge the world in equity and the peoples in his truth.

RESPONSORY Matthew 16:27; Psalm 96:13

The Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels.

He will judge the world with justice and the peoples with truth.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,

The glorious company of apostles praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:

You, Christ, are the King of glory,

When you became man to set us free

You overcame the sting of death,

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.

Day by day we bless you.

Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.

Lord, show us your love and mercy,

In you, Lord, is our hope:

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Grant us,

ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.