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 68 (69)
I am consumed with zeal for your house
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I am stuck in bottomless mud; I am adrift in deep waters and the flood is sweeping me away. I am exhausted with crying out, my throat is parched, my eyes are failing as I look out for my God. Those who hate me for no reason are more than the hairs of my head. They are strong, my persecutors, my lying enemies: they make me give back things I never took. God, you know my weakness: my crimes are not hidden from you. Let my fate not put to shame those who trust in you, Lord, Lord of hosts. Let them not be dismayed on my account, those who seek you, God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I am taunted and covered in confusion: I have become a stranger to my own brothers, a wanderer in the eyes of my mother’s children – because zeal for your house is consuming me, and the taunts of those who hate you fall upon my head. I have humbled my soul with fasting and they reproach me for it. I have made sackcloth my clothing and they make me a byword. The idlers at the gates speak against me; for drinkers of wine, I am the butt of their songs. 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 68 (69)

I am consumed with zeal for your house

Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I am stuck in bottomless mud;
I am adrift in deep waters
and the flood is sweeping me away.
I am exhausted with crying out, my throat is parched,
my eyes are failing as I look out for my God.
Those who hate me for no reason
are more than the hairs of my head.
They are strong, my persecutors, my lying enemies:
they make me give back things I never took.

God, you know my weakness:
my crimes are not hidden from you.
Let my fate not put to shame those who trust in you,
Lord, Lord of hosts.
Let them not be dismayed on my account,
those who seek you, God of Israel.

For it is for your sake that I am taunted
and covered in confusion:
I have become a stranger to my own brothers,
a wanderer in the eyes of my mother’s children –
because zeal for your house is consuming me,
and the taunts of those who hate you
fall upon my head.

I have humbled my soul with fasting
and they reproach me for it.
I have made sackcloth my clothing
and they make me a byword.
The idlers at the gates speak against me;
for drinkers of wine, I am the butt of their songs.

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 68 (69)
But I turn my prayer to you, Lord, at the acceptable time, my God. In your great kindness, hear me, and rescue me with your faithful help. Tear me from the mire, before I become stuck; tear me from those who hate me; tear me from the depths of the waters. Do not let the waves overwhelm me; do not let the deep waters swallow me; do not let the well’s mouth engulf me. Hear me, Lord, for you are kind and good. In your abundant mercy, look upon me. Do not turn your face from your servant: I am suffering, so hurry to answer me. Come to my soul and deliver it, rescue me from my enemies’ attacks. You know how I am taunted and ashamed; how I am thrown into confusion. You can see all those who are troubling me. Reproach has shattered my heart – I am sick. I looked for sympathy, but none came; I looked for a consoler but did not find one. They gave me bitterness to eat; when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. 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 68 (69)

But I turn my prayer to you, Lord,
at the acceptable time, my God.
In your great kindness, hear me,
and rescue me with your faithful help.
Tear me from the mire, before I become stuck;
tear me from those who hate me;
tear me from the depths of the waters.
Do not let the waves overwhelm me;
do not let the deep waters swallow me;
do not let the well’s mouth engulf me.

Hear me, Lord, for you are kind and good.
In your abundant mercy, look upon me.
Do not turn your face from your servant:
I am suffering, so hurry to answer me.

Come to my soul and deliver it,
rescue me from my enemies’ attacks.
You know how I am taunted and ashamed;
how I am thrown into confusion.

You can see all those who are troubling me.
Reproach has shattered my heart – I am sick.
I looked for sympathy, but none came;
I looked for a consoler but did not find one.
They gave me bitterness to eat;
when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

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 68 (69)
I am weak and I suffer, but your help, O God, will sustain me. I will praise the name of God in song and proclaim his greatness with praises. This will please the Lord more than oxen, than cattle with their horns and hooves. Let the humble see and rejoice. Seek the Lord, and your heart shall live, for the Lord has heard the needy and has not despised his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that swims in them. For the Lord will make Sion safe and build up the cities of Judah: there they will live, the land will be theirs. The seed of his servants will inherit the land, and those who love his name will dwell there. 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 68 (69)

I am weak and I suffer,
but your help, O God, will sustain me.
I will praise the name of God in song
and proclaim his greatness with praises.
This will please the Lord more than oxen,
than cattle with their horns and hooves.

Let the humble see and rejoice.
Seek the Lord, and your heart shall live,
for the Lord has heard the needy
and has not despised his captive people.
Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that swims in them.
For the Lord will make Sion safe
and build up the cities of Judah:
there they will live, the land will be theirs.
The seed of his servants will inherit the land,
and those who love his name will dwell there.

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	Lamentations 3:1 - 33 ©
Aleph I am the man familiar with misery under the rod of his anger; I am the one he has driven and forced to walk in darkness, and without any light. Against me alone he turns his hand, again and again, all day long. Beth He has wasted my flesh and skin away, has broken my bones. He has made a yoke for me, has encircled my head with weariness. He has forced me to dwell in darkness with the dead of long ago. Ghimel He has walled me in; I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy; and when I call and shout, he shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my ways with cut stones, he has obstructed my paths. Daleth For me he has been a lurking bear, a lion on the watch. He has filled my paths with briars and torn me, he has made me a thing of horror. He has bent his bow and taken aim, making me the target for his arrows. He In my back he has planted his darts, the children of his quiver. I have become the laughing-stock of my whole nation, their butt all day long. He has given me my fill of bitterness, he has made me drunk with wormwood. Waw He has broken my teeth with gravel, he has given me ashes for food. My soul is shut out from peace; I have forgotten happiness. And now I say, ‘My strength is gone, that hope which came from the Lord.’ Zain Brooding on my anguish and affliction is gall and wormwood. My spirit ponders it continually and sinks within me. This is what I shall tell my heart, and so recover hope: Heth the favours of the Lord are not all past, his kindnesses are not exhausted; every morning they are renewed; great is his faithfulness. ‘My portion is the Lord’ says my soul ‘and so I will hope in him.’ Teth The Lord is good to those who trust him, to the soul that searches for him. It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save. It is good for a man to bear the yoke from youth onwards, Yod to sit in solitude and silence when the Lord fastens it on him, to put his lips to the dust – perhaps there still is hope-- to offer his cheek to the striker, to be overwhelmed with insults. Kaph For the Lord does not reject mankind for ever and ever. If he has punished, he has compassion so great is his kindness; since he takes no pleasure in abasing and afflicting the human race.

Reading

Lamentations 3:1 - 33 ©

Aleph
I am the man familiar with misery
under the rod of his anger;
I am the one he has driven and forced to walk
in darkness, and without any light.
Against me alone he turns his hand,
again and again, all day long.

Beth
He has wasted my flesh and skin away,
has broken my bones.
He has made a yoke for me,
has encircled my head with weariness.
He has forced me to dwell in darkness
with the dead of long ago.

Ghimel
He has walled me in; I cannot escape;
he has made my chains heavy;
and when I call and shout,
he shuts out my prayer.
He has blocked my ways with cut stones,
he has obstructed my paths.

Daleth
For me he has been a lurking bear,
a lion on the watch.
He has filled my paths with briars and torn me,
he has made me a thing of horror.
He has bent his bow and taken aim,
making me the target for his arrows.
He
In my back he has planted his darts,
the children of his quiver.
I have become the laughing-stock of my whole nation,
their butt all day long.
He has given me my fill of bitterness,
he has made me drunk with wormwood.

Waw
He has broken my teeth with gravel,
he has given me ashes for food.
My soul is shut out from peace;
I have forgotten happiness.
And now I say, ‘My strength is gone,
that hope which came from the Lord.’

Zain
Brooding on my anguish and affliction
is gall and wormwood.
My spirit ponders it continually
and sinks within me.
This is what I shall tell my heart,
and so recover hope:

Heth
the favours of the Lord are not all past,
his kindnesses are not exhausted;
every morning they are renewed;
great is his faithfulness.
‘My portion is the Lord’ says my soul
‘and so I will hope in him.’

Teth
The Lord is good to those who trust him,
to the soul that searches for him.
It is good to wait in silence
for the Lord to save.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
from youth onwards,

Yod
to sit in solitude and silence
when the Lord fastens it on him,
to put his lips to the dust
– perhaps there still is hope--
to offer his cheek to the striker,
to be overwhelmed with insults.

Kaph
For the Lord does not reject mankind
for ever and ever.
If he has punished, he has compassion
so great is his kindness;
since he takes no pleasure in abasing
and afflicting the human race.

A second reading should come here, from the lives of the saints or the writings of the Fathers of the Church, but the reading for today has not yet been added to the Universalis database. Please be patient. One day all readings will be here.

Concluding Prayer
O God, you have redeemed us and adopted us. Grant to your beloved children that their belief in Christ may bring them true liberty and an eternal inheritance. 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.

The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Optional Memorial
September 12th

Helen Hull Hitchcock

Collect: From the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading (1st Option): Galatians 4:4-7
When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir.

First Reading (2nd Option): Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Gospel Reading:Luke 1:39-47
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.