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 Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.

or:

Antiphon: Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.

Psalm 95

Psalm 24

Psalm 67

Psalm 100

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

Antiphon 1: Lord, you are near us, and all your ways are true.

Psalm 119:145-152
XIX (Koph)

I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me,
I will keep your statutes.
I call upon you, save me
and I will do your will.

I rise before dawn and cry for help,
I hope in your word.
My eyes watch through the night
to ponder your promise.

In your love hear my voice, O Lord;
give me life by your decrees.
Those who harm me unjustly draw near;
they are far from your law.

But you, O Lord, are close,
your commands are truth.
Long have I known that your will
is established for ever.

Psalm Prayer:Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts.

Antiphon 1 Lord, you are near us, and all your ways are true.


Antiphon 2 Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

Canticle  -  Wisdom 9:1-6,9-11
Lord, give me wisdom
I will inspire you with wisdom which your adversaries will be unable to resist. (Luke 21:15)

God of my fathers, Lord of mercy,
you who have made all things by your word
And in your wisdom have established man
to rule the creatures produced by you,
To govern the world in holiness and justice,
and to render judgment in integrity of heart:

Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne,
and reject me not from among your children;
For I am your servant, the son of your handmaid,
a man weak and short-lived
and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws.

Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men,
if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him,
he shall be held in no esteem.

Now with you is Wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes
and what is conformable with your commands.

Send her forth from your holy heavens
and from your glorious throne dispatch her
That she may be with me and work with me,
that I may know what is your pleasure.

For she knows and understands all things,
and will guide me discreetly in my affairs
and safeguard me by her glory.  Glory...

Antiphon 2 Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.


Antiphon 3 The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.

Psalm 117
Praise for God's loving compassion
I affirm that...the Gentile peoples are to praise God because of his mercy (Romans 15:8-9)

O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever.

Psalm Prayer: God, our Father, may all nations and peoples praise you. May Jesus, who is called faithful and true and who lives with you eternally, possess our hearts forever,

Antiphon 3 The Lord remains faithful to his promise for ever.


READING                Isaiah 1:16-18
Wash yourselves clean!
  Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
  cease doing evil;learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
  hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
  they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
  they may become white as wool.


RESPONSORY
God himself will set me free, from the hunter's snare.
- God himself will set me free, from the hunter's snare.
From those who would trap me with lying words
- and from the hunter's snare.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
- God himself will set me free, from the hunter's snare.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: The tax collector stood far away and would not even raise his eyes to heaven. He struck his breast and prayed: God, have mercy on me, a sinner


INTERCESSIONS
To make us his new creation, Christ the Lord gave us the waters of rebirth and spread the table of his body and his word.  Let us call upon him and say:

                        Lord, renew us in your grace.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, clothe us with compassion, kindness and humility,
  - make us want to be patient with everyone.

Teach us to be true neighbors to all in trouble and distress,
  - and so imitate you, the Good Samaritan.

May the Blessed Virgin, your Mother, pray for all those vowed to a life of virginity,
  - that they may deepen their dedication to you and to the Church.

Grant us the gift of your mercy,
  - forgive our sins and remit their punishment.


Our Father...


COLLECT
Rejoicing in this annual celebration
of our Lenten observance,
we pray, O Lord,
that, with our hearts set on the paschal mysteries,
we may be gladdened by their full effects.
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.