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: Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness.

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.)


HYMN

Lord Jesus Christ, be present now,
And let your Holy Spirit bow
All hearts in love and truth today
To hear your word and keep your way.

Give us the grace to grasp your word,
That we may do what we have heard.
Instruct us through the Scriptures, Lord,
As we draw near, O God adored.

May your glad tidings always bring
Good news to men that they may sing
Of how you came to save all men.
Instruct us till you come again.

To God the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, three in one;
To you, O blessed Trinity
Be praise throughout eternity.
Text: Catherine Winkworth; Melody: Herr Jesu Christ; Midi: Cyberhymnal


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.

             I
I said: I will be watchful of my ways
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips
when the wicked man stands before me."
I was dumb, silent and still.
His prosperity stirred my grief.

My heart was burning within me.
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech:
O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days.
Now I know how fleeting is my life.

You have given me a short span of days;
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm,
a mere shadow, the man passing by;
a mere breath the riches he hoards,
not knowing who will have them." Glory...

Antiphon 1 We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.


Antiphon 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord, let me not weep in vain.

                    II
And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
In you rests all my hope.
Set me free from all my sins,
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I was silent, not opening my lips,
because this was all your doing.

Take away your scourge from me.
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
You punish man's sins and correct him;
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath;
O Lord, hear my prayer.

O Lord, turn your ear to my cry.
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest,
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
Look away that I may breathe again
before I depart to be no more. Glory...

Psalm Prayer: Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.

Antiphon 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord, let me not weep in vain.


Antiphon 3 I have put all my trust in God's never-failing mercy.

Why do you boast of your wickedness,
you champion of evil,
planning ruin all day long,
(your tongue like a sharpened razor),
you master of deceit?

You love evil more than good,
lies more than truth.
You love the destructive word,
you tongue of deceit.

For this God will destroy you
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you
from the land of the living.

The just shall see and fear.
They shall laugh and say:
So this is the man who refused
to take God as a stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth
and grew powerful by his crimes."

But I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God
for ever and ever.

I will thank you for evermore;
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good,
in the presence of your friends. Glory...

Antiphon 3 I have put all my trust in God's never-failing mercy.


I put my trust in the word of the Lord.
- All my hope is in him.


FIRST READING

From the book of Wisdom           6:1-25

Wisdom should be cherished

Hear, therefore, kings, and understand;
  learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
  and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
  and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works
  and scrutinize your counsels!

Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom,
  you judged not rightly, and did not keep the law,
  nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
  because judgment is stern for the exalted -
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
  but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
  nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
  and he provides for all alike;
  but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.

To you, therefore, O princes,
  are my words addressed
  that you may learn wisdom
  and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed
  shall be found holy,
  and those learned in them
  will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
  long for them and you shall be instructed.

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom,
  and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
  and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known
  in anticipation of men's desire;
  he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,
  for he shall find her sitting by his gate.

For taking thought of her
  is the perfection of prudence,
  and he who for her sake keeps vigil
  shall quickly be free from care;
Because she makes her own rounds,
  seeking those worthy of her,
  and graciously appears to them in the ways,
  and meets them with all solicitude.

For the first step toward discipline
  is a very earnest desire for her;
  then, care for discipline is love of her;
  love means the keeping of her laws;
To observe her laws
  is the basis for incorruptibility;
  and incorruptibility makes one close to God;
  thus the desire for Wisdom leads up to a kingdom.

If, then, you find pleasure in throne and scepter,
  you princes of the peoples, honor Wisdom,
  that you may reign as kings forever.
Now what wisdom is, and how she came to be I shall relate;
  and I shall hide no secrets from you,
But from the very beginning I shall search out
  and bring to light knowledge of her,
  nor shall I diverge from the truth.
Neither shall I admit consuming jealousy to my company,
  because that can have no fellowship with Wisdom.

A great number of wise men is the safety of the world,
  and a prudent king, the stability of his people;
  so take instruction from my words, to your profit.


RESPONSORY          Wisdom 7:13,14;3:11;7:28
With pure intention I learned wisdom
and ungrudgingly I now share it.
- For wisdom is an unfailing treasure for all peoples.

Wretched is the man who rejects wisdom;
God loves only the man who lives with wisdom
- For wisdom is an unfailing treasure for all peoples.



SECOND READING

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope
(Cap. 30,3-4:34,2-35,5: Funk 1,99, 103-105)

Let us follow the way of truth

Let us put on the unity of mind, thinking humble thoughts, exercising self-control, keeping ourselves far from all backbiting and slander, being righteous in deed, and not in word only. Scripture says: He who says much hears much in his own turn. Or does the easy talker think that he is righteous?

It is our duty then to be eager to do good, for everything is from God. He warns us: See, the Lord is coming, and the reward he brings is before him, for paying each according to his work. He urges us, who believe in him with all our heart, not to be idle or careless in any good work. Our boasting and our confidence must rest on him. Let us be subject to his will. Let us look carefully at the whole host of his angels; they stand ready and serve his will. Scripture says: Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, and a thousand thousand served him, and cried out: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole creation is full of his glory.

We, too, dutifully gathered together in unity of mind, should cry out to him continuously as with one voice so as to share in his great and glorious promises. It is written: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, man’s heart has not conceived, what great things have been prepared for those who wait for him.

Beloved, how blessed, how wonderful, are God’s gifts! Life with immortality, glory with righteousness, truth with confidence, self-control with holiness: all these are the gifts that fall within our understanding. What then are those gifts that are in store for those who wait for him? Only the most holy Creator and Father of the ages knows their greatness and their splendor.

We should then strive with the greatest zeal to be found among the number of those who await him, so that we may share in the promised gifts. How will this be, beloved? If our mind is fixed on God through faith, if we are diligent in seeking what is pleasing and acceptable to him, if we fulfill what is according to his blameless will and follow the way of truth, casting away from ourselves all that is unholy.


RESPONSORY          Psalm 25:4-5, 16
Lord, show me your ways,
teach me to walk in your footsteps;
guide me in your truth.
- You are the God of my salvation,
and I wait for you all day long.

Look on me, Lord, and have pity on me,
for I am poor and alone.
- You are the God of my salvation,
and I wait for you all day long.



COLLECT
Almighty ever-living God,
increase our faith, hope and charity,
and make us love what you command,
so that we may merit what you promise.
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.