December 28, 2021 – lauds

monk INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Psalm 95
Come, let us sing to the LORD; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the LORD our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
Harden not your hearts,
as your forebears did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.
They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.
Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
“This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my wrath, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
INTRODUCTION
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
HYMN – O Come All Ye Faithful
PSALMODY
Ant. 1. Clothed in white robes, they will walk with me, says the Lord, for they are worthy.
Psalm 63
O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.
Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *
that I might behold your power and your glory.
For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *
my lips shall give you praise.
So will I bless you as long as I live *
and lift up my hands in your Name.
My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,
When I remember you upon my bed, *
and meditate on you in the night watches.
For you have been my helper, *
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.
May those who seek my life to destroy it *
go down into the depths of the earth;
Let them fall upon the edge of the sword, *
and let them be food for jackals.
But the king will rejoice in God;
all those who swear by him will be glad; *
for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever.
Ant. 1. Clothed in white robes, they will walk with me, says the Lord, for they are worthy.
Ant. 2. These children cry out their praises to the Lord; by their death they have proclaimed what they could not preach with their infant voices.
Canticle: Daniel 3: 26, 27, 29, 34-41
Blessed art thou O Lord God of our Fathers: praised and exalted above all forever.
Blessed art thou for the Name of thy Majesty: praised and exalted above all forever.
Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holiness: praised and exalted above all forever.
Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths and dwellest between the Cherubim: praised and exalted above all forever.
Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: praised and exalted above all forever. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: praised and exalted above all forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. 2. These children cry out their praises to the Lord; by their death they have proclaimed what they could not preach with their infant voices.
Ant. 3. From the mouths of children and babies at the breast you have found praise to foil your enemies.
Psalm 149
Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his Name in the dance; *
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people *
and adorns the poor with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
let them be joyful on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their throat *
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To wreak vengeance on the nations *
and punishment on the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron;
To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever.
Ant. 3. From the mouths of children and babies at the breast you have found praise to foil your enemies.
READING
Jeremiah 31:15
Thus says the Lord: “A voice has been heard on high: of lamentation, mourning, and weeping; of Rachel crying for her sons and refusing to be consoled over them, because they are not.”
Ant. 4. I bow before the cross made precious by Christ, my Master. I embrace it as his disciple.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, in the house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been since the world began;
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
To perform the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham, that he would give us;
That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear;
In holiness and righteousness before him, in all the days of our life.
And thou, child shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people for the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
Ant. 4. I bow before the cross made precious by Christ, my Master. I embrace it as his disciple.
INTERCESSIONS
We rejoice in the glory of Jesus Christ, who conquered the enemy not by force of arms but with a white-robed army of children, and we cry out:
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

The Holy Innocents gave witness not by words but by their life’s blood,
– give us the strength to be your witnesses before men, both by words and actions.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

They were not ready for battle but you made them fit to win the palm of victory,
– now that we are prepared for victory, do not let us despair.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

You washed the robes of the Innocents in your blood;
– cleanse us from all sin.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

You rewarded the child martyrs with the first share of your kingdom,
– do not let us be cast out from the unending heavenly banquet.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

You knew persecution and exile as a child,
– protect all children whose lives are in danger from famine, war and disasters.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(And now let us pray as the Lord told 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
Lord our God, help us to prepare for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting, eager in joyful prayer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and 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.
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