This week the Liturgy of the Hours asks insistently: Give me your heart.

It does not ask us to be more organised in our prayer, or to understand more theology, or to achieve any particular spiritual state. It asks for the heart itself — given, simply, to the One who first gave his.

The week begins with a voice from the second century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop of Syria, is travelling to Rome under armed guard to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. He writes to the Roman Christians, begging them not to intervene. His words, read in the Office of Readings on Monday and Tuesday, are among the most extraordinary in the entire liturgical year:

• “Let me not only be called a Christian, but prove to be one.”

He is asking for integrity — for a life that matches its own name. And in the very next breath, he writes: “I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us.” Not glory, not vindication — but the One he loves.

This is the thread that runs from the beginning of the week to its center.

On Thursday evening, the liturgy pivots. Saint Barnabas — “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) — is honoured through Morning Prayer, and when Evening Prayer arrives, the Church has already turned toward the next day’s Solemnity. The canticle antiphon at First Vespers is Christ’s own voice:

• “I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.”

The same total self-giving. The same heart.

Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The liturgy has chosen to speak through Morning Prayer with a verse from Matthew 11:29 that carries the message of this feast in a few words:

• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble of heart. Learn from me”.

It is not a command but an invitation — the voice of love teaching love. The Office of Readings offers the great passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and reaches its conclusion in one of the most luminous verses:

• nothing — “neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature — will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord”

The Sacred Heart, beyond a devotional image, is a theological statement about the indestructibility of divine love.

Saturday the Church turns, gently, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first psalm of Morning Prayer opens our heart to proclaim God’s love and God’s truth: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, […]to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night”. (Morning Prayer, Psalm 92). We aspire to emulate Mary’s heart: open, unguarded, willing to be pierced. The heart that said fiat. The heart that kept and pondered all things.

Two hearts, side by side in the calendar, both pointing in the same direction: toward total receptivity to God, total willingness to be known and held.

On Sunday, the parables of the Kingdom arrive quietly. Seeds planted in the ground grow without the farmer watching.

• “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds; yet when full-grown it is the largest of shrubs.” (Morning Prayer, Canticle Antiphon)

The Hours, prayed day after day through the weeks of Ordinary Time, work like this. We do not see the growth. We plant the prayer and return tomorrow.

Give me your heart. The whole week says it, in different registers, with different voices. Saint Ignatius says it with his life. The Sacred Heart says it with its open wound. Mary says it with her fiat. And the Sunday seed says it with its patient, invisible growth.

Pray Morning Prayer for the Sacred Heart: https://divineoffice.org/today/morning-prayer/?date=20260612

In the Heart of Christ, The Divine Office Team

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, our mighty God.

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 the Lord, our mighty God.

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 the Lord, our mighty God.

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 the Lord, our mighty God.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, our mighty God.

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, our mighty God.

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Tuesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.

Psalm 37
The lot of the wicked and the good
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

I

Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not envy those who do evil:
for they wither quickly like grass
and fade like the green of the fields.

If you trust in the Lord and do good,
then you will live in the land and be secure.
If you find your delight in the Lord,
he will grant your heart’s desire.

Commit your life to the Lord,
trust in him and he will act,
so that your justice breaks forth like the light,
your cause like the noon-day sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait in patience;
do not fret at the man who prospers;
a man who makes evil plots
to bring down the needy and the poor.

Calm your anger and forget your rage;
do not fret, it only leads to evil.
For those who do evil shall perish;
the patient shall inherit the land.

A little longer – and the wicked shall have gone.
Look at his place, he is not there.
But the humble shall own the land
and enjoy the fullness 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. Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.

Ant. 2 Turn away from evil, learn to do God’s will; the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.

II

The wicked man plots against the just
and gnashes his teeth against him;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked
for he sees that his day is at hand.

The sword of the wicked is drawn,
his bow is bent to slaughter the upright.
Their sword shall pierce their own hearts
and their bows shall be broken to pieces.

The just man’s few possessions
are better than the wicked man’s wealth;
for the power of the wicked shall be broken
and the Lord will support the just.

He protects the lives of the upright,
their heritage will last for ever.
They shall not be put to shame in evil days,
in time of famine their food shall not fail.

But the wicked shall perish
and all the enemies of the Lord.
They are like the beauty of the meadows,
they shall vanish, they shall vanish like smoke.

The wicked man borrows without repaying,
but the just man is generous and gives.
Those blessed by the Lord shall own the land,
but those he has cursed shall be destroyed.

The Lord guides the steps of a man
and makes safe the path of the one he loves.
Though he stumble he shall never fall
for the Lord holds him by the hand.

I was young and now I am old,
but I have never seen the just man forsaken
nor his children begging for bread.
All the day he is generous and lends
and his children become a blessing.

Then turn away from evil and do good
and you shall have a home for ever;
for the Lord loves justice
and will never forsake his friends.

The unjust shall be wiped out for ever
and the children of the wicked destroyed.
The just shall inherit the land;
there they shall live forever.

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 away from evil, learn to do God’s will; the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.

Ant. 3 Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.

III

The just man’s mouth utters wisdom
and his lips speak what is right;
the law of his God is in his heart,
his steps shall be saved from stumbling.

The wicked man watches for the just
and seeks occasion to kill him.
The Lord will not leave him in his power
nor let him be condemned when he is judged.

Then wait for the Lord, keep to his way.
It is he who will free you from the wicked,
raise you up to possess the land
and see the wicked destroyed.

I have seen the wicked triumphant,
towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
I passed by again; he was gone.
I searched; he was nowhere to be found.

See the just man, mark the upright,
for the peaceful man a future lies in store,
but sinners shall all be destroyed.
No future lies in store for the wicked.

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord,
their stronghold in time of distress.
The Lord helps them and delivers them
and saves them: for their refuge is in him.

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 proclaimed the poor to be blessed, Lord Jesus, for the kingdom of heaven is given to them. Fill us generously with your gifts. Teach us to put our trust in the Father and to seek his kingdom first of all rather than imitate the powerful and envy the rich.

Ant. Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.

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.

Teach me goodness and holy wisdom.
— For I have put my trust in your guidance.

READINGS

First reading
The beginning of the book of Joshua
2:1-24
Through faith Rahab, the prostitute, welcomed the spies with kindness

Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, reconnoiter the land and Jericho.” When the two reached Jericho, they went into the house of a harlot named Rahab, where they lodged. But a report was brought to the king of Jericho that some Israelites had come there that night to spy out the land. So the king of Jericho sent Rahab the order, “Put out the visitors who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out the entire land.”

The woman had taken the two men and hidden them, so she said, “True, the men you speak of came to me, but I did not know where they came from. At dark, when it was time for the gate to be shut, they left, and I do not know where they went. You will have to pursue them immediately to overtake them.” Now, she had led them to the roof, and hidden them among her stalks of flax spread out there. But the pursuers set out along the way to the fords of the Jordan, and once they had left, the gate was shut.

Before the spies fell asleep, Rahab came to them on the roof and said: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that a dread of you has come upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and how you dealt with Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, whom you doomed to destruction. At these reports, we are disheartened; everyone is discouraged because of you, since the Lord, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below. Now then, swear to me by the Lord that, since I am showing kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my family; and give me an unmistakable token that you are to spare my father and mother, brothers and sisters, and all their kin, and save us from death.”

“We pledge our lives for yours,” the men answered her. “If you do not betray this errand of ours, we will be faithful in showing kindness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Then she let them down through the window with a rope; for she lived in a house built into the city wall. “Go up into the hill country,” she suggested to them, “that your pursuers may not find you. Hide there for three days, until they return; then you may proceed on your way.” The men answered her, “This is how we will fulfill the oath you made us take: When we come into the land, tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you are letting us down; and gather your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. Should any of them pass outside the doors of your house, he will be responsible for his own death, and we shall be guiltless. But we shall be responsible if anyone in the house with you is harmed. If, however, you betray this errand of ours, we shall be quit of the oath you have made us take.” “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and bade them farewell. When they were gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

They went up into the hills, where they stayed three days until their pursuers, who had sought them all along the road without finding them, returned. Then the two came back down from the hills, crossed the Jordan to Joshua, son of Nun, and reported all that had befallen them. They assured Joshua, “The Lord has delivered all this land into our power; indeed, all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of us.”

RESPONSORY James 2:24-26; Hebrews 11:31

A man pleases God by what he does and not by faith alone. Rahab pleased him when she sheltered the messengers and sent them on their way by a different route.
— Just as a body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead.

By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies with kindness, and so escaped death.
— Just as a body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead.

Second reading
From a letter to the Romans by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
My earthly desires have been crucified

The delights of this world and all its kingdoms will not profit me. I would prefer to die in Jesus Christ than to rule over all the earth. I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us. I am in the throes of being born again. Bear with me, my brothers; do not keep me from living, do not wish me to die. I desire to belong to God; do not give me over to the world, and do not seduce me with perishable things. Let me see the pure light; when I am there, I shall be truly a man at last. Let me imitate the sufferings of my God. If anyone has God in him, let him understand what I want and have sympathy for me, knowing what drives me on.

The prince of this world would snatch me away and destroy my desire to be with God. So let none of you who will be there give him help; side rather with me, that is, with God. Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips and the world in your hearts. Give envy no place among you. And if, when I get there, I should beg for your intervention, pay no attention to me; no, believe instead what I am writing to you now. For I write to you while I yet live, but I long for death. My earthly desires have been crucified, and there no longer burns in me the love of perishable things, but a living water speaks within me, saying: “Come to the Father.”

I take no delight in corruptible food or in the pleasures of this life. I want the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was David’s seed, and for drink I want his blood, the sign of his imperishable love.

I no longer wish to live, as men count life. And I shall have my way, if you wish it so. Wish it, then, so that you too may have God’s favor. With these few words I beg you to believe me. Jesus Christ will make plain to you the truth of what I say; he is the true voice that speaks the Father’s truth. Pray for me that I may reach my goal. I have written to you not prompted by merely human feelings and values, but by God’s purpose for me. If I am to suffer, it will be because you loved me well; if I am rejected, it will be because you hated me. Remember in your prayers the church of Syria: it now has God for its shepherd instead of me. Jesus Christ alone will be its bishop, along with your love. For myself, I am ashamed to be counted among its members, for I do not deserve it, being the least of all, born out of due time. Yet, if I attain to God, by his mercy I shall be something. I greet you from my heart, and so do the churches that have welcomed me in love not as a mere passerby but as the representative of
Jesus Christ. Yes, even the churches that were not on my route humanly speaking, though spiritually on the same journey, were there to meet me in city after city.

RESPONSORY Colossians 1:24, 29

I rejoice in my sufferings.
— In my own body I do all that I can to fill up what has yet to be endured by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.

For this I struggle and press on, with the power of Christ working in me to make me strong.
— In my own body I do all that I can to fill up what has yet to be endured by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
from whom all good things come,
grant that we, who call on you in our need,
may at your prompting discern what is right,
and by your guidance do it.
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.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week II, 838

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week II, 802

Morning Prayer for Tuesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, send forth your light and your truth.

Psalm 43
Longing for the temple
I have come into the world to be its light (John 12:46).

Defend me, O God, and plead my cause
against a godless nation.
From deceitful and cunning men
rescue me, O God.

Since you, O God, are my stronghold,
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning,
oppressed by the foe?

O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,
O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
my savior and my God.

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

Almighty Father, source of everlasting light, send forth your truth into our hearts and pour over us the brightness of your light.

Ant. Lord, send forth your light and your truth.

Ant. 2 Lord, keep us safe all the days of our life.

Canticle – Isaiah 38:10-14, 17-20
Anguish of a dying man and joy in his restoration
I am living, I was dead… and I hold the keys of death (Revelation 1:17-18).

Once I said,
“In the noontime of life I must depart!
To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned
for the rest of my years.”

I said, “I shall see the Lord no more
in the land of the living.
No longer shall I behold my fellow men
among those who dwell in the world.”

My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent,
is struck down and borne away from me;
you have folded up my life, like a weaver
who severs the last thread.

Day and night you give me over to torment;
I cry out until the dawn.
Like a lion he breaks all my bones;
day and night you give me over to torment.

Like a swallow I utter shrill cries;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes grow weak, gazing heaven-ward:
O Lord, I am in straits; be my surety!

You have preserved my life
from the pit of destruction,
when you cast behind your back
all my sins.

For it is not the nether world that gives you thanks,
nor death that praises you;
Neither do those who go down into the pit
await your kindness.

The living, the living give you thanks,
as I do today.
Fathers declare to their sons,
O God, your faithfulness.

The Lord is our savior;
we shall sing to stringed instruments
in the house of the Lord
all the days of our life.

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, keep us safe all the days of our life.

Ant. 3 To you, O God, our praise is due in Zion.

Psalm 65
Solemn thanksgiving
Zion represents heaven (Origen).

To you our praise is due
in Zion, O God.
To you we pay our vows,
you who hear our prayer.

To you all flesh will come
with its burden of sin.
Too heavy for us, our offenses,
but you wipe them away.

Blessed is he whom you choose and call
to dwell in your courts.
We are filled with the blessings of your house,
of your holy temple.

You keep your pledge with wonders,
O God our savior,
the hope of all the earth
and of far distant isles.

You uphold the mountains with your strength,
you are girded with power.
You still the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves
and the tumult of the peoples.

The ends of the earth stand in awe
at the sight of your wonders.
The lands of sunrise and sunset
you fill with your joy.

You care for the earth, give it water,
you fill it with riches.
Your river in heaven brims over
to provide its grain.
And thus you provide for the earth;

you drench its furrows,
you level it, soften it with showers,
you bless its growth.

You crown the year with your goodness.
Abundance flows in your steps,
in the pastures of the wilderness it flows.

The hills are girded with joy,
the meadows covered with flocks,
the valleys are decked with wheat.
They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

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

Lord God, hope of all the earth, hear the humble prayer of your children as we sing your praises. Pour out your Spirit on us so that our lives may bear fruit abundantly.

Ant. To you, O God, our praise is due in Zion.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5

You are not in the dark, brothers, that the day should catch you off guard, like a thief. No, all of you are children of light and of the day. We belong neither to darkness nor to night.

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

Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.
— Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

Dawn finds me watching, crying out for you,
— all my trust is in your promise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Lord, listen to my cry; all my trust is in your promise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Lord, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

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, save us from the hands of all who hate us.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us bless our Savior who enlightens the world by his resurrection. Let us humbly beg him:
Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Lord Jesus, we honor your resurrection in our morning prayer,
— the hope of your glory enlightens our day.
Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Accept, Lord, our prayers and petitions,
— as the firstfruits of our day.
Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Grant that we may progress today in your love,
— and that all things may work together for our good and the good of all.
Keep us, Lord, on your path.

Make our light shine so brightly before men,
— that seeing our good works they may give glory to the Father.
Keep us, Lord, on your path.

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

Lord Jesus Christ,
true light of the world,
you guide all mankind to salvation.
Give us the courage, strength and grace
to build a world of justice and peace,
ready for the coming of that kingdom.
You live and reign for ever and ever.
— Amen.

DISMISSAL

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

Midmorning Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using the 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.

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 Corinthians 12:4-6

There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone.

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.

God is the Savior of those who revere him,
— that his glory may dwell here on earth.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

All-powerful and ever-living God,
in midmorning you poured out the Holy Spirit
as a constant Friend and Guide for your apostles.
Send that same Spirit of love to us
to make us faithful witnesses to you
in the sight of all mankind.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week II, 845 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 During my pilgrimage, I have kept your commandments.

Psalm 119:49-56
VII (Zain)

Remember your word to your servant
by which you gave me hope.
This is my comfort in sorrow
that your promise gives me life.

Though the proud may utterly deride me
I keep to your law.
I remember your decrees of old
and these, Lord, console me.

I am seized with indignation at the wicked
who forsake your law.
Your commands have become my song
in the land of exile.

I think of your name in the night-time
and I keep your law.
This has been my blessing,
the keeping of your precepts.

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

Lord you raise us up from our lowliness by giving us the hope of eternal life. May we always serve you in this our pilgrimage and come to enjoy the happiness of our home with you.

Ant. During my pilgrimage, I have kept your commandments.

Ant. 2 God will deliver his people from bondage, and bring us home rejoicing.

Psalm 53
The foolishness of sinners
We all have sinned and are deprived of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).

The fool has said in his heart:
“There is no God above.”
Their deeds are corrupt, depraved;
not a good man is left.

God looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if any are wise,
if any seek God.

All have left the right path,
depraved, every one.
There is not a good man left,
no, not even one.

Will the evil-doers not understand?
They eat up my people
as though they were eating bread:
they never pray to God.

See how they tremble with fear
without cause for fear:
for God scatters the bones of the wicked.
They are shamed; God rejects them.

O that Israel’s salvation might come from Zion!
When God delivers his people from bondage,
then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.

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

Almighty Father, apart from you there is nothing true, nothing holy on earth. Dismiss our sins, and give us strength in our weakness so that all who believe in your Son may rejoice in his glory.

Ant. God will deliver his people from bondage, and bring us home rejoicing.

Ant. 3 God is my helper and my strong support.

Psalm 54:1-6, 8-9
Plea for help
The prophet prays that God will deliver him from the malice of his enemies (Cassian).

O God, save me by your name;
by your power, uphold my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
listen to the words of my mouth.

For proud men have risen against me,
ruthless men seek my life.
They have no regard for God.
But I have God for my help.
The Lord upholds my life.

I will sacrifice to you with willing heart
and praise your name for it is good:
for you have rescued me from all my distress
and my eyes have seen the downfall of my foes.

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

We humbly ask you, Father, to save us from every evil and trial on earth, that we may seek with our hearts and deeds our Lord and helper, Jesus Christ, whom we look to in the heavens.

Ant. God is my helper and my strong support.

READING 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

The body is one and has many members, but all the members, many though they are, are one body; and so it is with Christ. It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized into one body. All of us have been given to drink of the one Spirit.

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.

Holy Father, keep us true to yourself.
— That we may be perfectly one.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord God,
you made known to Peter
your desire to bring all nations to salvation.
Let all our work give you praise
and carry out your loving plan.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

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 has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

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 build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, 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 are those who fear the Lord.

READING 1 Corinthians 12:24b,25-26

God has so constructed the body, that there may be no dissention in the body, but that all the members may be concerned for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members share its joy.

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.

Lord our God, gather us from the nations of the world,
— That we may glorify your holy name.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
you sent your angel to Cornelius
to show him the way to salvation
Help us to work generously for the salvation of the world
so that your Church may bring us and all mankind
into your presence.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week II, 849

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from the Psalter: Tuesday, Week II, 807

Evening Prayer for Tuesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Psalm 49
Emptiness of riches
It is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:23).

I

Hear this, all you peoples,
give heed, all who dwell in the world,
men both low and high,
rich and poor alike!

My lips will speak words of wisdom.
My heart is full of insight.
I will turn my mind to a parable,
with the harp I will solve my problem.

Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?

For no man can buy his own ransom,
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave.

He knows that wise men and fools must both perish
and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their homes for ever,
their dwelling place from age to age,
though their names spread wide through the land.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom:
he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

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. You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Ant. 2 Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, says the Lord.

II

This is the lot of those who trust in themselves,
who have others at their beck and call.
Like sheep they are driven to the grave,
where death shall be their shepherd
and the just shall become their rulers.

With the morning their outward show vanishes
and the grave becomes their home.
But God will ransom me from death
and take my soul to himself.

Then do not fear when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
He takes nothing with him when he dies,
his glory does not follow him below.

Though he flattered himself while he lived:
“Men will praise me for all my success,”
yet he will go to join his fathers,
who will never see the light any more.

In his riches, man lacks wisdom:
he is like the beasts that are destroyed.

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

Make our mouths speak your wisdom, Lord Jesus, and help us to remember that you became man and redeemed us from death that we might merit the beauty of your light.

Ant. Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, says the Lord.

Ant. 3 Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

Canticle — Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

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. Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

READING Romans 3:23-25a

All men have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. All men are now undeservedly justified by the gift of God, through the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus. Through his blood, God made him the means of expiation for all who believe. He did so to manifest his own justice.

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 shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.
— I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

Fulfillment and endless peace in your presence,
— when I see your face, O Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— I shall know the fullness of joy, when I see your face, O Lord.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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. Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty, and holy is your name.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us praise Christ, the shepherd and guardian of our souls, who loves and protects his people. Placing our hope in him, we cry out:
Protect your people, Lord.

Eternal shepherd, protect our bishop,
— and all the shepherds of your Church.
Protect your people, Lord.

Look kindly on those who suffer persecution,
— hasten to free them from all adversity.
Protect your people, Lord.

Have mercy on the needy, Lord,
— provide food for the hungry.
Protect your people, Lord.

Enlighten all legislators,
— to enact laws in the spirit of wisdom and justice.
Protect your people, Lord.

Come to the aid of our departed brothers and sisters, whom you have redeemed with your blood,
— make them worthy to enter your wedding feast.
Protect your people, Lord.

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

Father,
yours is the morning
and yours is the evening.
Let the Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ,
shine for ever in our hearts
and draw us to that light
where you live in radiant glory.
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.

Christian Prayer:
Page 1044

Night Prayer for Tuesday

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:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you have shown us the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
— Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you are the good shepherd,
leading us into everlasting life:
Lord, have mercy.
— Lord, have mercy.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

Psalm 143
Prayer in distress
Only by faith in Jesus Christ is a man made holy in God’s sight. No observance of the law can achieve this (Galatians 2:16).

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. Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

READING 1 Peter 5:8-9a

Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— 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.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

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

Lord,
fill this night with your radiance.
May we sleep in peace and rise with joy
to welcome the light of a new day in your name.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

BLESSING

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

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This week the Liturgy of the Hours asks insistently: Give me your heart.

It does not ask us to be more organised in our prayer, or to understand more theology, or to achieve any particular spiritual state. It asks for the heart itself — given, simply, to the One who first gave his.

The week begins with a voice from the second century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop of Syria, is travelling to Rome under armed guard to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. He writes to the Roman Christians, begging them not to intervene. His words, read in the Office of Readings on Monday and Tuesday, are among the most extraordinary in the entire liturgical year:

• “Let me not only be called a Christian, but prove to be one.”

He is asking for integrity — for a life that matches its own name. And in the very next breath, he writes: “I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us.” Not glory, not vindication — but the One he loves.

This is the thread that runs from the beginning of the week to its center.

On Thursday evening, the liturgy pivots. Saint Barnabas — “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) — is honoured through Morning Prayer, and when Evening Prayer arrives, the Church has already turned toward the next day’s Solemnity. The canticle antiphon at First Vespers is Christ’s own voice:

• “I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.”

The same total self-giving. The same heart.

Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The liturgy has chosen to speak through Morning Prayer with a verse from Matthew 11:29 that carries the message of this feast in a few words:

• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble of heart. Learn from me”.

It is not a command but an invitation — the voice of love teaching love. The Office of Readings offers the great passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and reaches its conclusion in one of the most luminous verses:

• nothing — “neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature — will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord”

The Sacred Heart, beyond a devotional image, is a theological statement about the indestructibility of divine love.

Saturday the Church turns, gently, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first psalm of Morning Prayer opens our heart to proclaim God’s love and God’s truth: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, […]to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night”. (Morning Prayer, Psalm 92). We aspire to emulate Mary’s heart: open, unguarded, willing to be pierced. The heart that said fiat. The heart that kept and pondered all things.

Two hearts, side by side in the calendar, both pointing in the same direction: toward total receptivity to God, total willingness to be known and held.

On Sunday, the parables of the Kingdom arrive quietly. Seeds planted in the ground grow without the farmer watching.

• “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds; yet when full-grown it is the largest of shrubs.” (Morning Prayer, Canticle Antiphon)

The Hours, prayed day after day through the weeks of Ordinary Time, work like this. We do not see the growth. We plant the prayer and return tomorrow.

Give me your heart. The whole week says it, in different registers, with different voices. Saint Ignatius says it with his life. The Sacred Heart says it with its open wound. Mary says it with her fiat. And the Sunday seed says it with its patient, invisible growth.

Pray Morning Prayer for the Sacred Heart: https://divineoffice.org/today/morning-prayer/?date=20260612

In the Heart of Christ, The Divine Office Team

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Psalm 95

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.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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.

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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.”

Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

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. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings

Office of Readings for Wednesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.

Psalm 39
Urgent prayer of a sick person
Creation is made subject to futility… by him who subjected it, but it is not without hope (Romans 8:20).

I

I said: “I will be watchful of my ways
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips
when the wicked man stands before me.”
I was dumb, silent and still.
His prosperity stirred my grief.

My heart was burning within me.
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech:
“O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days.
Now I know how fleeting is my life.

You have given me a short span of days;
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm,
a mere shadow, the man passing by,
a mere breath, the riches he hoards,
not knowing who will have them.”

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. We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.

Ant. 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.

II

And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
In you rests all my hope.
Set me free from all my sins,
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I was silent, not opening my lips,
because this was all your doing.

Take away your scourge from me.
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
You punish man’s sins and correct him;
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath;
O Lord, hear my prayer.

O Lord, turn your ear to my cry.
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest,
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
Look away that I may breathe again,
before I depart to be no more.

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

Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.

Ant. Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.

Ant. 3 I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.

Psalm 52
Against a calumniator
If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Why do you boast of your wickedness,
you champion of evil,
planning ruin all day long,
your tongue like a sharpened razor,
you master of deceit?

You love evil more than good;
lies more than truth.
You love the destructive word,
you tongue of deceit.

For this God will destroy you
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you
from the land of the living.

The just shall see and fear.
They shall laugh and say:
“So this is the man who refused
to take God as his stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth
and grew powerful by his crimes.”

But I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God
for ever and ever.

I will thank you for evermore;
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good,
in the presence of your friends.

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

Father, you cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.

Ant. I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.

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.

I put my trust in the word of the Lord.
— All my hope is in him.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of Joshua
3:1-17; 4:14-19; 5:10-12
The people cross the Jordan and celebrate the Passover

Early the next morning, Joshua moved with all the Israelites from Shittim to the Jordan, where they lodged before crossing over. Three days later the officers went through the camp and issued these instructions to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord, your God, which the levitical priests will carry, you must also break camp and follow it, that you may know the way to take, for you have not gone over this road before. But let there be a space of two thousand cubits between you and the ark. Do not come nearer to it.” Joshua also said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform wonders among you.” And he directed the priests to take up the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people; and they did so.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses. Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when they reach the edge of the waters.”

So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord, your God.” He continued: “This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst, who at your approach will dispossess the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will precede you into the Jordan. (Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.) When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; for the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a solid bank.”

The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.

That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and thenceforth during his whole life they respected him as they had respected Moses.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Command the priests carrying the ark of the commandments to come up from the Jordan.” Joshua did so, and when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the bed of the Jordan, as the soles of their feet regained the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan resumed their course and as before overflowed all its banks.

The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Gilgal on the eastern limits of Jericho.

While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month. On the day after the Passover they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day after the Passover on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

RESPONSORY Joshua 4:22-24; Psalm 114:5

Israel crossed the Jordan on dry land, for God dried up its waters just as in the past he had dried up the waters of the Red Sea,
— so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty.

What has happened that the sea has been put to flight, and the Jordan has turned back upon itself?
— So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty.

Second reading
From a homily on Joshua by Origen, priest
The crossing of the Jordan

The ark of the covenant led the people of God across the Jordan. The priests and the Levites halted, and the waters, as though out of reverence to the ministers of God, stopped flowing. They piled up in a single mass, thus allowing the people of God to cross in safety. As a Christian, you should not be amazed to hear of these wonders performed for men of the past. The divine Word promises much greater and more lofty things to you who have passed through Jordan’s stream by the sacrament of baptism: he promises you a passage even through the sky. Listen to what Paul says concerning the just: We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in heaven, and so we shall always be with the Lord. There is absolutely nothing for the just man to fear; the whole of creation serves him. Listen to another promise that God makes him through the prophet: If you pass through fire, the flame shall not burn you, for I am the Lord your God. The just man is everywhere welcome, and everything renders him due service.

So you must not think that these events belong only to the past, and that you who now hear the account of them do not experience anything of the kind. It is in you that they all find their spiritual fulfillment. You have recently abandoned the darkness of idolatry, and you now desire to come and hear the divine law. This is your departure from Egypt. When you became a catechumen and began to obey the laws of the Church, you passed through the Red Sea; now at the various stops in the desert, you give time every day to hear the law of God and to see the face of Moses unveiled by the glory of God. But once you come to the baptismal font and, in the presence of the priests and deacons, are initiated into those sacred and august mysteries which only those know who should, then, through the ministry of the priests, you will cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. There Moses will hand you over to Jesus, and He himself will be your guide on your new journey.

Mindful, then, of all the mighty works of God, remembering that he divided the sea for you and held back the waters of the river, you will turn to them and say: Why was it, sea, that you fled? Jordan, why did you turn back? Mountains, why did you skip like rams, and you hills, like young sheep? And the word of the Lord will reply: The earth is shaken at the face of the Lord, at the face of the God of Jacob, who turns stones into a pool and rock into springs of water.

RESPONSORY Wisdom 17:1; 19:22; Psalm 77:20

Great are your judgments, Lord,
and beyond all describing.
— You have exalted your people and made them glorious.

You made a road through the sea
and a path through the deep waters.
— You have exalted your people and made them glorious.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
from whom all good things come,
grant that we, who call on you in our need,
may at your prompting discern what is right,
and by your guidance do it.
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.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 859

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 812

Morning Prayer for Wednesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?

Psalm 77
Recalling God’s works
We suffer all kinds of afflictions and yet are not overcome (2 Corinthians 4:8).

I cry aloud to God,
cry aloud to God that he may hear me.

In the day of my distress I sought the Lord.
My hands were raised at night without ceasing;
my soul refused to be consoled.
I remembered my God and I groaned.
I pondered and my spirit fainted.

You withheld sleep from my eyes.
I was troubled, I could not speak.
I thought of the days of long ago
and remembered the years long past.
At night I mused within my heart.
I pondered and my spirit questioned.

“Will the Lord reject us for ever?
Will he show us his favor no more?
Has his love vanished for ever?
Has his promise come to an end?
Does God forget his mercy
or in anger withhold his compassion?”

I said: “This is what causes my grief;
that the way of the Most High has changed.”
I remember the deeds of the Lord,
I remember your wonders of old,
I muse on all your works
and ponder your mighty deeds.

Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
You are the God who works wonders.
You showed your power among the peoples.
Your strong arm redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and trembled;
the depths were moved with terror.
The clouds poured down rain,
the skies sent forth their voice;
your arrows flashed to and fro.

Your thunder rolled round the sky,
your flashes lighted up the world.
The earth was moved and trembled
when your way led through the sea,
your path through the mighty waters
and no one saw your footprints.

You guided your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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

Father, you established your ancient covenant by signs and wonders, but more wondrously you confirmed the new one through the sacrifice of your Son. Guide your Church through the pathways of life, that we may be led to the land of promise and celebrate your name with lasting praise.

Ant. O God, all your ways are holy; what god can compare with our God?

Ant.2 My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.

Canticle – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
The humble find joy in God
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things (Luke 1:52-53).

My heart exults in the Lord,
my horn is exalted in my God.

I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.
There is no Holy One like the Lord;
there is no Rock like our God.

Speak boastfully no longer,
nor let arrogance issue from your mouths.
For an all-knowing God is the Lord,
a God who judges deeds.

The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.

The Lord puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.

He raises the needy from the dust;
from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,
to seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and he has set the world upon them.
He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall perish in the darkness.
For not by strength does man prevail;
the Lord’s foes shall be shattered.

The Most High in heaven thunders;
the Lord judges the ends of the earth.
Now may he give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed!

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. My heart leaps up with joy to the Lord, for he humbles only to exalt us.

Ant. 3 The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.

Psalm 97
The glory of the Lord in his decrees for the world
This psalm foretells a world-wide salvation and that peoples of all nations will believe in Christ (St. Athanasius).

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.

A fire prepares his path;
it burns up his foes on every side.
His lightnings light up the world,
the earth trembles at the sight.

The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.

Let those who serve idols be ashamed,
those who boast of their worthless gods.
All you spirits, worship him.

Zion hears and is glad;
the people of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments, O Lord.

For you indeed are the Lord
most high above all the earth,
exalted far above all spirits.

The Lord loves those who hate evil;
he guards the souls of his saints;
he sets them free from the wicked.

Light shines forth for the just
and joy for the upright of heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;
give glory to his holy name.

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

Father, you clothe the sky with light and the depths of the ocean with darkness. Among the sons of men you work wonders, and rain terror upon the enemy. Look upon your servants. Do not try us by fire but bring us rejoicing to the shelter of your home.

Ant. The Lord is king, let the earth rejoice.

READING Romans 8:35, 37

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of him who has loved us.

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 will bless the Lord all my life long.
— I will bless the Lord all my life long.

With a song of praise ever on my lips,
— all my life long.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— I will bless the Lord all my life long.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Let us serve the Lord in holiness all the days of our life.

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. Let us serve the Lord in holiness all the days of our life.

INTERCESSIONS

Blessed be God our Savior, who promised to remain with his Church all days, until the end of the world. Let us give him thanks and call out:
Remain with us, Lord.

Remain with us the whole day, Lord,
— let your grace be a sun that never sets.
Remain with us, Lord.

We dedicate this day to you as an offering,
— do not let us offer anything that is evil.
Remain with us, Lord.

May your gift of light pervade this whole day,
— that we may be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Remain with us, Lord.

May the love of your Holy Spirit direct our hearts and our lips,
— and may we always act in accordance with your will.
Remain with us, Lord.

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

Lord,
as a new day dawns
send the radiance of your light
to shine in our hearts.
Make us true to your teaching;
keep us free from error and sin.
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.

Midmorning Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time using the 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.

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 Deuteronomy 1:16-17a

I charged your judges at that time, ‘Listen to complaints among your kinsmen, and administer true justice to both parties even if one of them is an alien. In rendering judgment, do not consider who a person is; give ear to the lowly and to the great alike, fearing no man, for judgment is God’s.

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.

The Lord is true and loves justice.
— Those who are just will see him face to face.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God of truth, Father of all,
you send your Spirit as you promised
to bring together in love
all whom sin has driven apart.
Strengthen us to work for your blessings
of unity and peace in the world.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 867 (Midday)

Midday Prayer for Wednesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 I have pondered my ways and turned back to your teaching.

Psalm 119
VIII (Heth)

My part, I have resolved, O Lord,
is to obey your word.
With all my heart I implore your favor;
show the mercy of your promise.

I have pondered over my ways
and returned to your will.
I made haste and did not delay
to obey your commands.

Though the nets of the wicked ensnared me
I remembered your law.
At midnight I will rise and thank you
for your just decrees.

I am a friend of all who revere you,
who obey your precepts.
Lord, your love fills the earth.
Teach me your commands.

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

Father, may the fulfillment of your law be our aim in life, so that you yourself may be our inheritance, and we your chosen possession for ever.

Ant. I have pondered my ways and turned back to your teaching.

Ant. 2 I tremble with fear, O Lord; turn to me and hear me.

Psalm 55
Against a friend proved traitor
Jesus was seized with fear and distress (Mark 14:33).

I

O God, listen to my prayer,
do not hide from my pleading,
attend to me and reply;
with my cares, I cannot rest.

I tremble at the shouts of the foe,
at the cries of the wicked;
for they bring down evil upon me.
They assail me with fury.

My heart is stricken within me,
death’s terror is on me,
trembling and fear fall upon me
and horror overwhelms me.

O that I had wings like a dove
to fly away and be at rest.
So I would escape far away
and take refuge in the desert.

I would hasten to find a shelter
from the raging wind,
from the destructive storm, O Lord,
and from their plotting tongues.

For I can see nothing but violence
and strife in the city.
Night and day they patrol
high on the city walls.

It is full of wickedness and evil;
it is full of sin.
Its streets are never free
from tyranny and deceit.

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 tremble with fear, O Lord; turn to me and hear me.

Ant. 3 I shall cry to God for help, and the Lord will come to save me.

II

If this had been done by an enemy
I could bear his taunts.
If a rival had risen against me,
I could hide from him.

But it is you, my own companion,
my intimate friend!
How close was the friendship between us.
We walked together in harmony
in the house of God.

As for me, I will cry to God
and the Lord will save me.
Evening, morning and at noon
I will cry and lament.

He will deliver my soul in peace
in the attack against me:
for those who fight me are many,
but he hears my voice.

God will hear and will humble them,
the eternal judge:
for they will not amend their ways.
They have no fear of God.

The traitor has turned against his friends;
he has broken his word.
His speech is softer than butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they are naked swords.

Entrust your cares to the Lord
and he will support you.
He will never allow
the just man to stumble.

But you, O God, will bring them down
to the pit of death.
Deceitful and bloodthirsty men
shall not live half their days.

O Lord, I will trust in you.

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

Lord Jesus, you were rejected by your people, betrayed by the kiss of a friend, and deserted by your disciples. Give us the confidence that you had in the Father, and our salvation will be assured.

Ant. I shall cry to God for help, and the Lord will come to save me.

READING Isaiah 55:8-9

My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

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.

God of power and might, who is your equal?
— Faithfulness surrounds you on every side.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God of mercy,
this midday moment of rest
is your welcome gift.
Bless the work we have begun,
make good its defects
and let us finish it in a way that pleases you.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

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 has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

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 build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, 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 are those who fear the Lord.

READING 1 Samuel 16:7b

Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.

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.

O God, search my heart and know me.
— Lead me along the path to endless life.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
to save all mankind
you streched out your arms on the cross.
Let our work be pleasing to you:
may it proclaim your salvation to the world,
for you live and reign forever and ever.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 873

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week II, 818

Evening Prayer for Wednesday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.

Psalm 62
Peace in God
May God, the source of our hope, fill your hearts with peace as you believe in him (Romans 15:13).

In God alone is my soul at rest;
my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.

How long will you all attack one man
to break him down,
as though he were a tottering wall,
or a tumbling fence?

Their plan is only to destroy:
they take pleasure in lies.
With their mouth they utter blessing
but in their heart they curse.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;
for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.

In God is my safety and glory,
the rock of my strength.
Take refuge in God, all you people.
Trust him at all times.
Pour out your hearts before him
for God is our refuge.

Common folk are only a breath,
great men an illusion.
Placed in the scales, they rise;
they weigh less than a breath.

Do not put your trust in oppression
nor vain hopes on plunder.
Do not set your heart on riches
even when they increase.

For God has said only one thing:
only two do I know:
that to God alone belongs power
and to you, Lord, love;
and that you repay each man
according to his deeds.

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

Lord God, you reward each one according to his works. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you seeking your grace and secure protection. We look to you for our stable hope in a constantly changing world.

Ant. Eagerly we await the fulfillment of our hope, the glorious coming of our Savior.

Ant. 2 May God turn his radiant face toward us and fill us with his blessings.

Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).

O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has yielded its fruit
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

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

Be gracious and bless us, Lord, and let your face shed its light on us, so that we can make you known with reverence: and bring forth a harvest of justice.

Ant. May God turn his radiant face toward us and fill us with his blessings.

Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.

Canticle – Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead

Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints
in light.

He rescued us
from the power of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.

All were created through him;
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.

It is he who is head of the body, the church!
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.

It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.

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. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.

READING 1 Peter 5:5b-7

In your relations with one another, clothe yourselves with humility, because God “is stern with the arrogant but to the humble he shows kindness.” Bow humbly under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time he may lift you high. Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.

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

Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.
— Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.

Gather us under the shadow of your wings, and keep us,
— as the apple of your eye.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud, and lift up the lowly.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud, and lift up the lowly.

INTERCESSIONS

Beloved brothers and sisters, let us rejoice in our God, for he takes great delight in bestowing benefits on his people. Let us fervently pray:
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Eternal God, for whom a thousand years are like the passing day,
— help us to remember that life is like a flower which blossoms in the morning, but withers in the evening.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Give your people manna to satisfy their hunger,
— and living water to quench their thirst for all eternity.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Let your faithful ones seek and taste the things that are above,
— and let them direct their work and their leisure to your glory.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Grant us good weather, Lord
— that we may reap the copious fruits of the earth.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Deliver us from all harm, Lord,
— and pour out your abundant blessings on our homes.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

Show the faithful departed the vision of your face,
— let them rejoice in the contemplation of your presence.
Increase your grace and your peace, Lord.

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

Lord God,
holy is your name,
and renowned your compassion,
cherished by every generation.
Hear our evening prayer
and let us sing your praise,
and proclaim your greatness for ever.
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.

Christian Prayer:
Page 1047

General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Wednesday

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:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

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,
   And, striking your breast, say:
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
   Then continue:
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.
   With a priest present, this absolution will be given:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
   The people reply: Amen

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Psalm 31:1-6
Trustful prayer in adversity
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46).

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, 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. Lord God, be my refuge and my strength.

Ant. 2 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

Psalm 130
A cry from the depths
He will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleading.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
for this we revere you.

My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak
and Israel on the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.

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. Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.

READING Ephesians 4:26-27

If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— 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.

Gospel Canticle

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.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

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

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have given your followers
an example of gentleness and humility,
a task that is easy, a burden that is light.
Accept the prayers and work of this day,
and give us the rest that will strengthen us
to render more faithful service to you
who live and reign for ever and ever.
— Amen.

Blessing

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

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women and
Blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.

This week the Liturgy of the Hours asks insistently: Give me your heart.

It does not ask us to be more organised in our prayer, or to understand more theology, or to achieve any particular spiritual state. It asks for the heart itself — given, simply, to the One who first gave his.

The week begins with a voice from the second century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop of Syria, is travelling to Rome under armed guard to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. He writes to the Roman Christians, begging them not to intervene. His words, read in the Office of Readings on Monday and Tuesday, are among the most extraordinary in the entire liturgical year:

• “Let me not only be called a Christian, but prove to be one.”

He is asking for integrity — for a life that matches its own name. And in the very next breath, he writes: “I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us.” Not glory, not vindication — but the One he loves.

This is the thread that runs from the beginning of the week to its center.

On Thursday evening, the liturgy pivots. Saint Barnabas — “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) — is honoured through Morning Prayer, and when Evening Prayer arrives, the Church has already turned toward the next day’s Solemnity. The canticle antiphon at First Vespers is Christ’s own voice:

• “I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.”

The same total self-giving. The same heart.

Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The liturgy has chosen to speak through Morning Prayer with a verse from Matthew 11:29 that carries the message of this feast in a few words:

• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble of heart. Learn from me”.

It is not a command but an invitation — the voice of love teaching love. The Office of Readings offers the great passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and reaches its conclusion in one of the most luminous verses:

• nothing — “neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature — will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord”

The Sacred Heart, beyond a devotional image, is a theological statement about the indestructibility of divine love.

Saturday the Church turns, gently, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first psalm of Morning Prayer opens our heart to proclaim God’s love and God’s truth: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, […]to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night”. (Morning Prayer, Psalm 92). We aspire to emulate Mary’s heart: open, unguarded, willing to be pierced. The heart that said fiat. The heart that kept and pondered all things.

Two hearts, side by side in the calendar, both pointing in the same direction: toward total receptivity to God, total willingness to be known and held.

On Sunday, the parables of the Kingdom arrive quietly. Seeds planted in the ground grow without the farmer watching.

• “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds; yet when full-grown it is the largest of shrubs.” (Morning Prayer, Canticle Antiphon)

The Hours, prayed day after day through the weeks of Ordinary Time, work like this. We do not see the growth. We plant the prayer and return tomorrow.

Give me your heart. The whole week says it, in different registers, with different voices. Saint Ignatius says it with his life. The Sacred Heart says it with its open wound. Mary says it with her fiat. And the Sunday seed says it with its patient, invisible growth.

Pray Morning Prayer for the Sacred Heart: https://divineoffice.org/today/morning-prayer/?date=20260612

In the Heart of Christ, The Divine Office Team

June 11

Saint Barnabas, Apostle

Memorial

“But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out among the multitude, crying, ‘Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them’” (Acts 14:14).[1]

St Barnabas, named Joseph at the time of his birth, was a Levite and one of the first to embrace the Christian way. Although he was not one of the Twelve, St. Luke refers to him as an “apostle.” After hearing the apostles’ testimony in Jerusalem, he sold a field that he owned and laid the money down at their feet. St Barnabas was a friend to St Paul and brought him to the apostles, when Paul went to Jerusalem and wanted to redeem his reputation. Next, St Barnabas was commissioned to go to Antioch to shepherd the Gentile converts. He invited St Paul and they met with the city’s infant church and instructed them for a year. Afterwards, he traveled through Asia Minor and was a respected missionary and advisor. St. Luke describes St Barnabas as encourager, “… a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 4:36, 11:24). [2][3]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] Revised Standard Version, s.v., “The Acts of the Apostles.”
[2] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Barnabas.”
[3] Revised Standard Version, s.v., “The Acts of the Apostles.”

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

Psalm 67

O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

The earth has yielded its fruit
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.

Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, the King of apostles.

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, the King of apostles.

Office of Readings for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, you are our savior; we will praise you for ever.

Psalm 44
The misfortunes of God’s people
We triumph over all these things through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

I

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. Lord, you are our savior; we will praise you for ever.

Ant. 2 Spare us, O Lord; do not bring your own people into contempt.

II

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 the 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. Spare us, O Lord; do not bring your own people into contempt.

Ant. 3 Rise up, O Lord, and save us, for you are merciful.

III

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 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 from us
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.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, rise up and come to our aid; with your strong arm lead us to freedom, as you mightily delivered our forefathers. Since you are the king who knows the secrets of our hearts, fill them with the light of truth.

Ant. Rise up, O Lord, and save us, for you are merciful.

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.

They proclaimed the Lord’s praises, told of his power to save.
— And of the wonders he had worked.

READINGS

First reading
From the book of Joshua
5:13-6:21
The enemy’s most powerful city is destroyed

While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you one of us or of our enemies?” He replied, “Neither. I am the captain of the host of the Lord and I have just arrived.” Then Joshua fell prostrate to the ground in worship, and said to him, “What has my Lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the host of the Lord replied to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy.” And Joshua obeyed.

Now Jericho was in a state of siege because of the presence of the Israelites, so that no one left or entered.

And to Joshua the Lord said, “I have delivered Jericho and its king into your power. Have all the soldiers circle the city, marching once around it. Do this for six days, with seven priests carrying ram’s horns ahead of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the horns. When they give a long blast on the ram’s horns and you hear that signal, all the people shall shout aloud. The wall of the city will collapse, and they will be able to make a frontal attack.”

Summoning the priests, Joshua, son of Nun, then ordered them to take up the ark of the covenant with seven of the priests carrying ram’s horns in front of the ark of the Lord. And he ordered the people to proceed in a circle around the city, with the picked troops marching ahead of the ark of the Lord.

At this order they proceeded, with the seven priests who carried the ram’s horns before the Lord blowing their horns, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. In front of the priests with the horns marched the picked troops; the rear guard followed the ark, and the blowing of horns was kept up continually as they marched. But the people had been commanded by Joshua not to shout or make any noise or outcry until he gave the word: only then were they to shout. So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city, going once around it, after which they returned to camp for the night.

Early the next morning, Joshua had the priests take up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests bearing the ram’s horns marched in front of the ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Ahead of these marched the picked troops, while the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, and the blowing of horns was kept up continually. On this second day they again marched around the city once before returning to camp; and for six days in all they did the same.

On the seventh day, beginning at daybreak, they marched around the city seven times in the same manner; on that day only did they march around the city seven times. The seventh time around, the priests blew the horns and Joshua said to the people, “Now shout, for the Lord has given you the city and everything in it. It is under the Lord’s ban. Only the harlot Rahab and all who are in the house with her are to be spared, because she hid the messengers we sent. But be careful not to take, in your greed, anything that is under the ban; else you will bring upon the camp of Israel this ban and the misery of it. All silver and gold, and the articles of bronze or iron, are sacred to the Lord. They shall be put in the treasury of the Lord.”

As the horns blew, the people began to shout. When they heard the signal horn, they raised a tremendous shout. The wall collapsed, and the people stormed the city in a frontal attack and took it. They observed the ban by putting to the sword all living creatures in the city: men and women, young and old, as well as oxen, sheep and asses.

RESPONSORY See Isaiah 25:1, 2; Hebrews 11:30

O Lord, you are my God; I will extol you and praise your name.
— You have reduced the city to a heap of stones, never to be rebuilt.

After seven days’ procession around Jericho’s walls, Israel’s faith brought them down in ruins.
— You have reduced the city to a heap of stones, never to be rebuilt.

Second reading
From a treatise on the Gospel of Saint Matthew by Saint Chromatius, bishop
You are the light of the world

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp only to put it under a bushel basket; they put it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. The Lord called his disciples the salt of the earth because they seasoned with heavenly wisdom the hearts of men rendered insipid by the devil. Now he calls them the light of the world as well, because they have been enlightened by him, the true and everlasting light, and have themselves become a light in the darkness.

Since he is the Sun of Justice, he fittingly calls his disciples the light of the world. The reason for this is that through them, as through shining rays, he has poured out the light of the knowledge of himself upon the entire world. For by manifesting the light of truth, they have dispelled the darkness of error from the hearts of men.

Moreover, we too have been enlightened by them. We have been made light out of darkness as the Apostle says: For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. He says another time: For you are not sons of the night and of darkness, but you are all sons of light and of the day.

Saint John also rightly asserts in his letter: God is light, and whoever abides in God is in the light just as God himself is in the light. Therefore, because we rejoice in having been freed from the darkness of error, we should always walk in the light as children of light. This is why the Apostle says: Among them you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.

If we fail to live in the light, we shall, to our condemnation and that of others, be veiling over and obscuring by our infidelity the light men so desperately need. As we know from Scripture, the man who received the talent should have made it produce a heavenly profit, but instead he preferred to hide it away rather than put it to work and was punished as he deserved.

Consequently, that brilliant lamp which was lit for the sake of our salvation should always shine in us. For we have the lamp of the heavenly commandment and spiritual grace, to which David referred: Your law is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Solomon also says this about it: For the command of the law is a lamp.

Therefore, we must not hide this lamp of law and faith. Rather, we must set it up in the Church, as on a lamp-stand, for the salvation of many, so that we may enjoy the light of truth itself and all believers may be enlightened.

RESPONSORY Acts 11:23-24

When Barnabas arrived in Antioch and saw God’s grace at work there, he rejoiced,
— for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith, alleluia.

He encouraged all to stand firm in their commitment to the Lord.
— For he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
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.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Psalter: Thursday, Week II, 824
Proper of Saints: 1165

Morning Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.

Psalm 80
Lord, come, take care of your vineyard
Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.

God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.

God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;
to plant it you drove out the nations.
Before it you cleared the ground;
it took root and spread through the land.

The mountains were covered with its shadow,
the cedars of God with its boughs.
It stretched out its branches to the sea,
to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

Then why have you broken down its walls?
It is plucked by all who pass by.
It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,
devoured by the beasts of the field.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.
May they perish at the frown of your face.

May your hand be on the man you have chosen,
the man you have given your strength.
And we shall never forsake you again:
give us life that we may call upon your name.

God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

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

Lord God, eternal shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us remain in your Son as branches on the vine, that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere.

Ant. Stir up your mighty power, Lord; come to our aid.

Ant. 2 The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.

Canticle — Isaiah 12:1-6
Joy of God’s ransomed people
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37).

I give you thanks, O Lord;
though you have been angry with me,
your anger has abated, and you have consoled me.

God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.

With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of 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. The Lord has worked marvels for us; make it known to the ends of the world.

Ant. 3 Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Psalm 81
Solemn renewal of the Covenant
See that no one among you has a faithless heart (Hebrews 3:12).

Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.

Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
the sweet-sounding harp and the lute,
blow the trumpet at the new moon,
when the moon is full, on our feast.

For this is Israel’s law,
a command of the God of Jacob.
He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,
when he went out against the land of Egypt.

A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.

I answered, concealed in the storm cloud,
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, to my warning,
O Israel, if only you would heed!

Let there be no foreign god among you,
no worship of an alien god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

But my people did not heed my voice
and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
to follow their own designs.

O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.

The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last forever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock.”

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

Lord God, open our mouths to proclaim your glory. Help us to leave sin behind and to rejoice in professing your name.

Ant. Ring out your joy to God our strength.

READING 1 Corinthians 15:1-2a, 3-4

Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and in which you stand firm. You are being saved by it at this very moment. I handed on to you first of all what I myself received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried and, in accordance with the Scriptures, rose on the third day.

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

They proclaimed the Lord’s praises and his saving power.
— They proclaimed the Lord’s praises and his saving power.

They spoke of the wonders he had worked,
— and his saving power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— They proclaimed the Lord’s praises and his saving power.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Barnabas set out for Tarsus to look for Paul. Once he found him, he brought him to Antioch where they met with the church and instructed a great number of people.

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. Barnabas set out for Tarsus to look for Paul. Once he found him, he brought him to Antioch where they met with the church and instructed a great number of people.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us sing a fitting song of praise to our Savior, who destroyed the power of death and made clear the path to life and immortality through the Gospel, and let us petition him in humble supplication:
Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

You gave wonderful guidance to your Church through her holy and distinguished teachers,
— may Christians rejoice always in the splendid legacy given to your Church.
Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

When their holy pastors prayed to you, as Moses had done, you forgave the sins of the people,
— through the intercession of these holy pastors continue to sanctify and purify your Church.
Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

You anointed your holy ones in the midst of their brothers and called the Holy Spirit down upon them,
— fill all the leaders of your people with the Holy Spirit.
Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

You yourself are the sole possession of your holy pastors,
— grant that those you have redeemed with your blood may remain always in you.
Strengthen your Church in faith and love.

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 decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
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.

Midmorning Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle using the 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.

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 Romans 1:16-17

I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation, the Jew first, then the Greek. For in the gospel is revealed the justice of God which begins and ends with faith; as Scripture says, “The just man shall live by faith.”

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.

Their voice has gone out to the limits of the earth
— Their words to the ends of the earth.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midday Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.

Psalm 119
IX (Teth)

Lord, you have been good to your servant
according to your word.
Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.

Before I was afflicted I strayed
but now I keep your word.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your commandments.

Though proud men smear me with lies
yet I keep your precepts.
Their minds are closed to good
but your law is my delight.

It was good for me to be afflicted,
to learn your will.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.

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

Lord, teach us goodness, discipline and wisdom, and these gifts will keep us from becoming hardened by evil, weakened by laziness or ignorant because of foolishness.

Ant. More precious than gold or silver, Lord, is the way of life you teach us.

Ant. 2 I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.

Psalm 56
Trust in God’s word
This psalm shows Christ in his passion (Saint Jerome).

Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;
they fight me all day long and oppress me.
My foes crush me all day long,
for many fight proudly against me.

When I fear, I will trust in you,
in God whose word I praise.
In God I trust, I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?

All day long they distort my words,
all their thought is to harm me.
They band together in ambush,
track me down and seek my life.

You have kept an account of my wanderings;
you have kept a record of my tears;
are they not written in your book?
Then my foes will be put to flight
on the day that I call to you.

This I know, that God is on my side.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not fear:
what can mortal man do to me?

I am bound by the vows I have made you.
O God, I will offer you praise
for you rescued my soul from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling
that I may walk in the presence of God
and enjoy the light of the living.

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

Lord Jesus Christ, victim for our sins, you trusted in your Father’s protection and kept silent when you were tormented. Give us that same confidence and we will gladly suffer with you and for you, offering the Father our sacrifice of praise and walking before him in the light of the living.

Ant. I have put my hope in God; I have no fear of man.

Ant. 3 Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.

Psalm 57
Morning prayer in affliction
This psalm tells of our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.

I call to God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.

May God send his truth and his love.
My soul lies down among lions,
who would devour the sons of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongue a sharpened sword.

O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!

They laid a snare for my steps,
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path
but fell in it themselves.

My heart is ready, O God,
my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.
Awake, my soul,
awake, lyre and harp,
I will awake the dawn.

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,
I will praise you among the nations,
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.

O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!

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

Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son.

Ant. Your merciful love reaches high as the heavens, Lord.

READING 1 Thessalonians 2:2b-4

We drew courage from our God to preach his good tidings to you in the face of great opposition. The exhortation we deliver does not spring from deceit or impure motives or any sort of trickery; rather, having met the test imposed on us by God, as men entrusted with the good tidings, we speak like those who strive to please God rather than men.

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.

The apostles held fast to Christ’s message.
— They kept the precepts he gave them.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

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 has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy.

Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city.

Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

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 build our house and watch over our city.

Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, 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 are those who fear the Lord.

READING 2 Timothy 1:8b-9

With the strength which comes from God bear your share of the hardship which the gospel entails. God has saved us and has called us to a holy life, not because of any merit of ours but according to his own design — the grace held out to us in Christ Jesus.

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.

Rejoice and be glad, says the Lord.
— For your names are written in heaven.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God,
who decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from Proper of Seasons: 663

Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 God has loved us with an everlasting love; therefore, when he was lifted up from the earth, in his mercy he drew us to his heart.

Psalm 113
Praise the name of the Lord
He has cast down the mighty and has lifted up the lowly (Luke 1:52).

Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?

From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from his misery he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.

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 has loved us with an everlasting love; therefore, when he was lifted up from the earth, in his mercy he drew us to his heart.

Ant. 2 Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.

Psalm 146
Those who trust in God know what it is to be happy
To praise God in our lives means all we do must be for his glory (Arnobius).

My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.

Put no trust in princes,
in mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay
and their plans that day come to nothing.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.

It is he who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free,
the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan.

It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, from age to age.

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. Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.

Ant. 3 I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.

Canticle — Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

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 am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.

READING Ephesians 5:25b-27

Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her to make her holy, purifying her in the bath of water by the power of the word, to present to himself a glorious church, holy and immaculate, without stain or wrinkle or anything of that sort.

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

Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.
— Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.

He has made us a kingdom and priests to serve God our Father.
— And in his blood he has washed away our sins.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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. I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up.

INTERCESSIONS

Brethren, let us pray to the Lord Jesus, the refuge of our souls; let us ask him:
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose heart when pierced by a lance poured forth blood and water and gave birth to your spouse the Church,
— cleanse and sanctify us.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, holy temple of God, slain by men and raised up again by the Father,
— make your Church the dwelling place of the Most High.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, King and center of all hearts, you love us and lead us to yourself with unending love and mercy,
— renew your covenant with all men.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, you unite all in the peace of the new creation and put enmity to death through the cross,
— show us the path to the Father.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our life and resurrection, you refresh the burdened and give rest to the weary,
— draw all sinners to yourself.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, because you loved us with so great a love, you were obedient even to death on the cross,
— raise up again all who sleep in your peace.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on 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

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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.

Christian Prayer:
Page 1034

Night Prayer after Evening Prayer I on Solemnities

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:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord, Jesus you healed the sick:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy

Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners:
Christ, have mercy.
— Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength:
Lord, have mercy
— Lord have mercy

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4
Thanksgiving
The resurrection of Christ was God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work (Saint Augustine).

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;
from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,
will you love what is futile and seek what is false?

It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;
the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still
Make justice your sacrifice, and trust in the Lord.

“What can bring us happiness?” many say.
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

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. Have mercy, Lord, and hear my prayer.

Ant. 2 In the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.

Psalm 134
Evening prayer in the temple
Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great (Revelation 19:5).

O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord through the night.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.

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 the silent hours of night, bless the Lord.

READING Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— 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.

Gospel Canticle

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.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

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

Lord,
we beg you to visit this house
and banish from it
all the deadly power of the enemy.
May your holy angels dwell here
to keep us in peace,
and may your blessing be upon us always.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

Blessing

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

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This week the Liturgy of the Hours asks insistently: Give me your heart.

It does not ask us to be more organised in our prayer, or to understand more theology, or to achieve any particular spiritual state. It asks for the heart itself — given, simply, to the One who first gave his.

The week begins with a voice from the second century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop of Syria, is travelling to Rome under armed guard to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. He writes to the Roman Christians, begging them not to intervene. His words, read in the Office of Readings on Monday and Tuesday, are among the most extraordinary in the entire liturgical year:

• “Let me not only be called a Christian, but prove to be one.”

He is asking for integrity — for a life that matches its own name. And in the very next breath, he writes: “I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us.” Not glory, not vindication — but the One he loves.

This is the thread that runs from the beginning of the week to its center.

On Thursday evening, the liturgy pivots. Saint Barnabas — “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) — is honoured through Morning Prayer, and when Evening Prayer arrives, the Church has already turned toward the next day’s Solemnity. The canticle antiphon at First Vespers is Christ’s own voice:

• “I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.”

The same total self-giving. The same heart.

Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The liturgy has chosen to speak through Morning Prayer with a verse from Matthew 11:29 that carries the message of this feast in a few words:

• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble of heart. Learn from me”.

It is not a command but an invitation — the voice of love teaching love. The Office of Readings offers the great passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and reaches its conclusion in one of the most luminous verses:

• nothing — “neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature — will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord”

The Sacred Heart, beyond a devotional image, is a theological statement about the indestructibility of divine love.

Saturday the Church turns, gently, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first psalm of Morning Prayer opens our heart to proclaim God’s love and God’s truth: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, […]to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night”. (Morning Prayer, Psalm 92). We aspire to emulate Mary’s heart: open, unguarded, willing to be pierced. The heart that said fiat. The heart that kept and pondered all things.

Two hearts, side by side in the calendar, both pointing in the same direction: toward total receptivity to God, total willingness to be known and held.

On Sunday, the parables of the Kingdom arrive quietly. Seeds planted in the ground grow without the farmer watching.

• “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds; yet when full-grown it is the largest of shrubs.” (Morning Prayer, Canticle Antiphon)

The Hours, prayed day after day through the weeks of Ordinary Time, work like this. We do not see the growth. We plant the prayer and return tomorrow.

Give me your heart. The whole week says it, in different registers, with different voices. Saint Ignatius says it with his life. The Sacred Heart says it with its open wound. Mary says it with her fiat. And the Sunday seed says it with its patient, invisible growth.

Pray Morning Prayer for the Sacred Heart: https://divineoffice.org/today/morning-prayer/?date=20260612

In the Heart of Christ, The Divine Office Team

Friday After the Second Sunday After Pentecost

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Solemnity

“…an unending spring of life, giving hope to every person, has streamed precisely from the Heart of God’s Son, who died on the Cross. From the Heart of Christ crucified is born the new humanity redeemed from sin. The man of the year 2000 needs Christ’s Heart to know God and to know himself; he needs it to build the civilization of love.”[1]

Today is the solemnity of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The feast dates back to the 11th century, but prior to the 17th century the devotion was embraced mainly by mystics such as St. Bernard of Clairvaux and Gertrude of Helfta. In 1673, Margaret Mary Alacoque received a vision of Jesus’ compassionate heart, pierced by the sins of the world, which gave impetus to the devotion. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII consecrated humanity to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He explained the Sacred Heart as both, “a symbol and living image of the infinite love of Christ.” [2][3]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
[1] L’Osservatore Romano English edition, 15 June 1994, p. 3.
[2] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
[3] John Paul II, 100th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Human Race to the Divine Heart of Jesus, 1999.

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

Psalm 95

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

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.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

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 Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.

Office of Readings for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 In you is the fountain of life; we drink from the streams of your goodness.

Psalm 36
The malice of sinners and God’s goodness
No follower of mine wanders in the dark; he shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

Sin speaks to the sinner
in the depths of his heart.
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.

He so flatters himself in his mind
that he knows not his guilt.
In his mouth are mischief and deceit.
All wisdom is gone.

He plots the defeat of goodness
as he lies on his bed.
He has set his foot on evil ways,
he clings to what is evil.

Your love, Lord, reaches to heaven;
your truth to the skies.
Your justice is like God’s mountain,
your judgments like the deep.

To both man and beast you give protection.
O Lord, how precious is your love.
My God, the sons of men
find refuge in the shelter of your wings.

They feast on the riches of your house;
they drink from the stream of your delight.
In you is the source of life
and in your light we see light.

Keep on loving those who know you,
doing justice for upright hearts.
Let the foot of the proud not crush me
nor the hand of the wicked cast me out.

See how the evil-doers fall!
Flung down, they shall never rise.

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 is the fountain of life; we drink from the streams of your goodness.

Ant. 2 When my heart grew faint, you raised me up.

Psalm 61
Prayer of an exile
The prayer of the just man who places his hope in the things of heaven (Saint Hilary).

O God, hear my cry!
Listen to my prayer!
From the end of the earth I call:
my heart is faint.

On the rock too high for me to reach
set me on high,
O you who have been my refuge,
my tower against the foe.

Let me dwell in your tent for ever
and hide in the shelter of your wings.
For you, O God, hear my prayer,
grant me the heritage of those who fear you.

May you lengthen the life of the king:
may his years cover many generations.
May he sit ever enthroned before God:
bid love and truth be his protection.

So I will always praise your name
and day after day fulfill my vows.

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. When my heart grew faint, you raised me up.

Ant. 3 All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Psalm 98
The Lord triumphs in his judgment
This psalm tells of the Lord’s first coming and that people of all nations will believe in him (Saint Athanasius).

Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.

Let the sea and all within it thunder;
the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy.

Rejoice at the presence of the Lord,
for he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.

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. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

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.

I will remember the words of the Lord.
— I will recall his wonders of old.

READINGS

First reading
From the letter of the apostle Paul to the Romans
8:28-39
The love of God is revealed in Christ

We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who have been called according to his decree. Those whom he foreknew he predestined to share the image of his Son, that the Son might be the first-born of many brothers. Those he predestined he likewise called; those he called he also justified; and those he justified he in turn glorified.

What shall we say after that? If God is for us, who can be against us? Is it possible that he who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for the sake of us all will not grant us all things besides? Who shall bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? God, who justifies? Who shall condemn them? Christ Jesus, who died or rather was raised up, who is at the right hand of God and who intercedes for us?

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? As Scripture says: “For your sake we are being slain all the day long; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.” Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of him who has loved us.

For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

RESPONSORY Ephesians 2:5, 4, 7

When we were dead through sin, God brought us to life again in Christ,
— because he loved us with so great a love.

That he might reveal for all ages to come the immeasurable riches of his grace.
— Because he loved us with so great a love.

Second reading
From a work by Saint Bonaventure, bishop
With you is the source of life

Take thought now, redeemed man, and consider how great and worthy is he who hangs on the cross for you. His death brings the dead to life, but at his passing heaven and earth are plunged into mourning and hard rocks are split asunder.

It was a divine decree that permitted one of the soldiers to open his sacred side with a lance. This was done so that the Church might be formed from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death on the cross, and so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: They shall look on him whom they pierced. The blood and water which poured out at that moment were the price of our salvation. Flowing from the secret abyss of our Lord’s heart as from a fountain, this stream gave the sacraments of the Church the power to confer the life of grace, while for those already living in Christ it became a spring of living water welling up to life everlasting.

Arise, then, beloved of Christ! Imitate the dove that nests in a hole in the cliff, keeping watch at the entrance like the sparrow that finds a home. There like the turtledove hide your little ones, the fruit of your chaste love. Press your lips to the fountain, draw water from the wells of your Savior; for this is the spring flowing out of the middle of paradise, dividing into four rivers, inundating devout hearts, watering the whole earth and making it fertile.

Run with eager desire to this source of life and light, all you who are vowed to God’s service. Come, whoever you may be, and cry out to him with all the strength of your heart. “O indescribable beauty of the most high God and purest radiance of eternal light! Life that gives all life, light that is the source of every other light, preserving in everlasting splendor the myriad flames that have shone before the throne of your divinity from the dawn of time! Eternal and inaccessible fountain, clear and sweet stream flowing from a hidden spring, unseen by mortal eye! None can fathom your depths nor survey your boundaries, none can measure your breadth, nothing can sully your purity. From you flows the river which gladdens the city of God and makes us cry out with joy and thanksgiving in hymns of praise to you, for we know by our own experience that with you is the source of life, and in your light we see light.

RESPONSORY Psalm 103:2, 4; 34:9

Praise the Lord, my soul, and never forget all his benefits;
— he saves your life from ruin and crowns you with mercy and compassion.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
— He saves your life from ruin and crowns you with mercy and compassion.

TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
— Govern and uphold them now and always.

Day by day we bless you.
— We praise your name for ever.

Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
— Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, show us your love and mercy,
— for we have put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope:
— And we shall never hope in vain.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Proper of Seasons: 667
Psalter: Sunday, Week I, 707

Morning Prayer for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Jesus stood and cried out: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Psalm 63:2-9
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

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. Jesus stood and cried out: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Ant. 2 Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5).

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord,
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all for ever.

Ant. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Ant. 3 My son, give me your heart; note carefully the way I point out to you.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy people.
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

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. My son, give me your heart; note carefully the way I point out to you.

READING Jeremiah 31:33

This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

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

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
— Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.

For I am gentle and humble of heart.
— Learn from me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. With tender compassion, our God has come to his people and set them free.

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. With tender compassion, our God has come to his people and set them free.

INTERCESSIONS

Brethren, let us pray to the Lord Jesus, who is meek and humble of heart. Let us ask him:
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the fullness of divinity dwells in you,
— give us a share in your divine life.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, in you are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,
— make known to us through your Church the manifold wisdom of God.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the Father was well pleased in you,
— help us to hear your word and keep it.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, of your fullness we have all received,
— pour out upon us in abundance the Father’s favor and truth.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, you are the source of life and holiness,
— make us holy and blameless in love.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on 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

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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.

Midmorning Prayer for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 My people, what have I done to you; how have I offended you? Answer 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.

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.

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. My people, what have I done to you; how have I offended you? Answer me.

READING Jeremiah 31:2-4

Thus says the Lord:
The people that escaped the sword
have found favor in the desert.
As Israel comes forward to be given his rest,
the Lord appears to him from afar:
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you.
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt.

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.

With joy you will draw water.
— You will drink from the springs of salvation.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midday Prayer for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble with fear.

Psalm 123
The Lord, unfailing hope of his people
Two blind men cried out: “Have pity on us, Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 20:30).

To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens:
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves
on the hand of their lords.

Like the eyes of a servant
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
till he show us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full is our soul
with the scorn of the rich,
with the proud man’s disdain.

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 124
Our help is in the name of the Lord
The Lord said to Paul: “Fear not… I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10).

“If the Lord had not been on our side,”
this is Israel’s song.
“If the Lord had not been on our side
when men rose against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive
when their anger was kindled.

Then would the waters have engulfed us,
the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept
the raging waters.”

Blessed be the Lord who did not give us
a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the fowler.

Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

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 125
The Lord, guardian of his people
Peace to God’s true Israel (Galatians 6:16).

Those who put their trust in the Lord
are like Mount Zion, that cannot be shaken,
that stands for ever.

Jerusalem! The mountains surround her,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and for ever.

For the scepter of the wicked shall not rest
over the land of the just
for fear that the hands of the just
should turn to evil.

Do good, Lord, to those who are good,
to the upright of heart;
but the crooked and those who do evil,
drive them away!

On Israel, 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. My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble with fear.

READING Jeremiah 32:40

I will make with them an eternal covenant, never to cease doing good to them; into their hearts I will put the fear of me, that they may never depart from me.

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.

I looked for one to grieve with me, but there was none.
— I sought someone to comfort me, but I found none.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Midafternoon Prayer for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus using the 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.

PSALMODY

Ant.  One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a lance, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7)

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: “What marvels
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves

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 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9)

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.

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 128
Happiness of family life rooted in God
“May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius)

O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!

By the labor of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper;
the wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
Your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
in a happy Jerusalem!

On Israel, 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. One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a lance, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

READING Romans 5:8-9

It is precisely in this that God proves his love for us: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Now that we have been justified by his blood, it is all the more certain that we shall be saved by him from God’s wrath.

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.

He was pierced through for our offenses.
— By his wounds we are healed.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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 (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from Proper of Seasons: 669

Evening Prayer II for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Lord, rule in the midst of your enemies with your gentle yoke.

Psalm 110:1-5, 7
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
“Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”

The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.

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, rule in the midst of your enemies with your gentle yoke.

Ant. 2 The Lord is loving and merciful; he gives food to those who fear him.

Psalm 111
God’s marvelous works
We are lost in wonder at all that you have done for us, our Lord and mighty God (Revelation 15:3).

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
in the meeting of the just and their assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord;
to be pondered by all who love them.

Majestic and glorious his work,
his justice stands firm for ever.
He makes us remember his wonders.
The Lord is compassion and love.

He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has shown his might to his people
by giving them the lands of the nations.

His works are justice and truth:
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever:
they are made in uprightness and truth.

He has sent deliverance to his people
and established his covenant for ever.
Holy his name, to be feared.

To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
all who do so prove themselves wise.
His praise shall last 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. The Lord is loving and merciful; he gives food to those who fear him.

Ant. 3 This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Canticle – Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant

Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.

He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS 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. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

READING Ephesians 2:4-7

God is rich in mercy; because of his great love for us he brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved. Both with and in Christ Jesus he raised us up and gave us a place in the heavens, that in the ages to come he might display the great wealth of his favor, manifested by his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

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

Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.
— Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.

He has made us a kingdom and priests to serve God our Father.
— And in his blood he has washed away our sins.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Christ has loved us, and in his blood he has washed away our sins.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. The Lord has lifted us up and drawn us to his heart, for he has remembered his promise of mercy, Alleluia.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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. The Lord has lifted us up and drawn us to his heart, for he has remembered his promise of mercy, Alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

Brethren, let us pray to the Lord Jesus, the refuge of our souls; let us ask him:
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose heart when pierced by a lance poured forth blood and water and gave birth to your spouse the Church,
— cleanse and sanctify us.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, holy temple of God, slain by men and raised up again by the Father,
— make your Church the dwelling place of the Most High.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, King and center of all hearts, you love us and lead us to yourself with unending love and mercy,
— renew your covenant with all men.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, you unite all in the peace of the new creation and put enmity to death through the cross,
— show us the path to the Father.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our life and resurrection, you refresh the burdened and give rest to the weary,
— draw all sinners to yourself.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, because you loved us with so great a love, you were obedient even to death on the cross,
— raise up again all who sleep in your peace.
Most loving Lord, have mercy on 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

Grant, we pray,
almighty God, that we,
who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
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.

Christian Prayer:
1037

Night Prayer after Evening Prayer II on Solemnities

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:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Kýrie, eléison
— Kýrie, eléison

Christé, eléison
— Christé, eléison

Kýrie, eléison
— Kýrie, eléison

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering care
I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”

It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
his faithfulness is buckler and shield.

Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
and have made the Most High your dwelling.

Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
and trample the young lion and the dragon.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
I will save him in distress and give him glory.

With length of life I will content him;
I shall let him see my saving power.

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. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.

READING Revelation 22:4-5

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— 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.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

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.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

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

Lord,
we beg you to visit this house
and banish from it
all the deadly power of the enemy
May your holy angels dwell here
to keep us in peace,
and may your blessing be upon us always.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
— Amen.

Blessing

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

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This week the Liturgy of the Hours asks insistently: Give me your heart.

It does not ask us to be more organised in our prayer, or to understand more theology, or to achieve any particular spiritual state. It asks for the heart itself — given, simply, to the One who first gave his.

The week begins with a voice from the second century. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop of Syria, is travelling to Rome under armed guard to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. He writes to the Roman Christians, begging them not to intervene. His words, read in the Office of Readings on Monday and Tuesday, are among the most extraordinary in the entire liturgical year:

• “Let me not only be called a Christian, but prove to be one.”

He is asking for integrity — for a life that matches its own name. And in the very next breath, he writes: “I seek him who died for us, I desire him who rose for us.” Not glory, not vindication — but the One he loves.

This is the thread that runs from the beginning of the week to its center.

On Thursday evening, the liturgy pivots. Saint Barnabas — “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) — is honoured through Morning Prayer, and when Evening Prayer arrives, the Church has already turned toward the next day’s Solemnity. The canticle antiphon at First Vespers is Christ’s own voice:

• “I am the Good Shepherd; I pasture my sheep and I lay down my life for them.”

The same total self-giving. The same heart.

Friday is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The liturgy has chosen to speak through Morning Prayer with a verse from Matthew 11:29 that carries the message of this feast in a few words:

• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble of heart. Learn from me”.

It is not a command but an invitation — the voice of love teaching love. The Office of Readings offers the great passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and reaches its conclusion in one of the most luminous verses:

• nothing — “neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature — will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord”

The Sacred Heart, beyond a devotional image, is a theological statement about the indestructibility of divine love.

Saturday the Church turns, gently, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first psalm of Morning Prayer opens our heart to proclaim God’s love and God’s truth: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, […]to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night”. (Morning Prayer, Psalm 92). We aspire to emulate Mary’s heart: open, unguarded, willing to be pierced. The heart that said fiat. The heart that kept and pondered all things.

Two hearts, side by side in the calendar, both pointing in the same direction: toward total receptivity to God, total willingness to be known and held.

On Sunday, the parables of the Kingdom arrive quietly. Seeds planted in the ground grow without the farmer watching.

• “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds; yet when full-grown it is the largest of shrubs.” (Morning Prayer, Canticle Antiphon)

The Hours, prayed day after day through the weeks of Ordinary Time, work like this. We do not see the growth. We plant the prayer and return tomorrow.

Give me your heart. The whole week says it, in different registers, with different voices. Saint Ignatius says it with his life. The Sacred Heart says it with its open wound. Mary says it with her fiat. And the Sunday seed says it with its patient, invisible growth.

Pray Morning Prayer for the Sacred Heart: https://divineoffice.org/today/morning-prayer/?date=20260612

In the Heart of Christ, The Divine Office Team

Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost

Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

This year both are Optional Memorials[1]

“Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19).[1]

Today is the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her pure heart holds the truth of her interior life, showing her devout love for God and her total devotion to her Son. In addition, her heart echoes the pains of this world as expressed by the Seven Sorrows; yet reminds us to be confident in her Son’s victory over sin and death. [2][3]

Today’s memorial points to the importance of spiritual contemplation. The mystery of Mary points to the mystery of Christ and when pondered together new aspects of Christ’s nature are revealed. Meditating upon her heart can open our own heart to an overflowing abundance of love for Christ. [4]

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18).[5][6]

Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

“What meekness of divine love! What patience of the Father’s kindness! How deep and unfathomable the secret of the eternal mind!”[8]

St. Anthony was the son of a wealthy Portuguese family in the 13th century. At fifteen, he became a canon regular at the Abbey of St. Vincent. Later, he studied theology at the prestigious Abbey of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, Portugal.

In his role as guestmaster at the abbey, St. Anthony befriended Franciscan friars who were soon martyred in Morocco. Inspired by their tragic heroism, he became Franciscan and was sent to Morocco as a missionary. In Africa, he became very ill and left to go to Italy. There he met St. Francis and was called to preaching. This supreme gift took him all the way to the papal court, where he served under Pope Gregory IX and was commissioned to write a collection of sermons. He died at 36 and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946. [9][10]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] “In a notification dated December 8, 1998, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. n. 2671/98/L), the Obligatory Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes an Optional Memorial in years when it conflicts with another Obligatory Memorial. Therefore, Saturday, June 13 is a weekday in Ordinary Time, as well as the Optional Memorials of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church” Under Miscellaneous Notes on US Liturgical Calendar for 2025 when the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated with Saint Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr, and Doctor of the Church
[2] Revised Standard Version, s.v., “Luke, The Gospel According to.”
[3] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “Devotion to the Heart of Mary.”
[4] John Paul II, Address of His Holiness John Paul II to the Participants of the Study Week of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 1986
[5] John Paul II, “Rosarium Virginis Mariae,” sec. 9-13.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Revised Standard Version, s.v., “Corinthians, The Second Letter of Paul to the.”
[8] Anthony of Padua, Quinquagesima, www.basilica.org/pages/ebooks.
[9] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Anthony.”
[10] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Psalm 95

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

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.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

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.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

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 Christ, the Son of Mary.

Office of Readings for Saturday in Ordinary Time, the Optional Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 None but the Lord has done such marvels; his love endures for ever.

Psalm 136
Paschal hymn
We praise God by recalling his marvelous deeds (Cassiodorus)

I

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his love endures for ever;

who alone has wrought marvelous works,
for his love endures for ever;
whose wisdom it was made the skies,
for his love endures for ever;
who fixed the earth firmly on the seas,
for his love endures for ever.

It was he who made the great lights,
for his love endures for ever,
the sun to rule in the day,
for his love endures for ever,
the moon and the stars in the night,
for his love endures 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. None but the Lord has done such marvels; his love endures for ever.

Ant. 2 He brought Israel out of Egypt with powerful hand and arms outstretched.

II

The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,
for his love endures for ever.
He brought Israel out from the midst,
for his love endures for ever;
arm outstretched, with power in his hand,
for his love endures for ever.

He divided the Red Sea in two,
for his love endures for ever;
he made Israel pass through the midst,
for his love endures for ever;
he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea,
for his love endures 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. He brought Israel out of Egypt with powerful hand and arms outstretched.

Ant. 3 Give praise to the God of heaven; he has ransomed us from our enemies.

III

Through the desert his people he led,
for his love endures for ever.
Nations in their greatness he struck,
for his love endures for ever.
Kings in their splendor he slew,
for his love endures for ever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his love endures for ever,
and Og, the king of Bashan,
for his love endures for ever.

He let Israel inherit their land,
for his love endures for ever.
On his servant their land he bestowed,
for his love endures for ever.
He remembered us in our distress,
for his love endures for ever.