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, the King of apostles.

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 God, the eagle rises toward the Sun
To spill the gospel out upon the night
Made dark by sin and death until the Word
Bore fire from heav'n to become our light.

Saint John proclaims the light our very life,
Our truth set free from our disfigured clay,
Our path to glory flaming through the cross,
The lamp to light our steps along the way.

Be praised, O God, for words that raise us up
Toward heights we would not dare to scale alone.
Be praised most holy threefold mystery,
Through Christ, the Word who made our flesh his own.

Or:


Let heav'n with acclamations ring,
And earth with joy responsive sing:
The Apostles' deeds and high estate
This festal-tide we celebrate.

O ye who, thron'd in glory dread,
Shall judge the living and the dead,
True lights, the world illúmining,
Regard the suppliant pray'r we bring.

The gates of heav'n, at your command,
To all or clos'd or open stand:
May we, at your august decree,
Be loos'd from our iniquity.

That Christ the unerring Judge of doom,
When he at time's last end shall come,
May grant us for his mercy's sake,
Of joys eternal to partake.

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-Born, to thee;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore.
Melody: Rex Gloriose Martyrum, L.M.; Music: Andernach, 1608; Text: Exultet Caelum Laudabus


PSALMODY

Antiphon:John the apostle and evangelist, a virgin chosen by the Lord, was loved by the Lord above the others.

Psalm 63:2-9

O God, you are my God, for you I long; *
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you *
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary *
to see your strength and your glory.

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:John the apostle and evangelist, a virgin chosen by the Lord, was loved by the Lord above the others.


Antiphon: To the virgin John, Christ dying on the cross, entrusted his virgin mother.

Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. *
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. *
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. *
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord. *
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

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: To the virgin John, Christ dying on the cross, entrusted his virgin mother.


Antiphon: The disciple whom Jesus loved cried out: It is the Lord.

Psalm 149

Sing a new song to the Lord, *
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker, *
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing *
and make music with timbrel and harp.

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: The disciple whom Jesus loved cried out: It is the Lord.


READING                                                      Acts 4:19-20
Peter and John, said to them in reply, "Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."


RESPONSORY          
You have made them rulers over all the earth.
    -    You have made them rulers over all the earth.
They will always remember your name, O Lord,
    -    over all the earth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
    -    You have made them rulers over all the earth.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory.


INTERCESSIONS
The Apostles are the foundation and we are built on them. Let us pray to the almighty Father for his holy people:

                        Lord, remember your Church.

Father, by your will the Apostles were the first to see your resurrected Son:
  -  may we be his witnesses, to the very ends of the earth.

Father, you sent your Son into the world to bring the Good News to the poor:
  -  may the Gospel be preached to every created thing.

Father, you sent your Son to sow the seed of the word:
  -  as we sow the Word with great labour, so may we reap its fruits with joy.

Father, you sent your Son to reconcile the world to you with his blood:
  -  grant that we may all work together for reconciliation.

Father, you have seated your Son at your right hand in heaven:
  -  receive the dead into your blessed kingdom.


Our Father...


COLLECT
O God, who through the blessed Apostle John
have unlocked for us the secrets of your Word,
grant, we pray,
that we may grasp with proper understanding
what he has so marvelously brought to our ears.
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.