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 sing to the Lord, and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.

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. (Alleluia.)

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
sound from His people again,
Now as we worship before him.
Words: J. Neander; trans. Catherine Winkworth; Melody: Lobe Den Herren 14.14.4.7.8


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree that is planted
beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper.
Not so are the wicked, not so!

For they like winnowed chaff
shall be driven away by the wind.
When the wicked are judged they shall not stand,
nor find room among those who are just;
for the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom. Glory...

Antiphon 1 See how the cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.

Antiphon 2 Here is a king of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.

Why this tumult among nations,
among peoples this useless murmuring?
They arise, the kings of the earth,
princes plot against the Lord and his Anointed.
Come, let us break their fetters,
come, let us cast off their yoke."

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord is laughing them to scorn.
Then he will speak in his anger,
his rage will strike them with terror.
It is I who have set up my king on Zion,
my holy mountain."

I will announce the decree of the Lord:

The Lord said to me: You are my Son.
It is I who have begotten you this day.
Ask and I will bequeath you the nations,
put the ends of the earth in your possession.
With a rod of iron you will break them,
shatter them like a potter's jar."

Now, O kings, understand,
take warning, rulers of the earth;
serve the Lord with awe
and trembling, pay him your homage
lest he be angry and you perish;
for suddenly his anger will blaze.

Blessed are they who put their trust in God. Glory...

Antiphon 2 Here is a king of my own choosing who will rule on Mount Zion.


Antiphon 3 Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.

How many are my foes, O Lord!
How many are rising up against me!
How many are saying about me:
There is no help for him in God.

But you, Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, who lift up my head.
I cry aloud to the Lord.
He answers from his holy mountain.

I lie down to rest, and I sleep.
I wake, for the Lord upholds me.
I will not fear even thousands of people
who are ranged on every side against me.

Arise, Lord; save me, my God,
you who strike my foes on the mouth,
you who break the teeth of the wicked!
O Lord of salvation, bless your people! Glory....

Antiphon 3 Lord, you are my protector; you have raised me up in glory.


May the word of Christ ever fill your hearts
- Share with one another the wisdom you receive.


FIRST READING

From the beginning of the book of the prophet Zephaniah           1:1-7,14-2:3

The judgment of the Lord

The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.

I will completely sweep away all things
  from the face of the earth, says the Lord.
I will sweep away man and beast,
  I will sweep away the birds of the sky,
  and the fishes of the sea.
I will overthrow the wicked;
  I will destroy mankind
  from the face of the earth, says the Lord.

I will stretch out my hand against Judah,
  and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
I will destroy from this place the last vestige of Baal,
  the very names of his priests.
And those who adore the host of heaven on the roofs,
  with those who adore the Lord
  but swear by Milcom;
And those who have fallen away from the Lord,
  and those who do not seek the Lord.
 
Silence in the presence of the Lord God!
  for near is the day of the Lord,
Yes, the Lord has prepared a slaughter feast,
  he has consecrated his guests.
Near is the great day of the Lord,
  near and very swiftly coming,
Hark, the day of the Lord!
  bitter, then, the warrior's cry.
A day of wrath is that day
  a day of anguish and distress,
A day of destruction and desolation,
  a day of darkness and gloom,
A day of thick black clouds,
  a day of trumpet blasts and battle alarm
Against fortified cities,
  against battlements on high.

I will hem men
  in till they walk like the blind,
  because they have sinned against the Lord;
And their blood shall be poured out like dust,
  and their brains like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold
  shall be able to save them
  on the day of the Lord's wrath,
When in the fire of his jealousy
  all the earth shall be consumed.
For he shall make an end, yes, a sudden end,
  of all who live on the earth.
 
Gather, gather yourselves together,
  O nation without shame!
Before you are driven away,
  like chaff that passes on;
Before there comes upon you
  the blazing anger of the Lord:
Before there comes upon you
  the day of the Lord's anger.
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth,
  who have observed his law;
Seek justice, seek humility;
  perhaps you may be sheltered
  on the day of the Lord's anger.


RESPONSORY          Zephaniah 2:3; Luke 6:20
Seek the Lord, you humble of the earth,
who obey his law.
- Seek righteousness, seek humility.

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven,
- Seek righteousness, seek humility.


SECOND READING

From the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world of the Second Vatican Council
(Guadium et spes. n. 39)

The foreshadowing of the new age

We do not know the time when earth and humanity will reach their completion, nor do we know the way in which the universe will be transformed. The world as we see it, disfigured by sin, is passing away. But we are sure that God is preparing a new dwelling place and a new earth. In this new earth righteousness is to make its home, and happiness will satisfy, and more than satisfy, all the yearnings for peace that arise in human hearts. On that day, when death is conquered, the sons of God will be raised up in Christ; what was sown as something weak and perishable will be clothed in incorruption. Love and the fruits of love will remain, and the whole of creation, made by God for man, will be set free from the frustration that enslaves it.

We are warned indeed that a man gains nothing if he wins the whole world at the cost of himself. Yet our hope in a new earth should not weaken, but rather stimulate our concern for developing this earth, for on it there is growing up the body of a new human family, a body even now able to provide some foreshadowing of the new age. Hence, though earthly progress is to be carefully distinguished from the growth of Christ’s kingdom, yet in so far as it can help toward the better ordering of human society it is of great importance to the kingdom of God.

The blessings of human dignity, brotherly communion and freedom – all the good fruits on earth of man’s co-operation with nature in the Spirit of the Lord and according to his command – will be found again in the world to come, but purified of all stain, resplendent and transfigured, when Christ hands over to the Father an eternal and everlasting kingdom: “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” On this earth the kingdom is already present in sign; when the Lord comes it will reach its completion.


RESPONSORY          Psalm 96:11; Isaiah 49:13; Psalm 72:7
Rejoice, you heavens, and celebrate, O earth;
cry out with praise, you mountains,
for the Lord is coming.
- He will have compassion on the poor.

In his days justice will flourish and peace will abound.
- He will have compassion on the poor.


CANTICLE          TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
  Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
  heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
  Father, of majesty unbounded,
  your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
  and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

V.  Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R.  govern and uphold them, now and always.
V.  Day by day we bless you;
R.  we praise your name for ever.
V.  Keep us today, Lord, from all sin;
R.  have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V.  Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R.  for we put our trust in you.
V.  In you, Lord, is our hope;
R.  and we shall never hope in vain.

The concluding part of the hymn may be omitted.


COLLECT
O God, who cause the minds of the faithful
to unite in a single purpose,
grant your people to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that, amid the uncertainties of this world,
our hearts may be fixed on that place
where true gladness is found.
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.


Let us praise the Lord.
- And give him thanks.




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.