Morning Prayer (Lauds)

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 89 (90)
Let the Lord's glory shine upon us
Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. Before the mountains were born, before earth and heaven were conceived, from all time to all time, you are God. You turn men into dust, you say to them “go back, children of men”. A thousand years in your sight are like yesterday, that has passed; like a short watch in the night. When you take them away, they will be nothing but a dream; like the grass that sprouts in the morning: in the morning it grows and flowers, in the evening it withers and dries. For we are made weak by your anger, thrown into confusion by your wrath. You have gazed upon our transgressions; the light of your face illuminates our secrets. All our days vanish in your anger, we use up our years in a single breath. Seventy years are what we have, or eighty for the stronger ones; and most of that is labour and sadness – quickly they pass, and we are gone. Who can comprehend the power of your wrath? Who can behold the violence of your anger? Teach us to reckon our days like this, so that our hearts may be led at last to wisdom. Turn to us, Lord, how long must we wait? Let your servants call on you and be answered. Fill us with your kindness in the morning, and we shall rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Give us joy for as long as you afflicted us, for all the years when we suffered. Let your servants see your great works, and let their children see your glory. Let the glory of the Lord God be upon us: make firm the work of your hands. Make firm the work of your hands. 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 89 (90)

Let the Lord's glory shine upon us

Lord, you have been our refuge
from generation to generation.
Before the mountains were born,
before earth and heaven were conceived,
from all time to all time, you are God.

You turn men into dust,
you say to them “go back, children of men”.
A thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday, that has passed;
like a short watch in the night.

When you take them away, they will be nothing but a dream;
like the grass that sprouts in the morning:
in the morning it grows and flowers,
in the evening it withers and dries.

For we are made weak by your anger,
thrown into confusion by your wrath.
You have gazed upon our transgressions;
the light of your face illuminates our secrets.

All our days vanish in your anger,
we use up our years in a single breath.
Seventy years are what we have,
or eighty for the stronger ones;
and most of that is labour and sadness –
quickly they pass, and we are gone.
Who can comprehend the power of your wrath?
Who can behold the violence of your anger?
Teach us to reckon our days like this,
so that our hearts may be led at last to wisdom.

Turn to us, Lord, how long must we wait?
Let your servants call on you and be answered.
Fill us with your kindness in the morning,
and we shall rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
Give us joy for as long as you afflicted us,
for all the years when we suffered.

Let your servants see your great works,
and let their children see your glory.
Let the glory of the Lord God be upon us:
make firm the work of your hands.
Make firm the work of your hands.

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.

Canticle	Isaiah 42
God, the victor and saviour
Sing a new song to the Lord: sing his praise from the ends of the earth. Praise him, who go down to the sea; and all that are in the sea, islands and their inhabitants. Let the desert rejoice, and the cities of the desert, the villages where the people of Kedar live. Let those who dwell in Petra rejoice, and cry out from the mountain-tops. Let them give glory to the Lord, and proclaim his praise among the islands. The Lord will go forth like a warrior, like a man of war he will stir up zeal; he will shout and cry out; he will prevail against his foes. “I have always been silent, I have kept silence and waited; but now I shall cry out like a woman in labour, I shall groan and tremble. I shall lay waste the mountains and hills, I shall wither their grass, I shall turn rivers into deserts, I shall dry up the marshes. I shall lead the blind along a way they do not know; in paths unknown to them I shall make them walk. I shall make the darkness that is around them into light. I shall make crooked things straight”. 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.

Canticle

Isaiah 42

God, the victor and saviour

Sing a new song to the Lord:
sing his praise from the ends of the earth.
Praise him, who go down to the sea;
and all that are in the sea,
islands and their inhabitants.

Let the desert rejoice,
and the cities of the desert,
the villages where the people of Kedar live.
Let those who dwell in Petra rejoice,
and cry out from the mountain-tops.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and proclaim his praise among the islands.

The Lord will go forth like a warrior,
like a man of war he will stir up zeal;
he will shout and cry out;
he will prevail against his foes.

“I have always been silent,
I have kept silence and waited;
but now I shall cry out like a woman in labour,
I shall groan and tremble.
I shall lay waste the mountains and hills,
I shall wither their grass,
I shall turn rivers into deserts,
I shall dry up the marshes.

I shall lead the blind along a way they do not know;
in paths unknown to them I shall make them walk.
I shall make the darkness that is around them into light.
I shall make crooked things straight”.

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 134 (135)
Praise the Lord, the wonder-worker
Praise the name of the Lord: praise it, servants of the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it brings happiness. For the Lord chose Jacob for his own, he chose Israel for his possession. I know how great is the Lord, how great is our God above all gods. The Lord accomplishes all that he wills, in the heavens and on the earth, in the sea and the depths of the oceans. He brings in clouds from the ends of the earth, makes lightning for the rain-clouds, from his storehouse he calls forth the winds. He struck down the first-born of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. He sent signs and wonders among them, to Pharaoh and all his servants. He shattered nation after nation, killed powerful kings: Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, the king of Bashan, all the kingdoms of Canaan. He gave their lands as a birthright, as a birthright for Israel his people. 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 134 (135)

Praise the Lord, the wonder-worker

Praise the name of the Lord:
praise it, servants of the Lord,
you who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it brings happiness.
For the Lord chose Jacob for his own,
he chose Israel for his possession.

I know how great is the Lord,
how great is our God above all gods.
The Lord accomplishes all that he wills,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the sea and the depths of the oceans.
He brings in clouds from the ends of the earth,
makes lightning for the rain-clouds,
from his storehouse he calls forth the winds.

He struck down the first-born of Egypt,
of man and of beast alike.
He sent signs and wonders among them,
to Pharaoh and all his servants.
He shattered nation after nation,
killed powerful kings:
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og, the king of Bashan,
all the kingdoms of Canaan.
He gave their lands as a birthright,
as a birthright for Israel his people.

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.

Short reading	Judith 8:25 - 27 ©
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God who, as he tested our ancestors, is now testing us. Remember how he treated Abraham, all the ordeals of Isaac and all that happened to Jacob. For as these ordeals were intended by him to search their hearts, so now this is not vengeance that God exacts against us, but a warning inflicted by the Lord on those who are near his heart.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us cry out to Christ, who hears the prayers of those who hope in him: - Lord, we praise you; in you we hope.
Lord, you are rich in compassion:: we thank you for the enormous love you have shown us.
United with the Father you govern and conserve the world:: renew all things by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Open our eyes today:: make us perceive your wonders.
Today you are calling us to serve you:: may your grace shine through all that we do for our brethren.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

O God, you have made us guardians and cultivators of the earth, you have sent the sun to shine on us and help us.
Grant that today we may work for your glory
and for the good of our neighbour.

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.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N