Advent

WEEK III - TUESDAY

Office of Readings



Invitatory
The Invitatory opens the first Office of the day. If Morning Prayer is the first Office of the day, begin below.

Lord, open my lips.
 - And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Psalm 95 is the traditional Invitatory Psalm. Psalm 24, 67, or 100 may be substituted.

Antiphon: Come let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come.





Office of Readings

God, come to my assistance.
 - Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
 -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen. (Alleluia.)


HYMN

On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

Or:

-
Lord, your word abiding
And our footsteps guiding
Gives us joy forever
Shall desert us never.

Who can tell the pleasure,
Who recount the treasure,
By Your word imparted
To the simple hearted?

Word of mercy giving
Succour to the living;
Word of Life supplying
Comfort to the dying.

O that we, discerning
Its most holy learning
Lord may love and fear You
Evermore be near you.
Text: Henry Williams Baker; Melody: Ravenshaw 66.66, M. Weisse, W.H. Monk; Midi: Cyberhymnal


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Let God arise, let his enemies flee before him.

Psalm 68
The Lord's triumphant entrance into his sanctuary
Ascending of high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:10)

                           I
Let God arise, let his foes be scattered.
Let those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away;
like wax that melts before the fire,
so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.

But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
they shall exult and dance for joy.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;
make a highway for him who rides on the clouds.
Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth into freedom;
but rebels must dwell in a parched land.

When you went forth, O God, at the head of your people,
when you marched across the desert, the earth trembled:
the heavens melted at the presence of God,
at the presence of God, Israel's God.

You poured down, O God, a generous rain;
when your people were starved you gave them new life.
It was there that your people found a home,
prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor. Glory...

Antiphon 1 Let God arise, let his enemies flee before him.


Antiphon 2 Our God is a saving God; he, the Lord, holds the keys of death.

                            II
The Lord gives the word to the bearers of good tidings:
The Almighty has defeated a numberless army

At home the women already share the spoil.
They are covered with silver as the wings of a dove,
its feathers brilliant with shining gold
and jewels flashing like snow on Mount Zalmon.

The mountains of Bashan are mighty mountains;
high-ridged mountains are the mountains of Bashan.
Why look with envy, you high-ridged mountains,
at the mountain where God has chosen to dwell?
It is there that the Lord shall dwell for ever.

The chariots of God are thousands upon thousands.
The Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.
You have gone up on high; you have taken captives,
receiving men and women in tribute, O God,
even those who rebel, into your dwelling, O Lord.

May the Lord be blessed day after day.
He bears our burdens, God our savior;
this God of ours is a God who saves.
The Lord our God holds the keys of death.
And God will smite the head of his foes,
the crown of those who persist in their sins.

The Lord said: I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depth of the sea.
Then your feet will tread in their blood
and the tongues of your dogs take their share of the foe." Glory...

Antiphon 2 Our God is a saving God; he, the Lord, holds the keys of death.


Antiphon 3 Kingdoms of earth, sing praise to God; make music in honor of the Lord.

                         III
They see your solemn procession, O God,
the procession of my God, of my king, to the sanctuary:
the singers in the forefront, the musicians coming last,
between them, maidens sounding their timbrels.

In festive gatherings, bless the Lord;
bless God, O you who are Israel's sons."
There is Benjamin, least of the tribes, at the head,
Judah's princes, a mighty throng,
Zebulun's princes, Naphtali's princes.

Show forth, O God, show forth your might,
your might, O God, which you have shown for us.
For the sake of your temple high in Jerusalem
may nations come to you bringing their tribute.

Threaten the wild beast that dwells in the reeds,
the bands of the mighty and rulers of the peoples.
Let them bow down offering silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
Envoys will make their way from Egypt;
Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, praise the Lord
who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.
He thunders his voice, his mighty voice.
Come, acknowledge the power of God.

His glory is on Israel; his might is in the skies.
God is to be feared in his holy place.
He is the Lord, Israel's God.
He gives strength and power to his people.

Blessed be God! Glory...

Psalm Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe, you have given us joy in your holy meal. Help us to understand the significance of your death and to acknowledge you as the conqueror of death seated at the right hand of the Father.


Antiphon 3 Kingdoms of earth, sing praise to God; make music in honor of the Lord.


A voice is heard, crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord..
- Make straight the path of our God


FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Isaiah           30:27-33;31:4-9

Jerusalem is delivered from the power of Assyria

See the name of the Lord coming from afar
  in burning wrath, with lowering clouds!
His lips are filled with fury,
  his tongue is like a consuming fire;
His breath, like a flood in a ravine
  that reaches suddenly to the neck,
Will winnow the nations with a destructive winnowing,
  and with repeated winnowings will he battle against them
  and a bridle on the jaws of the peoples to send them astray.

The Lord will make his glorious voice heard,
  and let it be seen how his arm descends
In raging fury and flame of consuming fire,
  in driving storm and hail.

When the Lord speaks, Assyria will be shattered,
  as he strikes with the rod;
While at every sweep of the rod
  which the Lord will bring down on him in punishment,
You will sing
  as on a night when a feast is observed,
And be merry of heart,
  as one marching along with a flute
Toward the mountain of the Lord,
  toward the Rock of Israel,
  accompanied by the timbrels and lyres.
For the pyre  has long been ready,
  prepared for the king;
Broad and deep it is piled
  with dry grass and wood in abundance,
And the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulphur,
  will set it afire.

    Thus says the Lord to me:
As a lion or a lion cub
  growling over its prey,
With a band of shepherds
  assembled against it,
Is neither frightened by their shouts
  nor disturbed by their noise,
So shall the Lord of hosts come down
  to wage war upon the mountain and hill of Zion.
Like hovering birds, so the Lord of hosts
  shall shield Jerusalem,
To protect and deliver,
  to spare and rescue it.

Return, O children of Israel, to him whom you have utterly deserted. On that day each one of you shall spurn his sinful idols of silver and gold, which he made with his hands.

Assyria shall fall by a sword not wielded by man,
  no mortal sword shall devour him;
He shall flee before the sword,
  and his young men shall be impressed as laborers.
He shall rush past his crag in panic,
  and his princes shall flee in terror from his standard,
Says the Lord who has a fire in Zion
  and a furnace in Jerusalem.


RESPONSORY           Isaiah 31:4,5: 30 29
The Lord of Hosts will come down upon Mount Zion;
- like birds on the wing, so will the Lord protect Jerusalem, covering and rescuing it.

Your song will befit a night of profound holiness,
and your heart will be full of joy.
- Like birds on the wing, so will the Lord protect Jerusalem, covering and rescuing it.


SECOND READING

From the Imitation of Christ of Thomas a Kempis
(Lib II, cap, 2-3)

On humility and peace

Do not care much who is with you and who is against you; but make it your greatest care that God is with you in everything you do.

Have a good conscience, and God will defend you securely; no one can hurt you if God wishes to help you. If you know how to suffer in silence, you will surely receive God's help. Since he knows best the time and the way to set you free, resign yourself to him, for God helps you and frees you from all confusion.

It is often good for us, and helps us to remain humble, if others know our weaknesses and confront us with them.

When a man humbles himself for his faults, he more easily pleases others and mollifies those he has angered.

God protects and frees a humble man; he loves and consoles a humble man; he favors a humble man; he showers him with graces; then, after his suffering, God raises him up to glory.

He reveals his secrets to a humble man and in his kindness invitingly draws that man to himself. When a humble man is brought to confusion, he experiences peace, because he stands firm in God and not in this world. Do not think that you have made any progress unless you feel that you are the lowest of all men.

Above all things, keep peace within yourself, then you will be able to create peace among others. It is better to be peaceful than learned.

The passionate man often thinks evil of a good man and easily believes the worst; a good and peaceful man turns all things to good.

A man who lives at peace suspects no one. But a man who is tense and agitated by evil is troubled with all kinds of suspicions; he is never at peace with himself, nor does he permit others to be at peace.

He often speaks when he should be silent, and he fails to say what would be truly useful. He is well aware of the obligations of others but neglects his own.

So be zealous first of all with yourself, and then you will be more justified in expressing zeal for your neighbor.

You are good at excusing and justifying your own deeds, and yet you will not listen to the excuses of others. It would be more just to accuse yourself and excuse your neighbor.

If you wish others to put up with you, first put up with them.


RESPONSORY           Psalm 25:9-10; Zechariah 7:9
The Lord leads the humble to justice;
he teaches the meek his ways.
- Mercy and truth are the Lord's ways,
his witness to all who seek him.

Judge with true judgment,
and let each one be merciful and forgiving to his brother.
- Mercy and truth are the Lord's ways,
his witness to all who seek him.


COLLECT
O God, who through your Only Begotten Son
have made us a new creation,
look kindly, we pray,
on the handiwork of your mercy,
and at your Son’s coming
cleanse us from every stain of the old way of life.
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.


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


The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.



 
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