Office of Readings
Presentation of the Lord
February 2
______

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One.
Have mercy on us (3x)

Psalms


    2    Quare fremuerunt gentes?
Antiphon 1: This child is destined for the fall and for the rising of many.
1
Why are the nations in an uproar? *
     Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?
2
Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,
and the princes plot together, *
     against the LORD and against his Anointed?
3
"Let us break their yoke," they say; *
     "let us cast off their bonds from us."
4
He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *
     the Lord has them in derision.
5
Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *
     and his rage fills them with terror.
6
"I myself have set my king *
     upon my holy hill of Zion."
7
Let me announce the decree of the LORD: *
     he said to me, "You are my Son;
     this day have I begotten you.
8
Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *
     and the ends of the earth for your possession.
9
You shall crush them with an iron rod *
     and shatter them like a piece of pottery."
10
And now, you kings, be wise; *
     be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11
Submit to the LORD with fear, *
     and with trembling bow before him;
12
Lest he be angry and you perish; *
     for his wrath is quickly kindled.
13
Happy are they all *
     who take refuge in him!

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 1: This child is destined for the fall and for the rising of many.

Antiphon 2: Arise and shine, Jerusalem, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.


    19:1-6    Caeli enarrant
1
The heavens declare the glory of God, *
     and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2
One day tells its tale to another, *
     and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3
Although they have no words or language, *
     and their voices are not heard,
4
Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
     and their message to the ends of the world.
5
In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
     it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
     it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
     nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

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 2: Arise and shine, Jerusalem, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.

Antiphon 3: Rejoice and exult, new city of Zion. See how humbly your King comes to save you.


    45    Eructavit cor meum
1
My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
     my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
2
You are the fairest of men; *
     grace flows from your lips,
     because God has blessed you for ever.
3
Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *
     in your pride and in your majesty.
4
Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *
     and for the sake of justice.
5
Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *
     your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
6
The peoples are falling at your feet, *
     and the king's enemies are losing heart.
7
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *
     a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
     you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
8
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
     with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
9
All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *
     and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
10
Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *
     on your right hand is the queen,
     adorned with the gold of Ophir.
11
"Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
     forget your people and your father's house.
12
The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
     he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13
The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
     the rich among the people seek your favor."
14
All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
     her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15
In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
     after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16
With joy and gladness they are brought, *
     and enter into the palace of the king.
17
"In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
     you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18
I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
     therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever."
Antiphon 3: Rejoice and exult, new city of Zion. See how humbly your King comes to save you.

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.

Verse:
O God, we remember your mercies.
  -   We reflect on them within your temple.

Reading
Exodus 13:1 - 16

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Consecrate all the first-born to me, the first issue of every womb, among the sons of Israel. Whether man or beast, this is mine.’
Moses said to the people, ‘Keep this day in remembrance, the day you came out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. When the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanites – as he swore to you and your fathers he would do – and gives it to you, you are to make over to the Lord all that first issues from the womb, and every first-born cast by your animals: these males belong to the Lord. But every first-born donkey you will redeem with an animal from your flocks. If you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Of your sons, every first-born of men must be redeemed. And when your son asks you in days to come, “What does this mean?” you will tell him, “By sheer power the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the first-born in the land of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. For this I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first issues from the womb, and redeem every first-born of my sons.” The rite will serve as a sign on your hand would serve, or a circlet on your forehead, for the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.’

Responsory:
Zion, let your wedding chamber be prepared to receive Christ your King.
  -  The Virgin conceived and gave birth to a son, yet she remained a virgin for ever. She knelt in worship before her child.
Simeon took the child in his arms and gave praise and thanks to God.
  -  The Virgin conceived and gave birth to a son, yet she remained a virgin for ever. She knelt in worship before her child.

Reading
From a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop

Let us receive the light whose brilliance is eternal

In honour of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendour of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendour, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendour.

Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.

By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honour.

Responsory:
The glory of the Lord entered the temple by the eastward gate,
  -   and the house of God was filled with his splendor.

His parents took the child Jesus into the temple.
  -   And the house of God was filled with his splendor.


Te Deum Laudamus

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 shun 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.

Concluding Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, we bring our petitions before your throne.
Your only-begotten Son was presented to you in the temple today,
 incarnate in our flesh.
Purify our minds
 so that we may be presented to you.

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.




 
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