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: Lord, all-powerful King, free us for the sake of your name. Give us time to turn from our sins.

The Lord's revelation to my Master:
"Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet."
The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
"You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedeck of old."

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head. Glory...

Antiphon 1 Lord, all-powerful King, free us for the sake of your name. Give us time to turn from our sins.


Antiphon 2 We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish.

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
in the meeting of the just and their assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who love them.

Majestic and glorious his work,
his justice stands firm for ever.
He makes us remember his wonders.
The Lord is compassion and love.

He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has shown his might to his people
by giving them the lands of the nations.

His works are justice and truth,
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever;
they are made in uprightness and truth.

He has sent deliverance to his people
and established his covenant for ever.
Holy his name, to be feared.

To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
all who do so prove themselves wise.
His praise shall last for ever! Glory...

Antiphon 2 We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish.


Antiphon 3 Ours were the sufferings he bore; ours the torments he endured.

Christ suffered  for you,
and left you an example
to have you follow in his footsteps.

He did no wrong;
no deceit was found in his mouth.  
When he was insulted,
he returned no insult.
 
When he was made to suffer,
he did not counter with threats.
Instead, he delivered himself up
to the One who judges justly.

In his own body
He brought your sins to the cross,
so that all of us, dead to sin,
could live in accord with God's will.

By his wounds you were healed.  Glory...

Antiphon 3 Ours were the sufferings he bore; ours the torments he endured.


READING      1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.


RESPONSORY
Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.
- Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.
Christ Jesus, hear our humble petitions.
- for we have sinned against you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
- Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Whoever drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again, says the Lord.


INTERCESSIONS
All praise to God the Father who brought his chosen people to rebirth from imperishable seed through his eternal Word.  Let us ask him as his children:

   Lord, be gracious to your people.

God of mercy, hear the prayers we offer for all your people,
 - may they hunger for your word more than for bodily food.

Give us a sincere and active love for our own nation and for all mankind,
 - may we work always to build a world of peace and goodness.

 Look with love on all to be reborn in baptism,
 - that they may be living stones in your temple of the Spirit.

You moved Nineveh to repentance by the preaching of Jonah,
 - in your mercy touch the hearts of sinners by the preaching of your word.

May the dying go in hope to meet Christ their judge,
 - may they rejoice for ever in the vision of your glory.


Our Father...


COLLECT
O God, author of every mercy and of all goodness,
who in fasting, prayer and almsgiving
have shown us a remedy for sin,
look graciously on this confession of our lowliness,
that we, who are bowed down by our conscience,
may always be lifted up by your mercy.
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.