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.


HYMN

Lenten Hymns:
Lord Who Throughout These Forty Days
This Is Our Accepted Time
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Attende Domine
Audi, Benigne Conditor
Iesu, Quadragenariae


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 72
The Messiah's royal power
Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

                       I
O God, give your judgment to the king,
to a king's son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgment.

May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and save the children of the needy
and crush the oppressor.

He shall endure like the sun and the moon
from age to age.
He shall descend like rain on the meadow,
like raindrops on the earth.

In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth's bounds.

Before him his enemies shall fall,
his foes lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and the seacoasts
shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him.  Glory...

Antiphon 1 I have made you the light of all nations to carry my salvation to the ends of the earth.


Antiphon 2 The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.

                          II
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.

From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.

May corn be abundant in the land
to the peaks of the mountains.
May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;
may people flourish in the cities
like grass on the earth.

May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.

Antiphon 2 The Lord will save the children of the poor and rescue them from slavery.


Antiphon 3 Now the victorious reign of our God has begun.

Canticle  -  Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
The judgment of God

We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
Who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
You have begun your reign.

The nations have raged in anger,
But then came your day of wrath
And the moment to judge the dead:
The time to reward your servants the prophets
And the holy ones who revere you,
The great and the small alike.

Now have salvation and power come,
The reign of our God and the authority
Of his Anointed One,
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
Who night and day accused them before God.

They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
And by the word of their testimony;
Love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
And you that dwell therein! Glory...

Antiphon 3 Now the victorious reign of our God has begun..


READING           James 4:7-8,10
Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.


RESPONSORY
To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy;  
- To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy;
heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
- I make my prayer for mercy;
Glory to the Father to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
- To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.  


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.


INTERCESSIONS
In his mercy, God sends the Holy Spirit to shine on us, so that our lives may radiate holiness and faith.  Let us raise our voices in prayer and say:

   Lord, give life to your people, whom Christ has redeemed.

Lord, source of all holiness, draw bishops, priests and deacons closer to Christ through the eucharistic mystery,
 - may they grow daily in the grace of their ordination.

Teach Christ's faithful people to be devout and attentive at the table of his word and of his body,
 - so that they may bring into their daily lives the grace they receive through faith and sacrament.

Grant, Lord, that we may see in each person the dignity of one redeemed by your Son's blood,
 - so that we may respect the freedom and the conscience of all.

Teach us to restrain our greed for earthly goods,
 - and to have concern for the needs of others.

Be merciful to your faithful people whom you have called to yourself today,
 - grant them the gift of eternal happiness.


Our Father...


COLLECT
O God, who delight in innocence and restore it,
direct the hearts of your servants to yourself,
that, caught up in the fire of your Spirit,
we may be found steadfast in faith
and effective in works.
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.