First reading	Isaiah 26:1 - 6 ©
That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; to guard us he has set wall and rampart about us. Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in, she, the faithful one whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace, because she trusts in you. Trust in the Lord for ever, for the Lord is the everlasting Rock; he has brought low those who lived high up in the steep citadel; he brings it down, brings it down to the ground, flings it down in the dust: the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor trample on it.

Gospel	Matthew 7:21 - 27 ©
Jesus said, ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord”, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. ‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 17 (18)
Thanksgiving
The Lord’s ways are pure; the words of the Lord are refined in the furnace; the Lord protects all who hope in him. For what God is there, but our Lord? What help, but in the Lord our God? God, who has wrapped me in his strength and set me on the perfect path, who has made my feet like those of the deer, who has set me firm upon the heights, who trains my hands for battle, teaches my arms to bend a bow of bronze. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

Thanksgiving

The Lord’s ways are pure; the words of the Lord are refined in the furnace; the Lord protects all who hope in him.
For what God is there, but our Lord? What help, but in the Lord our God?
God, who has wrapped me in his strength and set me on the perfect path,
who has made my feet like those of the deer, who has set me firm upon the heights,
who trains my hands for battle, teaches my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)
You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand holds me up; by answering me, you give me greatness. You have stretched out the length of my stride, my feet do not weaken. I pursue my enemies and surround them; I do not turn back until they are no more. I smash them to pieces, they cannot stand, they fall beneath my feet. You have wrapped me round with strength for war, and made my attackers fall under me. You turned my enemies’ backs on me, you destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was no-one to save them; they cried to the Lord, but he did not hear. I have ground them up until they are dust in the wind, trodden them down like the mud of the street. You have delivered me from the murmurings of the people and placed me at the head of the nations. A people I do not even know serves me – at a mere rumour of my orders, they obey. The children of strangers beg for my favour; they hide away and tremble where they hide. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand holds me up; by answering me, you give me greatness.
You have stretched out the length of my stride, my feet do not weaken.
I pursue my enemies and surround them; I do not turn back until they are no more.
I smash them to pieces, they cannot stand, they fall beneath my feet.
You have wrapped me round with strength for war, and made my attackers fall under me.

You turned my enemies’ backs on me, you destroyed those who hated me.
They cried out, but there was no-one to save them; they cried to the Lord, but he did not hear.
I have ground them up until they are dust in the wind, trodden them down like the mud of the street.
You have delivered me from the murmurings of the people and placed me at the head of the nations.
A people I do not even know serves me – at a mere rumour of my orders, they obey.
The children of strangers beg for my favour; they hide away and tremble where they hide.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)
The Lord lives, my blessed Helper. Let the God of my salvation be exalted. God, you give me my revenge, you subject peoples to my rule, you free me from my enraged enemies. You raise me up from those who attack me, you snatch me from the grasp of the violent. And so I will proclaim you among the nations, Lord, and sing to your name. Time and again you save your king, you show your loving kindness to your anointed, to David and his descendants for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

The Lord lives, my blessed Helper. Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
God, you give me my revenge, you subject peoples to my rule, you free me from my enraged enemies.
You raise me up from those who attack me, you snatch me from the grasp of the violent.

And so I will proclaim you among the nations, Lord, and sing to your name.
Time and again you save your king, you show your loving kindness to your anointed, to David and his descendants for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	Isaiah 16:1 - 17:8 ©
Send lambs to the king of the country from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. Flying backwards and forwards like bewildered nestlings, at the ford of the Arnon. ‘Advise us what to do, decide for us. ‘Spread your shadow as if it were night at the height of noon. Hide those who have been driven out, do not let the refugee be seen. ‘Let those who have been driven out of Moab stay with you; be their refuge against the destroyer.’ Once the oppression is over, and the destroyer is no more, and those now trampling the country underfoot have gone away, the throne will be made secure in gentleness, and on it there will sit in all fidelity, within the tent of David, a judge careful for justice and eager for integrity. That day, the glory of Jacob will be diminished, from being fat he will grow lean; as when a reaper hugs an armful of standing corn and slices off the ears, or when they glean the ears in the Valley of Rephaim: nothing remains but gleanings; or when an olive tree is beaten: two or three berries left on the topmost bough, four or five on the branches of the tree. It is the Lord, the God of Israel, who speaks. That day, man will look to his creator and his eyes will turn to the Holy One of Israel. He will no longer look after the altars, his own handiwork, nor gaze at what his hands have made: the sacred poles and the solar pillars.

Reading

Isaiah 16:1 - 17:8 ©

Send lambs
to the king of the country
from Sela, by way of the desert,
to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.

Flying backwards and forwards
like bewildered nestlings,
at the ford of the Arnon.

‘Advise us what to do,
decide for us.
‘Spread your shadow as if it were night
at the height of noon.
Hide those who have been driven out,
do not let the refugee be seen.

‘Let those who have been driven out of Moab
stay with you;
be their refuge
against the destroyer.’

Once the oppression is over,
and the destroyer is no more,
and those now trampling the country underfoot have gone away,
the throne will be made secure in gentleness,
and on it there will sit in all fidelity,
within the tent of David,
a judge careful for justice
and eager for integrity.

That day, the glory of Jacob will be diminished,
from being fat he will grow lean;
as when a reaper hugs an armful of standing corn
and slices off the ears,
or when they glean the ears in the Valley of Rephaim:
nothing remains but gleanings;
or when an olive tree is beaten:
two or three berries left on the topmost bough,
four or five on the branches of the tree.
It is the Lord, the God of Israel, who speaks.

That day, man will look to his creator and his eyes will turn to the Holy One of Israel. He will no longer look after the altars, his own handiwork, nor gaze at what his hands have made: the sacred poles and the solar pillars.

Reading	A letter of St Ambrose
You win the people over with the grace of your words
You have entered upon the office of bishop. Sitting at the helm of the Church, you pilot the ship against the waves. Take firm hold of the rudder of faith so that the severe storms of this world cannot disturb you. The sea is mighty and vast, but do not be afraid, for as Scripture says: he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters. The Church of the Lord is built upon the rock of the apostles among so many dangers in the world; it therefore remains unmoved. The Church’s foundation is unshakeable and firm against the assaults of the raging sea. Waves lash at the Church but do not shatter it. Although the elements of this world constantly beat upon the Church with crashing sounds, the Church possesses the safest harbour of salvation for all in distress. Although the Church is tossed about on the sea, it rides easily on rivers, especially those rivers that Scripture speaks of: The rivers have lifted up their voice. These are the rivers flowing from the heart of the man who is given drink by Christ and who receives from the Spirit of God. When these rivers overflow with the grace of the Spirit, they lift up their voice. There is also a stream which flows down on God’s saints like a torrent. There is also a rushing river giving joy to the heart that is at peace and makes for peace. Whoever has received from the fullness of this river, like John the Evangelist, like Peter and Paul, lifts up his voice. Just as the apostles lifted up their voices and preached the Gospel throughout the world, so those who drink these waters begin to preach the good news of the Lord Jesus. Drink, then, from Christ, so that your voice may also be heard. Store up in your mind the water that is Christ, the water that praises the Lord. Store up water from many sources, the water that rains down from the clouds of prophecy. Whoever gathers water from the mountains and leads it to himself or draws it from springs, is himself a source of dew like the clouds. Fill your soul, then, with this water, so that your land may not be dry, but watered by your own springs. He who reads much and understands much, receives his fill. He who is full, refreshes others. So Scripture says: If the clouds are full, they will pour rain upon the earth. Therefore, let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. Let your sermons be full of understanding. Solomon says: The weapons of the understanding are the lips of the wise; and in another place he says: Let your lips be bound with wisdom. That is, let the meaning of your words shine forth, let understanding blaze out. See that your addresses and expositions do not need to invoke the authority of others, but let your words be their own defence. Let no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning.

Reading

A letter of St Ambrose

You win the people over with the grace of your words

You have entered upon the office of bishop. Sitting at the helm of the Church, you pilot the ship against the waves. Take firm hold of the rudder of faith so that the severe storms of this world cannot disturb you. The sea is mighty and vast, but do not be afraid, for as Scripture says: he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.
The Church of the Lord is built upon the rock of the apostles among so many dangers in the world; it therefore remains unmoved. The Church’s foundation is unshakeable and firm against the assaults of the raging sea. Waves lash at the Church but do not shatter it. Although the elements of this world constantly beat upon the Church with crashing sounds, the Church possesses the safest harbour of salvation for all in distress. Although the Church is tossed about on the sea, it rides easily on rivers, especially those rivers that Scripture speaks of: The rivers have lifted up their voice. These are the rivers flowing from the heart of the man who is given drink by Christ and who receives from the Spirit of God. When these rivers overflow with the grace of the Spirit, they lift up their voice.
There is also a stream which flows down on God’s saints like a torrent. There is also a rushing river giving joy to the heart that is at peace and makes for peace. Whoever has received from the fullness of this river, like John the Evangelist, like Peter and Paul, lifts up his voice. Just as the apostles lifted up their voices and preached the Gospel throughout the world, so those who drink these waters begin to preach the good news of the Lord Jesus.
Drink, then, from Christ, so that your voice may also be heard. Store up in your mind the water that is Christ, the water that praises the Lord. Store up water from many sources, the water that rains down from the clouds of prophecy.
Whoever gathers water from the mountains and leads it to himself or draws it from springs, is himself a source of dew like the clouds. Fill your soul, then, with this water, so that your land may not be dry, but watered by your own springs.
He who reads much and understands much, receives his fill. He who is full, refreshes others. So Scripture says: If the clouds are full, they will pour rain upon the earth.
Therefore, let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. Let your sermons be full of understanding. Solomon says: The weapons of the understanding are the lips of the wise; and in another place he says: Let your lips be bound with wisdom. That is, let the meaning of your words shine forth, let understanding blaze out. See that your addresses and expositions do not need to invoke the authority of others, but let your words be their own defence. Let no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning.

Concluding Prayer
Show forth your power, O Lord, and bring your great strength to our aid. Although our sins impede our steps, let your grace help us to go forward. 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. Amen.

Mass Readings

Office of Readings