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 Christ, the King who was lifted up on the cross for our sake.

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

O tree of beauty, tree of light!
O tree of Christ's blood stain-ed bright.
Elect on whose triumphal breast
those holy limbs should find their rest.

Blest tree, whose chosen branches bore
the wealth that did the world restore,
the price of humankind to pay,
and spoil the spoiler of his prey.

Upon its arms, like balance true,
he weighed the price for sinners due,
the price which none but he could pay,
and spoiled the spoiler of his prey.

O cross, our one reliance, hail!
Still may thy power with us avail
to give new virtue to the saint,
and pardon to the penitent.

To thee, eternal Three in One,
let homage meet by all be done:
whom by the cross thou dost restore,
preserve and govern evermore.


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: To destroy the power of hell Christ died upon the cross; clothed in strength and glory, he triumphed over death

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 1 To destroy the power of hell Christ died upon the cross; clothed in strength and glory, he triumphed over death


Antiphon 2 The Lord hung upon the cross to wash away our sins in his own blood. How splended is that blessed cross.

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 2 The Lord hung upon the cross to wash away our sins in his own blood. How splended is that blessed cross.


Antiphon 3 How radiant is that precious cross which brought us our salvation. In the cross we are victorious, through the cross we shall reign, by the cross all evil is destroyed, alleluia.

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 3 How radiant is that precious cross which brought us our salvation. In the cross we are victorious, through the cross we shall reign, by the cross all evil is destroyed, alleluia.


READING     Hebrews 2:9-10
We see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


RESPONSORY
We adore you O Christ and we bless you.
 - We adore you O Christ and we bless you.
By your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 - And we bless you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
 - We adore you O Christ and we bless you.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: We worship your cross, O Lord + and we praise and glorify your holy resurrection/ for the wood of the cross has brought joy to the world.


INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray with confidence to Christ who endured the cross to redeem us.
               (R.)Save us through your cross, O Lord.

Son of God, you healed the people of Israel when they looked upon the bronze serpent,
- protect us this day from the deadly wound of sin.(R.)

Son of Man, just as Moses raised up the serpent in the desert, so you were lifted up on the cross in the sight of all the nations,
- raise us up to share in the triumph of your cross.(R.)

Only begotten Son of the Father, you were sent into the world so that those who believe in you might not perish,
- grant unending life to all who long to see you face to face.(R.)

Beloved Son of the Father, you were not sent to judge the world, but to save it,
- grant faith to our brothers and sisters and bring them on the last day to the joy of heaven.(R.)

Eternal Son of the Father, you came to cast fire on the earth and you longed to see its flame kindled in the hearts of all men,
- grant that through the holiness of life we may come to share in the undying light of your glory.(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.