Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers, *
nor eat of their choice foods.
Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke;
let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head; *
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places, *
that they may know my words are true.
As when a plowman turns over the earth in furrows, *
let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge;
do not strip me of my life.
Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me *
and from the traps of the evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, *
while I myself escape.
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.
Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Ant. 1. My life is at the service of the Gospel; God has given me this gift of his grace, alleluia.
Psalm 116
I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.
Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
“O LORD, I pray you, save my life.”
Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.
The LORD watches over the innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the LORD has treated you well.
For you have rescued my life from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
“I have been brought very low.” *
In my distress I said, “No one can be trusted.”
How shall I repay the LORD *
for all the good things he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD *
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD *
is the death of his servants.
O LORD, I am your servant; *
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and call upon the Name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD *
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the LORD’S house, *
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
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
God of power and mercy, though your Son’s passion and resurrection you have freed us from the bonds of death and the anguish of separation from you. Be ever with us on our pilgrimage; then we shall sing rather than weep. Keep our feet from stumbling, so that we may be able to follow you until we come to eternal rest.
Ant. 1. My life is at the service of the Gospel; God has given me this gift of his grace, alleluia.
Ant. 2. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, in order to share in its rewards, alleluia.
Psalm 126
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations, *
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD, *
like the watercourses of the Negev.
Those who sowed with tears *
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.
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
Lord, you have raised us from the earth; may you let the seeds of justice, which we have sown in tears, grow and increase in your sight. May we reap in joy the harvest we hope for patiently.
Ant. 2. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, in order to share in its rewards, alleluia.
Ant. 3. This grace has been given to me: to proclaim to the nations the infinite riches of Christ, alleluia.
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed are you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
You chose us to be yours in Christ
before the foundation of the world,
That we should be holy and blameless before you.
in love you destined us for adoption as your children,
through Jesus Christ,
According to the purpose of your will,
to the praise of your glorious grace,
Which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
in you, we have redemption
through the blood of Christ,
The forgiveness of our sins,
according to the riches of your grace,
Which you have lavished upon us.
you have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight,
The mystery of your will,
according to your purpose
which you set forth in Christ,
As a plan for the fullness of time,
to unite all things in Christ,
things in heaven and things on earth.
Ant. 3. This grace has been given to me: to proclaim to the nations the infinite riches of Christ, alleluia.
READING
Colossians 1:3a-6
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying for you always. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love that you have toward all the saints, because of the hope that has been stored up for you in heaven, which you have heard through the Word of Truth in the Gospel. This has reached you, just as it is present in the whole world, where it grows and bears fruit, as it has also done in you, since the day when you first heard and knew the grace of God in truth,
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. 4. The word of the Lord shall endure for ever: this is the message which has been proclaimed, alleluia.
Luke 1:46-55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me bless-ed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
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. The word of the Lord shall endure for ever: this is the message which has been proclaimed, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
Our God is the Father of light. Through the good news of his Son he has called us to believe in the truth. Let us pray now for his holy people as we say:
Lord, remember your Church.
Father, you raised your Son, our Good Shepherd, from the dead,
– make us his witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Lord, remember your Church.
You sent your Son into the world to bring good news to the poor,
– give us courage to bring that good news to all peoples.
Lord, remember your Church.
You sent your Son to sow the word of life,
– help us to sow his word and to reap its harvest with joy.
Lord, remember your Church.
You sent your Son to make the world one through his blood,
– may all of us work together for this unity.
Lord, remember your Church.
You set your Son at your right hand in the heavens,
– open the gates of your kingdom to those who have died.
Lord, remember your Church.
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.