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 of creation; he enters his holy temple.

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

Hail to the Lord Who comes,
Comes to His temple gate;
Not with His angel host,
Not in His kingly state;
No shouts proclaim Him nigh,
No crowds His coming wait.

But, borne upon the throne
Of Mary's gentle breast,
Watched by her duteous love,
In her fond arms at rest,
Thus to His Father's house
He comes, the heav'nly Guest.

There Joseph at her side
In reverent wonder stands,
And, filled with holy joy,
Old Simeon in his hands
Takes up the promised Child,
The Glory of all lands.

Hail to the great First-born
Whose ransom price they pay!
The Son before all worlds,
The Child of man today,
That He might ransom us
Who still in bondage lay.

O Light of all the earth,
Thy children wait for Thee!
Come to Thy temples here,
That we, from sin set free,
Before Thy Father's face
May all presented be!
Words: John Ellerton. Music: St. Veronica, Francis H. Champneys, Meter: 66 66 66


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: Simeon was a holy and devout man who looked for the redemption of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was with him.

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...

Psalm Prayer: Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever.

Antiphon 1 Simeon was a holy and devout man who looked for the redemption of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was with him.


Antiphon 2 Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God.

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 Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God.


Antiphon 3 He is a light to reveal you to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.

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..

Psalm Prayer: Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever.

Antiphon 3 He is a light to reveal you to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.


READING     Malachi 3:1
Lo, I am sending my messenger
  to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
  the Lord whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
  Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.


RESPONSORY
Worship the Lord in his holy court.
- Worship the Lord in his holy court.
Bring him your homage and praise
- in his holy court.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
- Worship the Lord in his holy court.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: When the parents of Jesus brought him into the temple, Simeon took him in his arms and gave thanks to God.


INTERCESSIONS
Today our Savior was presented in the temple. Let us adore him as we say:

                      Lord, may our eyes see your salvation.

Christ Jesus, in obedience to the law, you desired to be presented to your Father in the temple
- teach us to offer ourselves to the Father with you in your church's sacrifice.

Jesus, comforter of Israel, Simeon, the just man, took you into his arms when you came into the temple.
- help us to welcome you in our brothers and sisters.

Jesus, desire of nations, Anna the prophetess spoke of you to all who were awaiting Israel's redemption,
- help us to proclaim you in our words and actions to all who yet yearn for your salvation.

Lord, Jesus, cornerstone of God's kingdom, you were destined to be a sign that is rejected,
- be for those who acknowledge you the source of rising to new life.


Our Father...


COLLECT
Almighty ever-living God,
we humbly implore your majesty
that, just as your Only Begotten Son
was presented on this day in the Temple
in the substance of our flesh,
so, by your grace,
we may be presented to you with minds made pure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.


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