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

Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis; nulla talem silva profert, flore, fronde, germine. Dulce lignum, dulci clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. Pange, lingua, gloriosi proelium certaminis, et super Crucis trophaeo dic triumphum nobilem, qualiter Redemptor orbis immolatus vicerit. Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis; nulla talem silva profert, flore, fronde, germine. De parentis protoplasti fraude Factor condolens, quando pomi noxialis morte morsu corruit, ipse lignum tunc notavit, damna ligni ut solveret. Dulce lignum, dulci clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. Aequa Patri Filioque, inclito Paraclito, sempiterna sit beatae Trinitati gloria, cuius alma nos redemit atque servat gratia. Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis; nulla talem silva profert, flore, fronde, germine. Dulce lignum, dulci clavo, dulce pondus sustinens.

Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peers may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee! Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory; tell His triumph far and wide; tell aloud the famous story of His body crucified; how upon the cross a victim, vanquishing in death, He died. Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peers may be. Eating of the tree forbidden, man had sunk in Satan's snare, when our pitying Creator did this second tree prepare; destined, many ages later, that first evil to repair. Sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee! Blessing, honor, everlasting, to the immortal Deity; to the Father, Son, and Spirit, equal praises ever be; glory through the earth and heaven to Trinity in Unity. Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peers may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee!

Fulgentius, tr. Edward Caswall; Nova Schola Gregoriana; Conductor: Alberto Turco


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Our crucified and risen Lord has redeemed us, alleluia.  

Praise the Lord for he is good;
sing to our God for he is loving:
to him our praise is due.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem
and brings back Israel's exiles,
he heals the broken-hearted,
he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars;
he calls each one by its name.

Our Lord is great and almighty;
his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly;
he humbles the wicked to the dust.
O sing to the Lord giving thanks;
sing psalms to our God with the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares the rain for the earth,
making mountains sprout with grass
and with plants to serve man's needs.
He provides the beasts with their food
and young ravens that call upon him.

His delight is not in horses
nor his pleasure in warriors' strength.
The Lord delights in those who revere him,
in those who wait for his love. Glory...

Antiphon 1 Our crucified and risen Lord has redeemed us, alleluia.


Antiphon 2 The tree of life flourished in the midst of the holy city of Jerusalem, and its leaves had power to save all the nations, alleluia.

He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees. Glory...

Antiphon 2 The tree of life flourished in the midst of the holy city of Jerusalem, and its leaves had power to save all the nations, alleluia.


Antiphon 3 We must glory in the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.

He was known to be of human estate
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,  

So that at Jesus' name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:  
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!   Glory...

Antiphon 3 We must glory in the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ.


READING     1 Corinthians 1:23-24
We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.


RESPONSORY
The sign will appear in the heavens when the Lord comes.
 - The sign will appear in the heavens when the Lord comes.
Lift up your heads, your salvation is at hand.
 - When the Lord comes.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
 - The sign will appear in the heavens when the Lord comes.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: It was ordained that Christ should suffer, and on the third day rise from the dead.

INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray with confidence to Christ who endured the cross to save us.
               (R.)Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.

O Christ, you emptied yourself, taking the form of a servant and being made like us,
- grant that your people may follow the example of your humility.(R.)

O Christ, you humbled yourself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross,
- grant that your servants may imitate your obedience and willing acceptance of trials.(R.)

O Christ, you were raised up by the Father and given the name that is above every name,
- may your people, strengthened in the hope of a heavenly resurrection, persevere to the end.(R.)

O Christ, at your name every knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth will bend in adoration,
- pour out your love upon all people that they may join together in proclaiming your glory.(R.)

O Christ, every tongue shall confess that you are Lord to the glory of God the Father,
- welcome our brothers and sisters who have died into the unfailing joy of your kingdom.(R.)


Our Father…


COLLECT
O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son
should undergo the Cross to save the human race,
grant, we pray,
that we, who have known his mystery on earth,
may merit the grace of his redemption in heaven.
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.




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.