Psalmody
Psalm 101
Ant. All of us, you and we, work for the glory of God. May God be glorified! (1821 letter to Mr. Rauzan)
I sing of faithful love and justice;
I raise a psalm to you, O LORD.
I will ponder the way of the blameless.
O when will you come to me?
I will walk with blameless heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
whatever is base.
I hate the deeds of the crooked;
such I will not endure.
The false-hearted must keep far away;
I will know no evil.
The one who slanders a neighbour in secret
I will bring to silence.
Proud eyes and haughty heart
I will never endure.
My eyes are on the faithful of the land,
that they may dwell with me.
The one who walks in the way of the blameless
shall be my servant.
No one who practices deceit
shall live within my house.
No one who utters lies
shall stand before my eyes.
Morning by morning I will subdue
all the wicked in the land,
uprooting from the city of the LORD
all who do evil.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. All of us, you and we, work for the glory of God. May God be glorified!
Canticle (Dan 3:26,27,29,34-41)
Ant. Prayer is the only course open to me, any other activity is impossible. (1835 letter to Fr. Tempier)
Blessed are you, and praiseworthy
O God of our ancestors,
And glorious forever is your name.
For you are just in all you have done;
All your deeds are faultless, all
Your ways right
And all your judgements proper.
For we have sinned and transgressed
By departing from you,
And we have done every kind of evil.
For your name’s sake,
do not deliver us up forever,
Or make void your covenant
Do not take away your mercy from us,
For the sake of those beloved by you:
Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, Rachel and Jacob,
Your holy ones,
To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
Like the stars of heaven,
Or the sands on the shore of the sea.
For we are reduced beyond any other nation,
Brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins.
We have in our day no ruler,
Prophet or leader,
No holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
No place to offer first fruits,
To find favour with you.
But the contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received;
As though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks, or
Thousands of fat lambs,
So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;
For those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
And now we follow you with our whole heart,
We fear you and we pray to you.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Prayer is the only course open to me, any other activity is impossible.
Psalm 144 (1-10)
Ant. Let us not underestimate the goodness of God. (1846 letter to Bishop Phelan)
Blest be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for war.
God is my love, my fortress,
my stronghold, my saviour,
my shield in whom I take refuge,
who subdues the peoples under me.
LORD, who are we that you regard us so,
mere human beings, that you keep us in mind,
people who are merely a breath,
whose days are like a passing shadow?
Lower your heavens, O LORD, and come down.
Touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke.
Flash your lightnings; rout the foe.
Shoot your arrows, and put them to flight.
Reach down with your hand from on high;
rescue me, save me from the many waters,
from the hands of foreign foes
whose mouths speak empty words,
whose hands are raised in perjury.
To you, O God, will I sing a new song;
I will play on the ten-stringed harp
to you who give kings their victory,
who redeemed your servant David,
from the evil sword.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Let us not underestimate the goodness of God.
Reading
The core of the Good News which Jesus announced is that community is necessary and possible among men. The Kingdom he inaugurated is one where love — not fear, violence or injustice — is the basic relationship among men: “ …Jesus was to die .. .to gather together in unity the scattered children of God” (Jn. 11:52).
(Community, p. 11)
Responsory
Whoever wishes to be one of us must have an ardent desire for his own perfection and be enflamed with love
-Whoever wishes to be one of us must have an ardent desire for his own perfection and be enflamed with love
for our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church and a burning zeal for the salvation of souls
-and be enflamed with love
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
-Whoever wishes to be one of us must have an ardent desire for his own perfection and be enflamed with love
Canticle of Zachariah
Ant. Burning with love for Jesus and his Church, Eugene de Mazenod suffered deeply on seeing how God’s people were abandoned. (Foreword)
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. Burning with love for Jesus and his Church, Eugene de Mazenod suffered deeply on seeing how God’s people were abandoned.
Intercessions
For our leaders, that their decisions may reflect respect for the life and dignity of every human being and manifest it in their concern for the poorest and the most vulnerable members of society. We pray
For all the Oblates and Associates, that they might be renewed in their commitment to serve God through their ministry. We pray
May God in His goodness pour out on us the fruits of His spirit; patience, kindness, and gentleness. We pray
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
God of the ages, you call the Church to keep watch in the world and to discern the signs of the times. Grant us the wisdom which your Spirit bestows, that with courage we may proclaim your prophetic word and complete the work you have set before us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
Novitiate Liturgy of the Hours 