Psalmody
Psalm 108
Ant. I pray to God that he will reward you for the good that you have shown me. (1860 letter to all Oblates)
My heart is ready, O God;
my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul;
Awake, O lyre and harp.
I will awake the dawn.
I will praise you, LORD, among the peoples;
I will sing psalms to you among the nations,
for your faithful love is higher than the heavens,
and your truth reaches the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
may your glory shine on all the earth!
With your right hand, grant salvation and give answer;
O come and deliver your friends.
From his holy place God has made this promise:
“I will exult, and divide the land of Shechem;
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine, as is Manasseh;
Ephraim I take for my helmet,
Judah is my sceptre.
Moab is my washbowl;
on Edom I will toss my shoe.
Over Philistia I will shout in triumph.”
But who will lead me to the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
Have you not cast us off, O God?
Will you march with our armies no longer?
Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is vain.
With God, we shall do bravely;
the Lord will trample down our foes.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. I pray to God that he will reward you for the good that you have shown me.
Canticle (Isa 61:10-62:5)
Ant. Good faith is needed on your part, and straight forwardness. Speak in good conscience. (1835 letter to Fr. Rossi)
I will greatly rejoice in you, O God,
in you my soul shall exult;
for you clothe me with the garments of salvation,
you cover me with the robe of justice,
like a bridegroom bedecked with a garland,
like a bride adorned with her jewels
As the earth brings forth its shoots,
and a garden makes its seeds spring up,
so will you make justice and praise
to spring forth before all the nations.
For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until its vindication shines forth like the dawn
and its salvation like a burning torch.
Nations shall behold its vindication,
and all rulers see its glory;
it shall be called by a new name
which your own mouth will give.
It shall be a crown of beauty,
a royal diadem held in your hand O God.
No more shall they call it “Forsaken,”
or its land be termed “Desolate;”
but it shall be called “My delight,”
and its land “Espoused;”
for you, O God, delight in it,
and take it as a spouse.
For as young lovers are espoused,
So shall its children espouse Zion,
and as newlyweds rejoice in each other,
so shall you rejoice over Zion.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. Good faith is needed on your part, and straight forwardness. Speak in good conscience.
Psalm 146
Ant. The ways of Providence are a deep mystery to me. (1836 letter to Fr. Casimir Aubert)
My soul, give praise to the LORD;
I will praise the LORD all my life,
sing praise to my God while I live.
Put no trust in rulers,
in human beings who cannot save.
Take their breath, they return to the earth,
and their plans that day come to nothing.
Blessed the one who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the LORD our God,
who made the heavens and the earth,
the seas and all they contain,
Who preserves fidelity forever,
who does justice to those who are oppressed.
who furnishes bread to the hungry;
the LORD who sets prisoners free,
the LORD who opens the eyes of the blind,
the LORD who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the LORD who loves the righteous,
the LORD who protects the stranger
and upholds the orphan and the widow,
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, from age to age.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. The ways of Providence are a deep mystery to me.
Reading
I am becoming accustomed to seeing Jesus in every person who needs my attention: from the little child whose ear is painful to the old man who is passing away. In that way my day is not frittered away in solitude and Jesus is loved in these my brothers who are so poor.
(1958 Mario Borzaga, Rays of Light, p. 14)
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. How vast the field that lies before them! How worthy and holy the undertaking! (1825 Manuscript)
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. How vast the field that lies before them! How worthy and holy the undertaking!
Intercessions
We pray for the church, that through its ministry people may experience the healing power of Christ.
Bless Oblates and Associates, with your kindness and love.
Christ, you reveal to us the image of merciful God, help us to share that same image with people around us.
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding Prayer
Yours, O God, is the vineyard and its harvest, yours the kingdom of justice and peace. You call your people to tend its growth. Bless the work entrusted to our hands, that we may offer you an abundance of just works, a rich harvest of peace. We ask this 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 