You blessèd souls at rest,
Who ran this earthly race,
And now, from sin released,
Behold the Savior's face;
His praises sound,
As in his sight
With sweet delight
You all abound.

Let us who toil below
Adore our heavenly King
And onward as we go
Our joyful anthem sing;
With one accord
Through good or ill
We praise him still,
Eternal Lord

My soul, now take your part,
Acclaiming in God above,
And with a well-tuned heart
Sing out the songs of love;
Let all your days
Till life shall end
What e'er he send,
Be filled with praise.
Melody: Darwall's 148th, John Darwall, 1789; Text: Richard Baxter 1691


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Now your servant rejoices, Lord, for you have saved her.

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...

Antiphon 1 Now your servant rejoices, Lord, for you have saved her.


Antiphon 2 Like a house built on enduring rock, so the commandments of God will remain firm in the heart of a holy woman.

Psalm 127

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...

Antiphon 2 Like a house built on enduring rock, so the commandments of God will remain firm in the heart of a holy woman.


Antiphon 3 The hand of the Lord has given her strength; she will be praised for ever.

God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.  Glory...

Antiphon 3 The hand of the Lord has given her strength; she will be praised for ever.


READING     Romans 8:28-30
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.


RESPONSORY
The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning.
 - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning.
He has taken her to live with him,
 - his loved one from the beginning.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
 - The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: My heart sings for joy and overflows with gladness, for the Lord is my savior.


INTERCESSIONS
Through the intercession of holy women let us pray for the Church in these words:

                          Be mindful of your Church, Lord

Through all the women martyrs who conquered bodily death by their courage,
 - strengthen your Church in the hour of trial.

Through married women who have advanced in grace by holy matrimony,
 - make the apostolic mission of your Church fruitful.

Through widows who eased their loneliness and sanctified it by prayer and hospitality,
 - help your Church reveal the mystery of your love in the world.

Through mothers who have borne children for the kingdom of God and the human community,
 - help your Church bring all men and women to a rebirth in life and salvation.

Through all your holy women who have been worthy to contemplate the light of your countenance,
 - let the deceased members of your Church exult in that same vision forever.


Our Father...


PRAYER

If there is no proper prayer, one of the following is said:

God our Father,
every year you give us joy on this feast of Saint N.
As we honour her memory by this celebration,
may we follow the example of her holy life.
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..

Or:

Lord,
pour upon us the spirit of wisdom and love
with which you filled your servant Saint N.
By serving you as she did,
may we please you by our faith and our actions.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

For several holy women:

All powerful God,
may the prayers of Saints N. and N. bring us help from heaven
as their lives have already given us an example of holiness.
We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

For a religious:

Lord God,
you kept Saint N. faithful to Christ's pattern of poverty and humility.
May her prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling
and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

For one who worked for the underprivileged:

Lord God,
you teach us that the commandments of heaven
are summarized in love of you and of our neighbor.
By following the example of Saint N.
in practicing the works of charity
may we be counted among the blessed in your kingdom.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

For a teacher:

Lord God,
you called Saint N. to serve you in the Church
by teaching her fellow man the way of salvation.
Inspire us by her example:
help us to follow Christ our teacher,
and lead us to our brothers and sisters in heaven.
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.


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