Psalmody
Psalm 119 (105-112)
Ant. I ask God every day to sustain me in my anguish of heart.
(1815 letter to Fr. Forbin-Janson)
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
and a light for my path.
I have sworn an oath and affirmed it,
to obey your righteous judgments.
I am deeply afflicted, O Lord;
by your word, give me life.
Accept, Lord, the homage of my lips,
and teach me your decrees.
My life is in my hands at all times;
I do not forget your law.
For me the wicked have set a snare;
yet I do not stray from your precepts.
Your decrees are my heritage forever,
the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to carry out your statutes
forever, to the end.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. I ask God every day to sustain me in my anguish of heart.
Psalm 16
Ant. We need to have some courage and confidence in God who shows us the road and will not abandon us. (1844 letter to Fr. Guigues)
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord.
You are my good, you alone.”
As for the holy ones who dwell in the land,
they are noble, and in them I delight.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
I will not take part in their offerings of blood.
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
O LORD, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who secure my destiny.
Pleasant places are marked out for me:
a fair heritage indeed is my lot!
I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the LORD before me always;
with God at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
nor let your holy one see corruption.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand, bliss forever.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. We need to have some courage and confidence in God who shows us the road and will not abandon us.
Canticle (Phil 2:6-11)
Ant. I place my hopes in God’s goodness, the God who is so good, so faithful to his promises. (1831 letter to Fr. Tempier)
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not count equality with God
something to be grasped at.
But emptied himself
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
Being found in human estate,
he humbled himself and became obedient,
obediently accepting death,
even death on a cross!
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name.
So that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
in heaven, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God:
Jesus Christ is Lord!
Glory to the Father…
Ant. I place my hopes in God’s goodness, the God who is so good, so faithful to his promises.
Reading
To the holy and faithful sisters and brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from our Loving God. We always give thanks to the Abba God of our Saviour Jesus Christ whenever we pray for you, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you show toward the holy ones, because of the hope stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of the truth. The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world; it is producing the same fruit there as it did among you, ever since you heard about God’s grace and understood what it really is.
(Colossians 1:2-6)
Responsory
We will let our lives be enriched by the poor and the marginalized as we work with them
-We will let our lives be enriched by the poor and the marginalized as we work with them
for they can make us hear in new ways the Gospel we proclaim
-the poor and the marginalized
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
-We will let our lives be enriched by the poor and the marginalized as we work with them
Canticle of Mary
Ant. Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)
My heart is radiant, overflowing with joy,
for you have loved my lowliness.
You have shown me great favour;
all people will call me blest.
Your mercy extends throughout the ages
toward those who revere your holy name.
You have revealed your strength,
scattering the proud of heart.
You dethrone the powerful
and lift up the lowly.
The famished are filled;
the rich sent empty away.
Your people Israel you have remembered,
true to your loving kindness,
just as you have promised long ago
to Sarah and Abraham.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)
Intercessions
O God, you grieve for all that afflicts us; give those who struggle with addictions the courage and perseverance they need.
Jesus, you loved the land and fields of flowers, bless farmers and all who are stewards of the soil.
You taught your followers to travel lightly through life, call our consumer culture to a change of heart – to values that lead to life.
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
Great and awesome God, creator and source of all life, we worship and praise you. Out of chaos and darkness you spoke words which brought order and light and life. We marvel at such evidence of your greatness and glory. Yet, you laid these aside when you took on human flesh in Jesus Christ. In incarnation we gained a new understanding of your power and glory, for Jesus revealed through his life, that true power is based upon empowering others, and that glory is made visible through loving and serving others. We marvel anew at the depth of your care for us and the many ways our lives have been blessed by the sacrificial life and love of Jesus. It is because of him that we are gathered here today, and it is in his name that we pray. Amen.
Novitiate Liturgy of the Hours 