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

O Cross of Christ, immortal tree
On which our Savior died,
The world is sheltered by your arms
That bore the Crucified.

From bitter death and barren wood
the tree of life is made;
Its branches bear unfailing fruit
And leaves that never fade.

Give glory to the risen Christ
And to his Cross give praise,
The sign of God's unfailing love,
The hope of all our days.

PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: What a great work of charity! Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.

The Lord's revelation to my Master:
"Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet."
The Lord will yield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
"You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedeck of old."

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.

He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head. Glory...

Antiphon 1 What a great work of charity! Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.

Antiphon 2 We worship your cross, O Lord, and we commemorate your glorious passion. You suffered for us; have mercy on us.

Psalm 116:10-19

I trusted, even when I said:
I am sorely afflicted,
and when I said in my alarm:
No man can be trusted.

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 We worship your cross, O Lord, and we commemorate your glorious passion. You suffered for us; have mercy on us..

Antiphon 3 We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

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. Glory...

Antiphon 3 We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

READING      2 Corinthians 1:23-24

RESPONSORY
O glorious cross, on you the king of angels was victorious.
 - O glorious cross, on you the king of angels was victorious.
And he has washed away our sins in his own blood.
 - On you the king of angels was victorious
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
 - O glorious cross, on you the king of angels was victorious.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us pray with confidence to Christ who endured the cross to save us.
               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...

PRAYER
God our Father,
in obedience to you
your only Son accepted death on the cross
for the salvation of mankind.
We acknowledge the mystery of the cross on earth.
May we receive the gift of redemption in heaven.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Who live and reigns with you and Holy Spirit
One God, forever and ever, Amen.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.