’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
Melody: New Britian 86.86; James P. Carrell and David S. Clayton, 1831; Text: John Newton; Midi: Cyberhymnal

Or:


For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Music: Sine Nomine, 10.10.10 with Alleuia; Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906Words: William W. How, 1864.


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Christ's virgin could not be broken by any terror, nor won over by false allurements.

They surrounded me, the snares of death,
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress.
I called on the Lord's name.

O Lord, my God, deliver me!

How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.

Turn back, my soul, to your rest
for the Lord has been good;
he has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears
and my feet from stumbling.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living. Glory...

Antiphon 1 Christ's virgin could not be broken by any terror, nor won over by false allurements.


Antiphon 2 To Him alone I pledge my trust; to him alone I give my undivided love.

How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord's name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord's name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem. Glory...

Antiphon 2 To Him alone I pledge my trust; to him alone I give my undivided love.


Antiphon 3 I give thanks to you, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for through Him you have made your servant victorious.

Worthy are you, O Lord
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
those from every tribe and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on earth."

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

Antiphon 3 I give thanks to you, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for through Him you have made your servant victorious.


READING     1 Peter 4:13-14
Rejoice, beloved, in the measure that you share Christ's sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God's spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.


RESPONSORY
The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.
--The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.

He has taken her to live with Him
--his loved one from the beginning.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and forever shall be.
--The Lord chose her, his loved one from the beginning.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Saint Agnes raised her hands and prayed: Holy Father, hear me. I am coming to you whom I have loved, whom I have sought and always desired.


INTERCESSIONS
This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:
                  We praise you, O Lord.

We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for loving us to the end:
                  We praise you, O Lord.

For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:
                  We praise you, O Lord.

For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured out for the remission of sin:
                  We praise you, O Lord.

For our perseverance in your grace today:
                  We praise you, O Lord.

For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into your own death today:
                  We praise you, O Lord.


Our Father...


COLLECT
Almighty ever-living God,
who choose what is weak in the world to confound the strong,
mercifully grant,
that we, who celebrate the heavenly birthday of your Martyr Saint Agnes,
may follow her constancy in the faith.
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.