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 the Lord, whom the angels worship.

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          Tune
The mighty host on high,
     their joys beyond compare,
their glories in the sky,
     the deeds they bravely dare;
for these the church today
pours forth the joyous lay,
to heaven's great princes praise to pay.

Captains of mighty race
     and noble champions, they
the evil spirits chase,
     undaunted in the fray;
they speed, in ranks arrayed,
the upright soul to aid,
and crown him victor undismayed.

What tongue can here declare,
     or imagery imply,
the joys that you prepare
     for these your hosts on high?
They, for their warfare decked,
their earthly friends protect
and in right paths to heaven direct.

To you, O Lord Most High,
     One in Three Person, still
to pardon us we cry,
     and to preserve from ill,
that after perils sore
your Name we may adore
with holy angels evermore. Amen
Text: John Mason Neale; Tune: Berthold Tours

Or:

ORBIS patrator optime qui, quidquid est, potentia magna creasti, nec regis minore providentia. ADESTO supplicantium tibi reorum coetui, lucisque sub crepusculum lucem novam da mentibus. TUUSQUE nobis Angelus, signatus ad custodiam, hic adsit, a contagio qui criminum nos protegat. SERPENTIS nobis aemuli calumnias exterminet, ne rete fraudulentiae incauta nectat pectora. METUM repellat hostium nostris procul de finibus: pacem procuret civium, fugetque pestilentiam. DEO Patri sit gloria, qui, quos redemit Filius, et Sanctus unxit Spiritus, per Angelos custodiat. Amen.

CREATOR of the circling sky, Who madest all by power most high, Thy Providence will never cease to rule Thy works in might and peace. BE present when we cry to Thee, a sinful people though we be; and as the day-dawn grows apace, illume our minds with light of grace. O SEND Thine Angel thitherward assigned by Thee to be our guard, that now his presence may begin to keep us from all stain of sin. LET him destroy that hidden snare the eager serpent doth prepare, lest we be taken in the net before our heedless bosoms set. AT his command let every fear of hostile foemen disappear; let civil strife give way to peace, and pestilence and famine cease. TO God the Father glory be; for those the Savior setteth free, anointed by the Holy Ghost, are guarded by the Angel host. Amen.

- St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621)

PSALMODY

Antiphon: The Lord will send his angel to accompany you and to guide you safely on your way.

Psalm 63:2-9
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast. Glory...

Antiphon:The Lord will send his angel to accompany you and to guide you safely on your way.


Antiphon:Blessed be God who sent his angel to rescue his faithful servants.

Canticle  -  Daniel 3:57-88,56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5)

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon: Blessed be God who sent his angel to rescue his faithful servants.


Antiphon: Praise the Lord, all you heavenly hosts of angels.

Psalm 149
The joy of God's holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius)

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful. Glory...

Antiphon: Praise the Lord, all you heavenly hosts of angels.


READING                               Exodus 23:20-21
I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Be attentive to him and listen to his voice.


RESPONSORY
In the presence of the angels, I will sing to you, my God.
- In the presence of the angels, I will sing to you, my God.
I will praise your name.
- I will sing to you, my God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
- In the presence of the angels, I will sing to you, my God.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: They are all ministering spirits, sent to care for those on the way to salvation.


INTERCESSIONS
With one voice the choirs of angels sing their unceasing praise of the Lord. Let us join in their worship as we proclaim:

                                        Angels of the lord, bless the Lord.

You commanded your angels to guard us in all your ways,
- keep us from sin as you lead us in your path this day.

Father, the angels stand forever before your face,
- nourish in us a never-failing hope of coming at last into your presence.

Your children will be like the angels in heaven,
- grant us chastity in both mind and body.

Send Michael, the prince of the heavenly hosts, to the aid of your people,
- may he defend them against Satan and his angels on the day of battle.


Our Father…


COLLECT
O God, who in your unfathomable providence
are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us,
hear our supplication as we cry to you,
that we may always be defended by their protection
and rejoice eternally in their company.
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.