Psalmody
Psalm 36
Ant. God is infinitely good, infinitely merciful. (1832 letter to Fr. Tempier)
Transgression speaks to sinners
in the depths of their hearts.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
In their own eyes, they flatter themselves;
they do not see and detest their own guilt.
The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit.
They have ceased to be prudent and do good.
On their beds they plot iniquity.
They set their feet on every wicked way;
no evil do they reject.
Your faithful love, O LORD, reaches to heaven,
your truth to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
like the great deep, your justice.
Both human being and beast you save, O LORD.
How precious is your love, O God!
The children of Adam seek shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the riches of your house;
you give them drink from the stream of your delight.
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.
Maintain your love for those who know you,
your saving justice to upright hearts.
Let the foot of the proud not tread on me
nor the hand of the wicked drive me out.
There have the evildoers fallen;
flung down, unable to rise!
Glory to the Father…
Ant. God is infinitely good, infinitely merciful.
Canticle (Judith 16:2-3a, 13-15)
Ant. Don’t be afraid to be insistent; God is rich and generous enough to satisfy everyone. (Pentecost 1810 letter to Madame de Mazenod, his mother).
Strike up the instruments,
a song to my God with timbrels,
chant to the Most High with cymbals.
Sing a new song,
exalt and acclaim God’s name.
A new hymn I will sing to you.
O God, great are you and glorious,
wonderful in power and unsurpassable.
Let your every creature serve you;
for you spoke, and they were made,
you sent forth your spirit, and they were created;
no one can resist your word.
The mountains to their bases, and the seas, are shaken;
the rocks, like wax, melt before your glance.
But to those who fear you,
you are very merciful.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Don’t be afraid to be insistent; God is rich and generous enough to satisfy everyone.
Psalm 47
Ant. Recount the miracles that the grace of Almighty God worked in you.
(1807 letter to Emmanuel Gaultier de Claubry)
All peoples, clap your hands.
Cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,
the great king over all the earth.
God humbles peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
Our heritage God chose for us,
the pride of Jacob the beloved.
God has gone up with shouts of joy.
The LORD goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God; sing praise!
Sing praise to our king; sing praise!
For God is king of all the earth.
Sing praise with a hymn.
God is reigning over nations,
God sits upon a holy throne.
The leaders of the peoples are assembled
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For the rulers of the earth belong to God,
who is greatly exalted.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Recount the miracles that the grace of Almighty God worked in you.
Reading
As the Lord is my witness, what he wants from me is that I renounce the world… that I devote myself especially to his service and try to reawaken the faith that is becoming extinct amongst the poor. In a word, that I make myself available to carry out any orders he may wish to give me for his glory and the salvation of the souls he has redeemed by his precious blood… If, I stayed in the world and established myself therein, taking a wife, setting up my own home and having children, all these things, far from knitting together the bonds that bind us, would be capable of weakening them.
(Saint Eugène de Mazenod, Oblate Writings XIV, p. 126ff, n. 56)
Responsory
The crucifix will serve as the credentials of their embassy
-The crucifix will serve as the credentials of their embassy
to the different peoples to whom they are sent
-the credentials of their embassy
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
-The crucifix will serve as the credentials of their embassy
Canticle of Zachariah
Ant. As they enter more deeply into the mystery of the Saviour and his Church, he moves them to dedicate themselves to the evangelization of the poor. (Constitution 45)
O God, you have come and freed your people;
from David’s house you have sent a Saviour.
Through ages the prophets have told us
that we would be saved from hatred.
You have shown to us your great mercy
by the promise to Sarah and Abraham
that we should be freed from all fear
to serve you in justice and holiness.
And you, John, are called prophet of God,
for you will prepare the way
to lead people to salvation
through the awareness and knowledge of God.
Praise to you, God of Israel.
The bright dawn will break upon us.
You give light to those in darkness.
You guide us to ways of peace.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. As they enter more deeply into the mystery of the Saviour and his Church, he moves them to dedicate themselves to the evangelization of the poor.
Intercessions
For our young people growing up in an unstable and confusing world, may they find meaning in their lives and learn how to see blessings even in apparent failure.
Jesus, you walked among the outcast of your day, healing them and drawing them to yourself, help us to walk in your ways that those who are shunned by society may know your love and healing through us.
Christ, you are our hope in life and in death, help us to live our belief in you for the strength and courage of all in need of your truth.
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
God, you have been at work in this world, from that first day of Creation up until today. So many lives, down through the centuries, have been shaped by your hand. People going beyond the possible, walking by faith and thus changing the course of history, in ways large or small. We call them saints. But it was you behind them all. We ask for your guidance this day, that we may be a revelation of your love and compassion to people we meet today. We ask this through Christ, our brother and friend. Amen.
Novitiate Liturgy of the Hours 