Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

Lord, open my lips.

— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Psalm 100

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

He made us, we belong to him,

we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Go within his gates, giving thanks.

Enter his courts with songs of praise.

Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

eternal his merciful love.

He is faithful from age to age.

Ant. Come, let us worship God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

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 God who brings the world and its wonders from darkness into light.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 615

Proper of Seasons: 495

Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1067

Christian Prayer:

Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time

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
Ave Maria, gratia plena

Dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulieribus

Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei

Ora pro nobis peccatoribus

Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae

Amen.

English Translation:

Hail Mary, full of grace

The Lord is with thee

Blessed are thou among women

Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Pray for us sinners

Now, and at the hour of our death

Amen.

𝄞"Ave Maria" by Gretchen Harris • Musical Score • Title: Ave Maria (Chant); Album: Sing of Mary; Music; Plainsong mode I; vocal: Gretchen Harris; Used with permission; Visit and thank Gretch at http://www.gretchen-harris.com;

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Psalm 107

Thanksgiving for deliverance

This is God’s message to the sons of Israel; the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36).

I

“O give thanks to the Lord for he is good;

for his love endures for ever.”

Let them say this, the Lord’s redeemed,

whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe

and gathered from far-off lands,

from east and west, north and south.

Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness,

finding no way to a city they could dwell in.

Hungry they were and thirsty;

their soul was fainting within them.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need

and he rescued them from their distress

and he led them along the right way,

to reach a city they could dwell in.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,

for the wonders he does for men:

for he satisfies the thirsty soul;

he fills the hungry with good things.

Some lay in darkness and in gloom,

prisoners in misery and chains,

having defied the words of God

and spurned the counsels of the Most High.

He crushed their spirit with toil;

they stumbled; there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need

and he rescued them from their distress.

He led them forth from darkness and gloom

and broke their chains to pieces.

Let them thank the Lord for his goodness,

for the wonders he does for men:

for he bursts the gates of bronze

and shatters the iron bars.

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 praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.

Ant. 2 Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

II

Some were sick on account of their sins

and afflicted on account of their guilt.

They had a loathing for every food;

they came close to the gates of death.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need

and he rescued them from their distress.

He sent forth his word to heal them

and saved their life from the grave.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,

for the wonders he does for men.

Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks

and tell of his deeds with rejoicing.

Some sailed to the sea in ships

to trade on the mighty waters.

These men have seen the Lord’s deeds,

the wonders he does in the deep.

For he spoke; he summoned the gale,

raising up the waves of the sea

Tossed up to heaven, then into the deep;

their souls melted away in their distress.

They staggered, reeled like drunken men,

for all their skill was gone.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need

and he rescued them from their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper:

all the waves of the sea were hushed.

They rejoiced because of the calm

and he led them to the haven they desired.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,

the wonders he does for men.

Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people

and praise him in the meeting of the elders.

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. Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.

Ant. 3 Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

III

He changes streams into a desert,

springs of water into thirsty ground,

fruitful land into a salty waste,

for the wickedness of those who live there.

But he changes desert into streams,

thirsty ground into springs of water.

There he settles the hungry

and they build a city to dwell in.

They sow fields and plant their vines;

these yield crops for the harvest.

He blesses them; they grow in numbers.

He does not let their herds decrease.

He pours contempt upon princes,

makes them wander in trackless wastes.

They diminish, are reduced to nothing

by oppression, evil and sorrow.

But he raises the needy from distress;

makes families numerous as a flock.

The upright see it and rejoice

but all who do wrong are silenced.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things.

And consider the love 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.

Psalm-prayer

You fill the hungry with good things, Lord God, and break the sinner’s chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need and lead your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunrise to sunset that we may grow together in faith and love and give lasting thanks for your kindness.

Ant. Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

Your truth, O God, is high as the clouds.

— Lord, your goodness is deep as the ocean.

READINGS

First reading

From the first book of Maccabees

9:1-22

The death of Judas in battle

When Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he again sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah, along with the right wing of his army. They took the road to Galilee, and camping opposite the ascent at Arbela, they captured it and killed many people.

In the first month of the year one hundred and fifty-two, they encamped against Jerusalem. Then they set out for Berea with twenty thousand men and two thousand cavalry. Judas, with three thousand picked men, had camped at Elasa. When his men saw the great number of the troops, they were very much afraid, and many slipped away from the camp, until only eight hundred men remained.

As Judas saw that his army was melting away just when the battle was imminent, he was panic-stricken, because he had no time to gather them together. But in spite of his discouragement, he said to those who remained: “Let us go forward to meet our enemies; perhaps we can put up a good fight against them.”They tried to dissuade him, saying: “We certainly cannot. Let us save our lives now, and come back with our kinsmen, and then fight against them. Now we are too few.” But Judas said: “Far be it from me to do such a thing as to flee from them! If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kinsmen and not leave a stain upon our glory!”

Then the army of Bacchides moved out of camp and took its position for combat. The cavalry were divided into two squadrons, and the slingers and the archers came on ahead of the army, and all the valiant men were in the front line. Bacchides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two squadrons, the phalanx attacked as they blew their trumpets. Those who were on Judas’ side also blew their trumpets. The earth shook with the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.

Seeing that Bacchides was on the right, with the main force of his army, Judas, with all the most stouthearted rallying to him, drove back the right wing and pursued them as far as the mountain slopes. But when the men on the left wing saw that the right wing was driven back, they turned and followed Judas and his men, taking them in the rear. The battle was fought desperately, and many on both sides fell wounded. Then Judas fell, and the rest fled.

Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their fathers at Modein. All Israel bewailed him in great grief. They mourned for him many days, and they said, “How the mighty one has fallen, the savior of Israel!”

The other acts of Judas, his battles, the brave deeds he performed, and his greatness have not been recorded; but they were very many.

RESPONSORY See 1 Maccabees 4:8, 9, 10, 9

Do not be afraid of the enemy’s attack.

Recall how our fathers were saved.

— So now let us cry to heaven,

and our God will favor us.

Remember his wonderful deeds:

how he dealt with Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea.

— So now let us cry to heaven,

and our God will favor us.

Second reading

From a treatise on death as a blessing by Saint Ambrose, bishop

Let us show Christ crucified in our lives

The Apostle tells us: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. We are to understand that this death by crucifixion takes place in this life, and that this death is a blessing. So he goes on to urge us to bear the death of Jesus with us in our bodies, for whoever bears the death of Jesus in his body will bear also in his body the life of the Lord Jesus.

Death must be active within us if life also is to be active within us. “Life” is life after death, a life that is a blessing. This blessing of life comes after victory, when the contest is over, when the law of our fallen nature no longer rebels against the law of our reason, when we no longer need to struggle against the body that leads to death, for the body already shares in victory. It seems to me that this “death” is more powerful than “life.” I accept the authority of the Apostle when he says: Death is therefore active within us, but life also is active within you. Yet the “death” of this one man was building up life for countless multitudes of peoples! He therefore teaches us to seek out this kind of death even in this life, so that the death of Christ may shine forth in our lives–that blessed death by which our outward self is destroyed and our inmost self renewed, and our earthly dwelling crumbles away and a home in heaven opens before us.

The person who cuts himself off from this fallen nature of ours and frees himself from its chains is imitating death. These are the bonds spoken of by the Lord through Isaiah: Loose the bonds of injustice, untie the thongs of the yoke, set free the oppressed and break every yoke of evil.

The Lord allowed death to enter this world so that sin might come to an end. But he gave us the resurrection of the dead so that our nature might not end once more in death; death was to bring guilt to an end, and the resurrection was to enable our nature to continue for ever.

“Death” in this context is a passover to be made by all mankind. You must keep facing it with perseverance. It is a passover from corruption, from mortality to immortality, from rough seas to a calm harbor. The word “death” must not trouble us; the blessings that come from a safe journey should bring us joy. What is death but the burial of sin and the resurrection of goodness? Scripture says: Let my soul die among the souls of the just; that is, let me be buried with the just, so that I may cast off my sins and put on the grace of the just, of those who bear the death of Christ with them, in their bodies and in their souls.

RESPONSORY 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Sirach 1:20

Here is a saying you can depend on:

If we have died with him,

we shall also live with him;

— if we suffer with him,

we shall also reign with him.

A patient man will stand firm until the right time,

and then joy will break through for him.

— If we suffer with him,

we shall also reign with him.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God,

by whose gift your faithful offer you

right and praiseworthy service,

grant, we pray, that we may hasten

without stumbling to receive the things you have promised.

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 (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 654

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1107

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 618

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1071

Christian Prayer (single volume)

Ordinary: 689

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 916

Morning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time

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
The dawn is sprinkling in the east

Its golden shower, as day flows in;

Fast mount the pointed shafts of light:

Farewell to darkness and to sin!

Away, ye midnight phantoms all!

Away, despondence and despair!

Whatever guilt the night has brought

Now let it vanish into air.

So that last morning, dread and great,

Which we with trembling hope await

With blessed light for us shall glow

Who chant the song we sang below.

All laud to God the Father be;

All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee;

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the Holy Paraclete. Amen.

𝄞"The Dawn is Sprinkling in the East" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: The Dawn is Sprinkling in the East; Text: Aurora iam spargit polum, 7th-8th c.; Tr. Edward Caswall; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true.

Psalm 119

XIX (Koph)

I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me,

I will keep your commands;

I call upon you, save me

and I will do your will.

I rise before dawn and cry for help,

I hope in your word.

My eyes watch through the night

to ponder your promise.

In your love hear my voice, O Lord;

give me life by your decrees.

Those who harm me unjustly draw near:

they are far from your law.

But you, O Lord, are close:

your commands are truth.

Long have I known that your will

is established 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

Psalm-prayer

Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts.

Ant. Lord, you are near to us, and all your ways are true.

Ant.2 Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

Canticle – Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11

Lord, give me wisdom

I will inspire you with wisdom which your adversaries will be unable to resist (Luke 21:15).

God of my fathers, Lord of mercy,

you who have made all things by your word

and in your wisdom have established man

to rule the creatures produced by you,

to govern the world in holiness and justice,

and to render judgment in integrity of heart:

Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne,

and reject me not from among your children:

for I am your servant, the son of your handmaid,

a man weak and short-lived

and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws.

Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men,

if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him,

he shall be held in no esteem.

Now with you is Wisdom who knows your works

and was present when you made the world;

who understands what is pleasing in your eyes

and what is conformable with your commands.

Send her forth from your holy heavens

and from your glorious throne dispatch her

that she may be with me and work with me,

that I may know what is your pleasure.

For she knows and understands all things,

and will guide me discreetly in my affairs

and safeguard me by her glory.

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. Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

Ant. 3 The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.

Psalm 117

Praise for God’s loving compassion

I affirm that… the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9).

O praise the Lord, all you nations,

acclaim him, all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us;

he is faithful 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

Psalm-prayer

God, our Father, may all nations and peoples praise you. May Jesus, who is called faithful and true and who lives with you eternally, possess our hearts forever.

Ant. The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.

READING Philippians 2:14-15

In everything you do, act without grumbling or arguing; prove yourselves innocent and straightforward, children of God beyond reproach in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.

— I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.

You are all I desire in the land of the living,

— for you are my refuge.

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

— I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Luke 1:68 – 79

The Messiah and his forerunner

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

INTERCESSIONS

With confidence let us pray to the Father who willed that the Virgin Mary should surpass all creatures in heaven and earth:

Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

We are grateful to you, Father of mercy, for you gave us Mary to be our mother and our model,

— through her intercession cleanse our hearts.

Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

You inspired Mary to be attentive to your word and faithful in your service,

— through her intercession give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

You strengthened Mary at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of your Son,

— through her intercession relieve our distress and strengthen our hope.

Look upon the Mother of your Son and hear our prayer.

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

God our Father,

fountain and source of our salvation,

may we proclaim your glory every day of our lives,

that we may sing your praise for ever in heaven.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and 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.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 659

Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning)

Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1115 (Midmorning)

Midmorning Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody

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
Breathe on me, Breath of God,

fill me with life anew,

that I may love what thou dost love,

and do what thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

until my heart is pure,

until with thee I have one will,

to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

till I am wholly thine,

till all this earthly part of me

glows with thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

so shall I never die,

but live with thee the perfect life

of thine eternity.

𝄞"O Breathe on Me, Breath of God" by Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath • Musical Score • Title: Breathe on Me, Breath of God; Text: Edwin Hatch, 1835-1889; Music: Robert Jackson, 1842-1914; Tune: TRENTHAM, Meter: SM; Artist: Jane Chifley And Pat McGrath; Used by permission

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Psalm 120

Longing for peace

To the Lord in the hour of my distress

I call and he answers me.

“O Lord, save my soul from lying lips,

from the tongue of the deceitful.”

What shall he pay you in return,

O treacherous tongue?

The warrior’s arrows sharpened

and coals, red-hot, blazing.

Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech,

dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Long enough have I been dwelling

with those who hate peace.

I am for peace, but when I speak,

they are for fighting.

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. I cried out, and the Lord heard me.

Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Psalm 121

Guardian of his people

Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;

from where shall come my help?

My help shall come from the Lord

who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!

Let him sleep not, your guard.

No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,

Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;

at your right side he stands.

By day the sun shall not smite you

nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,

he will guard your soul.

The Lord will guard your going and coming

both now and 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. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go.

Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

Psalm 122

The holy city, Jerusalem

You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

Let us go to God’s house.

And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgment

of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

“Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: Peace upon you.

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

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. I rejoiced in the good news they told me.

READING 1 Samuel 15:22

Does the Lord so delight in holocausts and sacrifices

as in obedience to the command of the Lord?

Obedience is better than sacrifice,

and submission than the fat of rams.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)

A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

A sacrifice of praise will give me glory.

— To the pure of heart I will show myself a savior.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God, all-powerful Father,

fill your people with the light of your Holy Spirit,

that, safe from every enemy,

we may rejoice in singing your praises.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.

Ribbon Placement:

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:

Ordinary: 659

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1112 (Midday)

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:

Ordinary: 623

All from the Psalter: Saturday, Week III, 1076 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Saturday in Ordinary Time using the Current Psalmody

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
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day

The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street

But the crowd pressed in to see

The Man condemned to die on Calvary.

He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back

And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head

And He bore with every step

The scorn of those who cried out for His death.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering

Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,

But He chose to walk that road out of

His love for you and me

Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalén

Los soldados le abrian paso a Jesus

Mas la gente se acercaba

Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.

Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor

Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Señor

Y fue El quién quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi

Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir

The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men

Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering

Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King

But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me

Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

𝄞"Via Dolorosa" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Title: Via Dolorsa; Text: Billy Sprague and Niles Borop; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Copyright Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant.

Psalm 119

XVI (Ain)

I have done what is right and just:

let me not be oppressed.

Vouch for the welfare of your servant

lest the proud oppress me.

My eyes yearn for your saving help

and the promise of your justice.

Treat your servant with love

and teach me your commands.

I am your servant, give me knowledge;

then shall I know your will.

It is time for the Lord to act

for your law has been broken.

That is why I love your commands

more than finest gold,

why I rule my life by your precepts:

I hate the ways of falsehood.

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.

Psalm-prayer

The light of your words, Father, gives understanding to little ones. Prepare our hearts to receive the Advocate, your Holy Spirit.

Ant. Lord, give a loving welcome to your servant.

Ant. 2 Look to the Lord and be enlightened.

Psalm 34

God the savior of the just

You have tasted the sweetness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:3).

I

I will bless the Lord at all times,

his praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

The humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise his name.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

from all my terrors he set me free.

Look towards him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.

This poor man called; the Lord heard him

and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who revere him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Revere the Lord, you his saints.

They lack nothing, those who revere him.

Strong lions suffer want and go hungry

but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

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. Look to the Lord and be enlightened.

Ant. 3 When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you.

II

Come, children, and hear me

that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.

Who is he who longs for life

and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?

Then keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.

Turn aside from evil and do good;

seek and strive for peace.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked

to destroy their remembrance from the earth.

The Lord turns his eyes to the just

and his ears to their appeal.

They call and the Lord hears

and rescues them in all their distress.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;

those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Many are the trials of the just man

but from them all the Lord will rescue him.

He will keep guard over all his bones,

not one of his bones shall be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked;

those who hate the good are doomed.

The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.

Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

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.

Psalm-prayer

Graciously hear us, Lord, for we seek only you. You are near to those whose heart is right. Open yourself to accept our sorrowful spirit; calm our bodies and minds with the peace which surpasses understanding.

Ant. When your heart is torn with grief, the Lord is near you.

READING Galatians 5:26; 6:2

Let us never be boastful, or challenging, or jealous toward one another. Help carry one another’s burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

What joy to see a family united in love!

— The blessing of God rests upon it.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord,

fill us with the resplendent light

of your eternal love.

May we love you above all things,

and our brothers for your sake.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.