Invitatorium: A Liturgy of the Hours Player

White

Ordinary Time

Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Thursday · Memorial · Psalter Week 4

The Hours

Invitatorium

Now

Invitatory · 1:30

0:00 1:30

Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom.

Come, let us sing to the Lord

and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.

Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving

and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,

the great king over all the gods.

He holds in his hands the depths of the earth

and the highest mountains as well.

He made the sea; it belongs to him,

the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,

bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.

For he is our God and we are his people,

the flock he shepherds.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:

Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did

in the wilderness,

when at Meriba and Massah

they challenged me and provoked me,

Although they had seen all of my works.

Forty years I endured that generation.

I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray

and they do not know my ways.”

So I swore in my anger,

“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom.

Matins

Now

Office of Readings · 11:30

0:00 11:30

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Eternal Sun, whose splendid rays,

pervading all created things,

infuse our minds with heav’nly light;

our hearts rejoice to sing your praise.

Enkindled by your Spirit’s care,

resplendent lamps of living flame

shed light on earth through ev’ry age,

revealing paths that save and heal.

The truth of words from heaven sent,

the truth that human minds can teach,

has shone with new and clearer light

through these, the stewards of your grace.

This blest partaker of their crown,

revered for teachings filled with light,

whom we acclaim with hymns of praise,

has shone in splendor with the saints.

O grant us, Lord our God, we pray

this teacher’s loving patronage,

that, running on the paths of truth,

we hold the course and come to you.

Most loving Father, hear our prayer,

and you, O Christ coequal Son,

who with the Spirit Paraclete,

now reign for all eternity. Amen.

Psalm 44

Ant. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face.

We heard with our own ears, O God,

our fathers have told us the story

of the things you did in their days,

you yourself, in days long ago.

To plant them you uprooted the nations:

to let them spread you laid peoples low.

No sword of their own won the land;

no arm of their own brought them victory.

It was your right hand, your arm

and the light of your face: for you loved them.

It is you, my king, my God,

who granted victories to Jacob.

Through you we beat down our foes;

in your name we trampled our aggressors.

For it was not in my bow that I trusted

nor yet was I saved by my sword:

it was you who saved us from our foes,

it was you who put our foes to shame.

All day long our boast was in God

and we praised your name without ceasing.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face.

Ant. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face.

Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us:

you no longer go forth with our armies.

You make us retreat from the foe

and our enemies plunder us at will.

You make us like sheep for the slaughter

and scatter us among the nations.

You sell your own people for nothing

and make no profit by the sale.

You make us the taunt of our neighbors,

the laughing stock of all who are near.

Among the nations, you make us a byword,

among the peoples a thing of derision.

All day long my disgrace is before me:

my face is covered with shame

at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer,

at the sight of the foe and avenger.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face.

Ant. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever.

This befell us though we had not forgotten you;

though we had not been false to your covenant,

though we had not withdrawn our hearts;

though our feet had not strayed from your path.

Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows

and covered us with the shadow of death.

Had we forgotten the name of our God

or stretched out our hands to another god

would not God have found this out,

he who knows the secrets of the heart?

It is for you that we face death all day long

and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep?

Arise, do not reject us for ever!

Why do you hide your face

and forget our oppression and misery?

For we are brought down low to the dust;

our body lies prostrate on the earth.

Stand up and come to our help!

Redeem us because of your love!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever.

Let the light of your face shine on me, O Lord.

Teach me your way of holiness.

From the book of the prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord:

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,

and from his roots a bud shall blossom.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:

a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

A spirit of counsel and of strength,

a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord,

and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.

Not by appearance shall he judge,

nor by hearsay shall he decide,

But he shall judge the poor with justice,

and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.

He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

Justice shall be the band around his waist,

and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;

The calf and the young lion shall browse together,

with a little child to guide them.

The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,

together their young shall rest;

the lion shall eat hay like the ox.

The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,

and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord,

as water covers the sea.

On that day,

The root of Jesse,

set up as a signal for the nations,

The Gentiles shall seek out,

for his dwelling shall be glorious.

On that day,

The Lord shall again take it in hand

to reclaim the remnant of his people

that is left from Assyria and Egypt,

Pathros, Ethiopia, and Elam,

Shinar, Hamath, and the isles of the sea.

He shall raise a signal to the nations

and gather the outcasts of Israel;

The dispersed of Judah he shall assemble

from the four corners of the earth.

The envy of Ephraim shall pass away,

and the rivalry of Judah be removed;

Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah,

and Judah shall not be hostile to Ephraim;

But they shall swoop down on the foothills

of the Philistines to the west,

together they shall plunder the Kedemites;

Edom and Moab shall be their possessions,

and the Ammonites their subjects.

The Lord shall dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt,

and wave his hand over the Euphrates in his fierce anger

And shatter it into seven streamlets,

so that it can be crossed in sandals.

There shall be a highway for the remnant of his people

that is left from Assyria,

As there was for Israel

when he came up from the land of Egypt.

Isaiah 55:12; 11:16

You will depart with joy;

you will be led away in peace.

Mountains and hills will break into joyful song before you,

and all the trees of the forest will clap their hands.

There will be a highway for the remnant of my people

as there was for Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Mountains and hills will break into joyful song before you,

and all the trees of the forest will clap their hands.

From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot

Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him.

The Bridegroom’s love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love’s bride? Could it be that Love not be loved?

Rightly then does she give up all other feelings and give herself wholly to love alone; in giving love back, all she can do is to respond to love. And when she has poured out her whole being in love, what is that in comparison with the unceasing torrent of that original source? Clearly, lover and Love, soul and Word, bride and Bridegroom, creature and Creator do not flow with the same volume; one might as well equate a thirsty man with the fountain.

What then of the bride’s hope, her aching desire, her passionate love, her confident assurance? Is all this to wilt just because she cannot match stride for stride with her giant, any more than she can vie with honey for sweetness, rival the lamb for gentleness, show herself as white as the lily, burn as bright as the sun, be equal in love with him who is Love? No. It is true that the creature loves less because she is less. But if she loves with her whole being, nothing is lacking where everything is given. To love so ardently then is to share the marriage bond; she cannot love so much and not be totally loved, and it is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and total marriage consists. Or are we to doubt that the soul is loved by the Word first and with a greater love?

Psalm 31:20; 36:9

Lord, how great are the hidden treasures of your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you.

They are filled with the bounty of your house;

and you give them to drink from the stream of your delights.

Which you have stored up for those who fear you.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard

a man consumed with zeal for your house

and a light shining and burning in your Church,

grant, through his intercession,

that we may be on fire with the same spirit

and walk always as children of light.

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.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Lauds

Now

Morning Prayer · 9:39

0:00 9:39

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Bernard, heaven’s noble jewel,

to you we sing our hymns of praise;

transform them into joys for us,

the fruit of heaven’s saving gifts.

Christ pierced you with the deepest wound,

to set your heart aflame with love,

and mindful of his Bride, the Church,

he made you pillar, shield, and lamp.

The loving Spirit filled your mouth

with truth that flows in gracious speech,

to tell of myst’ries that were veiled,

sweet honey of the angels’ food.

The Virgin Mother filled your heart

with fervor born of love so pure,

that you beyond all others preached

with depth and winning eloquence.

Though solitude was all your care,

you filled the world with your renown,

for you were sought to arbitrate

by teachers, magistrates, and kings.

All praise to God, the Three in One,

whose goodness grants that he be seen,

and by his gift may we delight

with you in joy that never ends. Amen.

Psalm 143:1-11

Ant. At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord.

Lord, listen to my prayer:

turn your ear to my appeal.

You are faithful, you are just; give answer.

Do not call your servant to judgment

for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul;

he has crushed my life to the ground;

he has made me dwell in darkness

like the dead, long forgotten.

Therefore my spirit fails;

my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past:

I ponder all your works.

I muse on what your hand has wrought

and to you I stretch out my hands.

Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer;

for my spirit fails within me.

Do not hide your face

lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love

for I put my trust in you.

Make me know the way I should walk:

to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies;

I have fled to you for refuge.

Teach me to do your will

for you, O Lord, are my God.

Let your good spirit guide me

in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life;

in your justice save my soul from distress.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord.

Isaiah 66:10-14

Ant. The Lord will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem.

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,

all you who love her;

exult, exult with her,

all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully

of the milk of her comfort,

That you may nurse with delight

at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the Lord:

Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms,

and fondled in her lap;

as a mother comforts her son,

so will I comfort you;

in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,

and your bodies flourish like the grass.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem.

Psalm 147:1-11

Ant. Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God.

Praise the Lord for he is good;

sing to our God for he is loving:

to him our praise is due.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem

and brings back Israel’s exiles,

he heals the broken-hearted,

he binds up all their wounds.

He fixes the number of the stars;

he calls each one by its name.

Our Lord is great and almighty;

his wisdom can never be measured.

The Lord raises the lowly;

he humbles the wicked to the dust.

O sing to the Lord, giving thanks;

sing psalms to our God with the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds;

he prepares the rain for the earth,

making mountains sprout with grass

and with plants to serve man’s needs.

He provides the beasts with their food

and young ravens that call upon him.

His delight is not in horses

nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength.

The Lord delights in those who revere him,

in those who wait for his love.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God.

Wisdom 7:13-14

Simply I learned about Wisdom, and ungrudgingly do I share—

her riches I do not hide away;

For to men she is an unfailing treasure;

those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God,

to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them.

RESPONSORY

Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.

With joyful praise let the Church tell forth

the wisdom of the saints.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints.

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine.

INTERCESSIONS

Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise and thank him as we pray:

Nourish your people, Lord.

Christ, you decided to show your merciful love through your holy shepherds,

let your mercy always reach us through them.

Nourish your people, Lord.

Through your vicars you continue to perform the ministry of shepherd of souls,

direct us always through our leaders.

Nourish your people, Lord.

Through your holy ones, the leaders of your people, you served as physician of our bodies and our spirits,

continue to fulfill your ministry of life and holiness in us.

Nourish your people, Lord.

You taught your flock through the prudence and love of your saints,

grant us continual growth in holiness under the direction of our pastors.

Nourish your people, Lord.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught 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

O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard

a man consumed with zeal for your house

and a light shining and burning in your Church,

grant, through his intercession,

that we may be on fire with the same spirit

and walk always as children of light.

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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Terce

Now

Midmorning Prayer · 9 AM · 3:36

0:00 3:36

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Now, Holy Spirit, come, descend,

one with the Father and the Son;

come swiftly in and fill our hearts

with your full flood of holiness.

In mind and mouth, with heart and tongue,

with strength and sense, may praise resound,

May charity with ardor blaze

and kindle others with its flame.

Now through your presence may we know

and love the Father and the Son,

and you, the Spirit of them both,

may we profess throughout all time. Amen.

Psalm 119:153-160

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

See my affliction and save me

for I remember your law.

Uphold my cause and defend me;

by your promise give me life.

Salvation is far from the wicked

who are heedless of your commands.

Numberless, Lord, are your mercies;

with your decrees give me life.

Though my foes and oppressors are countless

I have not swerved from your will.

I look at the faithless with disgust;

they ignore your promise.

See how I love your precepts;

in your mercy give me life.

Your word is founded on truth:

your decrees are eternal.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

Psalm 129

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth,”

this is Israel’s song.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth

but could never destroy me.

They plowed my back like plowmen,

drawing long furrows.

But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed

the yoke of the wicked.”

Let them be shamed and routed,

those who hate Zion!

Let them be like grass on the roof

that withers before it flowers.

With that no reaper fills his arms,

no binder makes his sheaves

and those passing by will not say:

“On you the Lord’s blessing!”

“We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

1 John 3:23-24

God’s commandment is this:

we are to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and are to love one another as he commanded us.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him

and he in them.

And this is how we know that he remains in us:

from the Spirit that he gave us.

Lord, you guide the upright man.

You know him through and through.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord,

in midmorning you gave your Holy Spirit

to the apostles gathered in prayer.

Give us a share in the life and love

that your Spirit brings.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Sext

Now

Midday Prayer · 12 PM · 3:38

0:00 3:38

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O mighty Ruler, God of truth,

for days and seasons setting bounds,

you clothe with splendor morning light

and midday skies with brilliant heat.

Extinguish flames of bitter strife,

all harmful passion take away,

grant health unto our mortal frame,

and on our hearts bestow true peace.

Most loving Father, hear our prayer,

and you, O Christ coequal Son,

who with the Spirit Paraclete

now reign for all eternity. Amen.

Psalm 119:153-160

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

See my affliction and save me

for I remember your law.

Uphold my cause and defend me;

by your promise give me life.

Salvation is far from the wicked

who are heedless of your commands.

Numberless, Lord, are your mercies;

with your decrees give me life.

Though my foes and oppressors are countless

I have not swerved from your will.

I look at the faithless with disgust;

they ignore your promise.

See how I love your precepts;

in your mercy give me life.

Your word is founded on truth:

your decrees are eternal.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

Psalm 129

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth,”

this is Israel’s song.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth

but could never destroy me.

They plowed my back like plowmen,

drawing long furrows.

But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed

the yoke of the wicked.”

Let them be shamed and routed,

those who hate Zion!

Let them be like grass on the roof

that withers before it flowers.

With that no reaper fills his arms,

no binder makes his sheaves

and those passing by will not say:

“On you the Lord’s blessing!”

“We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

Wisdom 1:1-2

Love justice, you who judge the earth;

think of the Lord in goodness,

and seek him in integrity of heart;

Because he is found by those who test him not,

and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him.

Trust firmly in the Lord and do his will.

And you will dwell secure in the land of promise.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

All-powerful and ever-living God,

with you there is no darkness,

from you nothing is hidden.

Fill us with the radiance of your light:

may we understand the law you have given us

and live it with generosity and faith.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

None

Now

Midafternoon Prayer · 3 PM · 3:37

0:00 3:37

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O God, our firm and steadfast strength,

remaining in yourself unmoved,

you rule the span of daily light

and guide the course of all the hours.

Bestow at eventide a light

by which our life may never fail;

may endless glory be the crown

that follows on a holy death.

Most loving Father, hear our prayer,

and you, O Christ, coequal Son,

who with the Spirit Paraclete

now reign for all eternity. Amen.

Psalm 119:153-160

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

See my affliction and save me

for I remember your law.

Uphold my cause and defend me;

by your promise give me life.

Salvation is far from the wicked

who are heedless of your commands.

Numberless, Lord, are your mercies;

with your decrees give me life.

Though my foes and oppressors are countless

I have not swerved from your will.

I look at the faithless with disgust;

they ignore your promise.

See how I love your precepts;

in your mercy give me life.

Your word is founded on truth:

your decrees are eternal.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments.

Psalm 129

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth,”

this is Israel’s song.

“They have pressed me hard from my youth

but could never destroy me.

They plowed my back like plowmen,

drawing long furrows.

But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed

the yoke of the wicked.”

Let them be shamed and routed,

those who hate Zion!

Let them be like grass on the roof

that withers before it flowers.

With that no reaper fills his arms,

no binder makes his sheaves

and those passing by will not say:

“On you the Lord’s blessing!”

“We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies.

Hebrews 12:1b-2

Let us lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us and persevere in running the race which lies ahead; let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith. For the sake of the joy which lay before him he endured the cross, heedless of its shame. He has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

I put my trust in the Lord.

His promise bears me up.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord,

help us to follow the example

of your Son’s patience and endurance.

May we face all life’s difficulties

with confidence and faith.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Vespers

Now

Evening Prayer · 9:21

0:00 9:21

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Bernard, heaven’s noble jewel,

to you we sing our hymns of praise;

transform them into joys for us,

the fruit of heaven’s saving gifts.

Christ pierced you with the deepest wound,

to set your heart aflame with love,

and mindful of his Bride, the Church,

he made you pillar, shield, and lamp.

The loving Spirit filled your mouth

with truth that flows in gracious speech,

to tell of myst’ries that were veiled,

sweet honey of the angels’ food.

The Virgin Mother filled your heart

with fervor born of love so pure,

that you beyond all others preached

with depth and winning eloquence.

Though solitude was all your care,

you filled the world with your renown,

for you were sought to arbitrate

by teachers, magistrates, and kings.

All praise to God, the Three in One,

whose goodness grants that he be seen,

and by his gift may we delight

with you in joy that never ends. Amen.

Psalm 144

Ant. He is my comfort and my refuge. In him I put my trust.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock

who trains my arms for battle,

who prepares my hands for war.

He is my love, my fortress;

he is my stronghold, my savior,

my shield, my place of refuge.

He brings peoples under my rule.

Lord, what is man that you care for him,

mortal man, that you keep him in mind;

man, who is merely a breath,

whose life fades like a shadow?

Lower your heavens 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 from heaven and save me;

draw me out from the mighty waters,

from the hands of alien foes

whose mouths are filled with lies,

whose hands are raised in perjury.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. He is my comfort and my refuge. In him I put my trust.

Ant. Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

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 set David your servant free.

You set him free from the evil sword;

you rescued him from alien foes

whose mouths were filled with lies,

whose hands were raised in perjury.

Let our sons then flourish like saplings

grown tall and strong from their youth:

our daughters graceful as columns,

adorned as though for a palace.

Let our barns be filled to overflowing

with crops of every kind;

our sheep increasing by thousands,

myriads of sheep in our fields,

our cattle heavy with young,

no ruined wall, no exile,

no sound of weeping in our streets.

Happy the people with such blessings;

happy the people whose God is the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

Revelation 11:17-18

Ant. Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.

We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,

who is and who was.

You have assumed your great power,

you have begun your reign.

The nations have raged in anger,

but then came your day of wrath

and the moment to judge the dead:

the time to reward your servants the prophets

and the holy ones who revere you,

the great and the small alike.

Now have salvation and power come,

The reign of our God and the authority

of his Anointed One.

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,

who night and day accused them before God.

They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

love for life did not deter them from death.

So rejoice, you heavens,

and you that dwell therein!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.

James 3:17-18

Wisdom from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

RESPONSORY

In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.

He spoke with eloquence.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence.

Canticle of Mary

Ant. Bernard, the eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Bernard, the eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,

let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,

through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,

fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,

let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,

save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.

Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught 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

O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard

a man consumed with zeal for your house

and a light shining and burning in your Church,

grant, through his intercession,

that we may be on fire with the same spirit

and walk always as children of light.

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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Compline

Now

Night Prayer · 4:39

0:00 4:39

Examination of conscience

An examination of conscience is a traditional, optional part of Night Prayer, commended in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (86), and the Church leaves its form free: a quiet review of the day, a familiar prayer of sorrow, or something longer. If you would like to be led, here are two to listen to and pray along with. Afterwards, return to Night Prayer.

Coptic act of contrition

11th Hour

If the righteous one is hardly saved, where shall I, a sinner, appear?! The burden and the heat of the day I could not bear because of the weakness of my human nature. But, O merciful God, count me among the laborers of the eleventh hour. For behold, I was brought forth in iniquities, and in sin my mother conceived me. Therefore, I dare not lift my eyes unto heaven. But rather I rely on the abundance of Your mercy and love-of-mankind, crying to You and saying, “Lord, forgive me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O my Savior, hasten to open Your fatherly bosom to me. For I have wasted my life in worldly desires and pleasures, whereas the day has been consumed and far spent. Therefore, now I rely on the abundance of Your infinite compassion. So, then, do not disregard my revering heart which is exceedingly in need of Your mercy. For I cry out to You, O Lord, with reverence, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called Your son, make me like one of Your hired servants.”

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

With full awareness and enthusiasm did I pursue every transgression, with all eagerness and diligence did I commit every sin, and of all judgment and torment I deserve. Hence, I beseech you, our Lady the Virgin, to lead me to repentance. For to you I plead and through you I seek intercession, and upon you I call to help me that I should not be put to shame. And when my soul departs from my body, please be present and attend to me, and defeat the conspiracies of the enemies, and shut the gates of Hades, lest they might swallow my soul. O you bride without blemish of the true Bridegroom.

12th Hour

Behold, I am about to stand before the just and righteous Judge, terrified and trembling because of my numerous sins. For a life wasted in worldly pleasures deserves condemnation. So repent therefore, O my soul, as long as you dwell on this earth. For the dust in the grave cannot offer any praise, and among the dead no one can remember, nor can anyone in Hades give thanks. Therefore, arise O my soul from the slumber of your laziness, and implore the Savior in repentance saying, “O God have mercy on me and save me.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Were this life on earth everlasting, and this world ever-existing, you would have had an excuse, O my soul. But now, if your wicked deeds and repulsive evils were to be exposed before the righteous Judge, what answer would you be giving while you are lying on the bed of sins and negligent in disciplining your body?! O Christ our God, before Your awesome seat of judgment I am terrified, and before Your counsel of judgment I am dreadful, and from the radiant light of Your divinity I tremble. For I am a wretched and defiled person who lies in bed, careless of the ways of my life. Yet, I take example of the tax collector’s penance, beating my chest and saying, “O God be merciful to me, a sinner.”

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O pure Virgin, overshadow your servant speedily with your help, keep the waves of evil thoughts away from me, and raise my ailing soul to pray and watch, for it has gone into deep slumber. For you are a capable and compassionate helper, the Mother of the Fountain of life, my King and my God, Jesus Christ my hope.

The Prayer of the Veil

O Lord, You know the alertness of my enemies, and You understand the weakness of my nature, O my Creator. For behold, into Your hands I place my spirit that You may shield me under the wings of Your goodness, lest I sleep unto death. Enlighten my eyes with the greatness of Your sayings, and raise me up to glorify You at all times, for You alone are the Good One and Lover of Mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O Lord, Your judgment is fearful, when people shall be gathered, the angels standing, the books opened, the deeds revealed, and thoughts examined. What will be my judgment, I who am entangled by sin?! Who will quench the flames of fire around me?! Who will enlighten my darkness except You, O Lord?! Have mercy on me, for You are kind towards mankind.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O Theotokos, because we have put our trust in you, we shall not be put to shame; And because we have attained your help and intercessions, O holy and perfect one, we shall not fear, but shall drive out our enemies and disperse them. And, in everything, we take your great help to protect us as if with a shield. We ask and entreat you, proclaiming “O Theotokos” to save us by your intercessions, and raise us up from the darkness of sleep, in order to glorify through the power of God who was incarnate from you.

The Absolution

O Lord, all our sins we have committed against You in this day, whether in deed or in words or in thoughts or through any of our senses, please do forgive and pardon us, for the sake of Your holy name, O good Lord, Lover of Mankind.

Grant us a peaceful night and a sleep free of all worry and anxiety. Send us the guardian angel to protect us from all evil and every affliction and temptation of the enemy.

Through the grace, compassion and love-of-mankind, of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through whom the glory, the honor, the dominion, and the adoration are due unto You, O Father, with Him, and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, who is of one essence with You, now and at all times, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

The Thanksgiving Prayer

Let us give thanks to the beneficent and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, for He has covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to Him, had compassion on us, supported us, and has brought us to this hour. Let us also ask Him, the Lord our God, the Pantocrator, to guard us in all peace this holy day and all the days of our life.

O Master, Lord, God the Pantocrator, the Father of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ, we thank You for every condition, concerning every condition, and in every condition. For You have covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to You, had compassion on us, supported us, and brought us to this hour.

Therefore, we ask and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of Mankind. Grant us to complete this holy day, and all the days of our life, in all peace in Your fear. All envy, all temptation, all the work of Satan, the counsel of wicked men and the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, take them away from us and from all Your people and from this holy place that is Yours. But those things which are good and profitable do provide for us. For it is You who have given us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, by the grace, compassion and love-of-mankind, of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through whom the glory, the honor, the dominion, and the adoration are due unto You, with Him, and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, who is of one essence with You, now and at all times, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

From the Agpeya, the Coptic Orthodox Book of Hours (St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Jersey City; text as published on copticchurch.net).

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of Conscience

A brief moment of silent reflection is made to examine one’s conscience and recall God’s mercy throughout the day.

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

HYMN

To you before the close of light,

Creator of all things, we pray:

Be our protector, keep us safe

in your unfailing clemency.

Incline our hearts to dream of you,

to sense your presence as we sleep;

as light returns, so let us sing

your praise and glory evermore.

Grant us the grace of health and strength,

renew our warmth and joy of life;

and let your radiant light dispel

the dreaded darkness of the night.

Almighty Father, grant our prayer

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who reigns with you from age to age,

one with the Spirit, ever blest. Amen.

Psalm 16

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

I say to the Lord: “You are my God.

My happiness lies in you alone.”

He has put into my heart a marvelous love

for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.

Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.

Never will I offer their offerings of blood.

Never will I take their name upon my lips.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.

The lot marked out for me is my delight:

welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

nor let your beloved know decay.

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.

I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle of Simeon

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations

and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord God, send peaceful sleep

to refresh our tired bodies.

May your help always renew us

and keep us strong in your service.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs

mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this exile

show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving,

O sweet Virgin Mary.

Also for today

Mass Readings

Now

Readings of the Day's Mass · 3:37

0:00 3:37

First Reading

Ez 36:23-28

Thus says the LORD:

I will prove the holiness of my great name,

profaned among the nations,

in whose midst you have profaned it.

Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD,

when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.

For I will take you away from among the nations,

gather you from all the foreign lands,

and bring you back to your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you

to cleanse you from all your impurities,

and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,

taking from your bodies your stony hearts

and giving you natural hearts.

I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,

careful to observe my decrees.

You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors;

you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps. 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

℟. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners shall return to you.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;

should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

℟. I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn 15:9b, 5b

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Remain in my love, says the Lord;

whoever lives in me and I in him will bear much fruit.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 17:20-26

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

“Holy Father,

I pray not only for these,

but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

so that they may all be one,

as you, Father, are in me and I in you,

that they also may be in us,

that the world may believe that you sent me.

And I have given them the glory you gave me,

so that they may be one, as we are one,

I in them and you in me,

that they may be brought to perfection as one,

that the world may know that you sent me,

and that you loved them even as you loved me.

Father, they are your gift to me.

I wish that where I am they also may be with me,

that they may see my glory that you gave me,

because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,

but I know you, and they know that you sent me.

I made known to them your name and I will make it known,

that the love with which you loved me

may be in them and I in them.”

Devotional Prayers

The words of the prayers

Prayer Before the Office

Lord, open my lips, to praise Your Holy Name. Cleanse my heart of any worthless, evil, or distracting thoughts. Give me the wisdom and love necessary to pray this Office with attention, reverence, and devotion. Father, let this prayer be heard in Your Presence, for it is offered through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, in union with that intention with which you offered praises to God when on earth, I offer this Hour to You.

I offer this Hour in union with all of the Masses being said throughout the world, and I offer it for the following intention: ____.

Prayer After the Office

Blessed be forever the most loving Hearts and the sweet Names of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother.

O most merciful Jesus, I thank you with all my heart. Be merciful to me, a miserable sinner. I offer this action to your Divine Heart to be amended and perfected, to the praise and glory of your most holy Name and of your most blessed Mother, and for the salvation of my soul and of your whole Church. Amen.

To the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity, to the Manhood of Our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified, to the Fruitful Virginity of the Most Blessed and Most Glorious Mary, Ever Virgin, and to the Congregation of all the Saints be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power and glory by every creature, and to us be granted the forgiveness of all our sins, world without end. Amen.

Blessed be the Womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father.

And blessed be the Breasts which gave suck to Christ our Lord.

Our Father

Hail Mary