Mass Readings

First reading	Romans 6:12 - 18 ©
You must not let sin reign in your mortal bodies or command your obedience to bodily passions, you must not let any part of your body turn into an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin; you should, instead, offer yourselves to God, and consider yourselves dead men brought back to life; you should make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate your life, since you are living by grace and not by law. Does the fact that we are living by grace and not by law mean that we are free to sin? Of course not. You know that if you agree to serve and obey a master you become his slaves. You cannot be slaves of sin that leads to death and at the same time slaves of obedience that leads to righteousness. You were once slaves of sin, but thank God you submitted without reservation to the creed you were taught. You may have been freed from the slavery of sin, but only to become ‘slaves’ of righteousness.

First reading

Romans 6:12 - 18 ©

You must not let sin reign in your mortal bodies or command your obedience to bodily passions, you must not let any part of your body turn into an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin; you should, instead, offer yourselves to God, and consider yourselves dead men brought back to life; you should make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate your life, since you are living by grace and not by law.
Does the fact that we are living by grace and not by law mean that we are free to sin? Of course not. You know that if you agree to serve and obey a master you become his slaves. You cannot be slaves of sin that leads to death and at the same time slaves of obedience that leads to righteousness. You were once slaves of sin, but thank God you submitted without reservation to the creed you were taught. You may have been freed from the slavery of sin, but only to become ‘slaves’ of righteousness.

Psalm or canticle	Psalm 123 (124)
Our help is in the name of the Lord
If the Lord had not been with us (so let Israel sing), If the Lord had not been with us when men rose up against us, they might have skinned us alive, such was their anger. The waters could have drowned us, the torrent poured over us, the foaming waters poured over us. Blessed be the Lord, who saved us from being torn to pieces by their teeth. We have escaped, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. The snare was broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 123 (124)

Our help is in the name of the Lord

If the Lord had not been with us
(so let Israel sing),
If the Lord had not been with us
when men rose up against us,
they might have skinned us alive,
such was their anger.
The waters could have drowned us,
the torrent poured over us,
the foaming waters poured over us.

Blessed be the Lord, who saved us
from being torn to pieces by their teeth.
We have escaped, like a bird
from the snare of the fowler.
The snare was broken,
and we escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Gospel	Luke 12:39 - 48 ©
Jesus said: ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming”, and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful. The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

Gospel

Luke 12:39 - 48 ©

Jesus said:
‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming”, and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

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 for salvation and victory
I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free. My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up. I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies. The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about, the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me. In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God: from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears. 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 for salvation and victory

I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free.
My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up.
I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies.

The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about,
the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me.
In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God:
from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears.

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 earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken. Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals. He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet. He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind. He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air. The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire. He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion. The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath. He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters. He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me. They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support. He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour. 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 earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken.
Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals.
He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet.

He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind.
He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air.
The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire.

The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire.
He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion.

The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath.

He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters.
He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support.
He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour.

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 rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands, for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God. For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements; I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil. And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight. You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning. For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed. For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path. For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall. 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 rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands,
for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God.
For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements;
I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil.
And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight.

You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning.
For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed.
For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path.
For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall.

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	Esther 4:17 - 17 ©
All Israel cried out with all their might, for they were faced with death. Queen Esther also took refuge with the Lord in the mortal peril which had overtaken her. She took off her sumptuous robes and put on sorrowful mourning. Instead of expensive perfumes she covered her head with ashes. She humbled her body severely with fasting. She threw herself on the ground, together with her servants from morning to night and she said: ‘God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob, blessed are you. I am alone and have no helper but you and am about to take my life in my hands. ‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you saved Noah from the waters of the flood. I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that to Abraham with his three hundred and eighteen men, you gave victory over nine kings. ‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you freed Jonah from the belly of the whale. I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you freed Ananiah, Azariah and Misael from the fiery furnace. ‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you saved Daniel from the lions’ den. I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you took pity on Hezekiah, king of the Jews, when he was condemned to death and prayed to you for his life. ‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that when Anna begged you from the depths of her heart, you gave her a child. I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors that you rescue all who are pleasing in your sight, for ever. ‘Lord, my God, come to my help, for I am alone, I have no-one but you. You know that your servant loathes the bed of the uncircumcised. You know I have not eaten at the table of the abominations nor drunk the wine of libations. ‘You know I have not found pleasure from the day of my promotion until now except in you, Lord. ‘You know, God, that I loathe the symbol of my high position that is bound round my brow. I loathe it as if it were a filthy rag and do not wear it on my days of leisure. ‘And now support me, for I am an orphan. Put persuasive words into my mouth when I face the lion. Let me find favour in his eyes: change his feeling into hatred for our enemy, that the latter and all like him may be brought to their end. ‘But free us from the power of our enemies; turn our mourning into rejoicing and bring our sufferings to an end. Make an example of those who attack us. ‘Come, Lord, appear!’

Reading

All Israel cried out with all their might, for they were faced with death.
Queen Esther also took refuge with the Lord in the mortal peril which had overtaken her. She took off her sumptuous robes and put on sorrowful mourning. Instead of expensive perfumes she covered her head with ashes. She humbled her body severely with fasting. She threw herself on the ground, together with her servants from morning to night and she said:
‘God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
I am alone and have no helper but you
and am about to take my life in my hands.

‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you saved Noah from the waters of the flood.
I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that to Abraham with his three hundred and eighteen men,
you gave victory over nine kings.

‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you freed Jonah from the belly of the whale.
I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you freed Ananiah, Azariah and Misael from the fiery furnace.

‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you saved Daniel from the lions’ den.
I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you took pity on Hezekiah, king of the Jews,
when he was condemned to death and prayed to you for his life.

‘I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that when Anna begged you from the depths of her heart,
you gave her a child.
I have heard, Lord, from the books of my ancestors
that you rescue all who are pleasing in your sight,
for ever.

‘Lord, my God, come to my help, for I am alone,
I have no-one but you.
You know that your servant loathes the bed of the uncircumcised.
You know I have not eaten at the table of the abominations
nor drunk the wine of libations.

‘You know I have not found pleasure
from the day of my promotion until now
except in you, Lord.

‘You know, God, that I loathe the symbol of my high position
that is bound round my brow.
I loathe it as if it were a filthy rag
and do not wear it on my days of leisure.

‘And now support me, for I am an orphan.
Put persuasive words into my mouth when I face the lion.
Let me find favour in his eyes:
change his feeling into hatred for our enemy,
that the latter and all like him may be brought to their end.

‘But free us from the power of our enemies;
turn our mourning into rejoicing
and bring our sufferings to an end.
Make an example of those who attack us.

‘Come, Lord, appear!’

Reading	St Augustine's letter to Proba
You will find no prayer that is not already contained in the Lord's Prayer
Here are some examples. When one prays: Be glorified among all nations as thou art glorified among us, and Let your prophets be proved true, what else is one asking than Hallowed be thy name? When the psalmist says: Bring us back, O God of hosts, let your face shine on us and we shall be saved what else is he saying than Thy kingdom come? When he says: Direct my steps according to your word, so that iniquity has no dominion over me what else is he saying than Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven? When the book of Proverbs one says: give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of food what else is this than Give us this day our daily bread? When the psalmist says Lord, remember David and how he served you or O Lord, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have rewarded with evil those that did evil to me what else is this than Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us? When he says: Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, and defend me from those that rise up against me what else is this than Deliver us from evil? And if you go over all the words of holy prayers, I think you will find nothing which cannot be comprised and summed up in the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. So when we pray we are free to use different words to any extent, but we must ask the same things: in this we have no choice. It is our duty to ask these things without hesitation for ourselves and for our friends, for strangers and even for our enemies; although of course our emotions may differ according to the persons being prayed for and their closeness or their distance from us. Now you have the answers to two questions: what sort of person you should be when you pray, and what sort of things you should pray for. These answers have not come from my teaching but from the teaching of him who has condescended to teach us all. We must seek a blessed life and we must ask God to grant it to us. What a blessed life might mean is something that many people have had many arguments about; but why should we go to many people or listen to many arguments? God’s own Scriptures have summed it up exactly: Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. How are we to be part of that people, to look on God and live with him for ever? As St Paul says, The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love coming out of a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. For “a clear conscience” we may read “hope”. Faith, hope, and charity, therefore, lead to God the man who prays, the man, that is, believes, hopes, and desires, and is guided as to what he should ask from the Lord by studying the Lord’s Prayer.

Reading

St Augustine's letter to Proba

You will find no prayer that is not already contained in the Lord's Prayer

Here are some examples.
When one prays: Be glorified among all nations as thou art glorified among us, and Let your prophets be proved true, what else is one asking than Hallowed be thy name?
When the psalmist says: Bring us back, O God of hosts, let your face shine on us and we shall be saved what else is he saying than Thy kingdom come?
When he says: Direct my steps according to your word, so that iniquity has no dominion over me what else is he saying than Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?
When the book of Proverbs one says: give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of food what else is this than Give us this day our daily bread?
When the psalmist says Lord, remember David and how he served you or O Lord, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have rewarded with evil those that did evil to me what else is this than Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?
When he says: Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, and defend me from those that rise up against me what else is this than Deliver us from evil?
And if you go over all the words of holy prayers, I think you will find nothing which cannot be comprised and summed up in the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. So when we pray we are free to use different words to any extent, but we must ask the same things: in this we have no choice.
It is our duty to ask these things without hesitation for ourselves and for our friends, for strangers and even for our enemies; although of course our emotions may differ according to the persons being prayed for and their closeness or their distance from us.
Now you have the answers to two questions: what sort of person you should be when you pray, and what sort of things you should pray for. These answers have not come from my teaching but from the teaching of him who has condescended to teach us all.
We must seek a blessed life and we must ask God to grant it to us. What a blessed life might mean is something that many people have had many arguments about; but why should we go to many people or listen to many arguments? God’s own Scriptures have summed it up exactly: Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. How are we to be part of that people, to look on God and live with him for ever? As St Paul says, The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love coming out of a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
For “a clear conscience” we may read “hope”. Faith, hope, and charity, therefore, lead to God the man who prays, the man, that is, believes, hopes, and desires, and is guided as to what he should ask from the Lord by studying the Lord’s Prayer.

Concluding Prayer
Almighty and ever-living God, make us devoted to doing your will and serving you in your majesty with sincere hearts. 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.