Let heav'n with acclamations ring,

And earth with joy responsive sing:
The Apostles' deeds and high estate
This festal-tide we celebrate.

O ye who, thron'd in glory dread,
Shall judge the living and the dead,
True lights, the world illúmining,
Regard the suppliant pray'r we bring.

The gates of heav'n, at your command,
To all or clos'd or open stand:
May we, at your august decree,
Be loos'd from our iniquity.

That Christ the unerring Judge of doom,
When he at time's last end shall come,
May grant us for his mercy's sake,
Of joys eternal to partake.

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-Born, to thee;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore.

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 forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. *
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

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.

Antiphon: The disciple whom Jesus loved cried out: It is the Lord.


Reading:
Acts 6:2b-5a

Peter and John, said to them in reply, "Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."


Responsory:
You have made them rulers over all the earth.
    -    You have made them rulers over all the earth.
They will always remember your name, O Lord,
    -    over all the earth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
    -    You have made them rulers over all the earth.


Benedictus

Antiphon: The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory.

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 be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Antiphon: The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory.


Intercessions

The Apostles are the foundation and we are built on them. Let us pray to the almighty Father for his holy people:
- Lord, remember your Church.
Father, by your will the Apostles were the first to see your resurrected Son:
    may we be his witnesses, to the very ends of the earth.
Father, you sent your Son into the world to bring the Good News to the poor:
    may the Gospel be preached to every created thing.
Father, you sent your Son to sow the seed of the word:
    as we sow the Word with great labour, so may we reap its fruits with joy.
Father, you sent your Son to reconcile the world to you with his blood:
    grant that we may all work together for reconciliation.
Father, you have seated your Son at your right hand in heaven:
    receive the dead into your blessed kingdom.