Psalm 147:12-20
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees. Glory...
Antiphon 2
Zion, + prepare your wedding chamber / to receive Christ the King.
Antiphon 3
Blessed are you, + good Simeon; / you held in your arms Christ the Lord, the Savior of his people.
Canticle - Philippians 2:6-11
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...
Antiphon 3
Blessed are you, + good Simeon; / you held in your arms Christ the Lord, the Savior of his people.
READING
Hebrews 10:5-7
On coming into the world, Jesus said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the book,
I have come to do your will, O God.'"
RESPONSORY
The Lord has made known his saving power.
- The Lord has made known his saving power.
Which he has prepared in the sight of every people.
- His saving power.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
- The Lord has made known his saving power.
MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: The old man carried the child, +but the child was the old man's Lord. / The Virgin gave birth to the child yet remained a virgin forever. / She knelt in worship before her child.
INTERCESSIONS
Today our Savior was presented in the temple. Let us adore him as we say:
Lord, may our eyes see your saving power.
Christ Jesus, you are the light that enlightens all nations,
- shine upon those who do not know you, that they may come to believe in you, the one, true God.
You are the redeemer and glory of your people Israel,
- may your Church proclaim your salvation to the ends of the earth.
Jesus, desire of the nations, Simeon, the just man, rejoiced at your coming,
- lead all men to recognize that you still come to them.
Lord, when you were presented in the temple, Simeon foretold that a sword of sorrow would pierce your mother's heart,
- strengthen us to accept the sufferings we endure for the sake of your name.
Christ Jesus, joy of all the saints, Simeon longed to see you before he died, and his prayer was answered,
- hear our plea for all the dead who still yearn to see you face to face.
Our Father...
PRAYER
All-powerful Father,
Christ your Son became man for us
and was presented in the temple.
May he keep our hearts free from sin
And bring us into your presence.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Who live and reigns with you and Holy Spirit
One God, forever and ever, Amen.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.