Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool.” From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.” The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. 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 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool.”

From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”
The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls;
he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high.

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 115 (116B)
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted,” when I said in my terror, “all men are liars.” How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me? I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful. O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son. You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem. 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 115 (116B)

Thanksgiving in the Temple

Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted,”
when I said in my terror, “all men are liars.”

How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me?
I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful.

O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son.
You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem.

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	Apocalypse 4,5
The song of the redeemed
You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created. You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals, for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation, and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth. The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing. 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

Apocalypse 4,5

The song of the redeemed

You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power;
for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created.

You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals,
for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth.

The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing.

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	2 Corinthians 6:16,7:1 ©
You are the temple of the living God. We have God’s word for it: I will make my home among them and live with them; I will be their God and they shall be my people. With promises like these made to us, dear brothers, let us wash off all that can soil either body or spirit, to reach perfection of holiness in the fear of God.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children 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.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children 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.

Prayers and Intercessions

O God, you are the crown of all the saints. With joy we bring you our prayers: - Lord, bring us salvation through the intercession of the saints.
God of all wisdom, through Christ you chose the apostles to be the foundation of your Church:: keep your people faithful to their teaching.
You gave the martyrs the strength to bear witness even if it meant shedding their blood:: make Christians faithful witnesses to your Son.
You have given consecrated virgins the special gift of imitating Christ’s virginity:: grant that they may recognise the virginity they have consecrated to you as a special sign of heavenly grace.
In all the saints you reveal your presence, your care and your teaching:: grant to the faithful who venerate them the sense of being closer to you.
Make the dead dwell forever with the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed Joseph and all the saints:: through their intercession bestow us a place in their company in heaven.

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.

Almighty and ever-living God, you have allowed us to venerate the merits of all your saints in one single feast.
Grant us, through the intercession of them all,
the abundant kindness we seek from you.

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

Regnum Christi

Christian Life in a Nutshell
November 1, 2008

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

All Saints

Father Patrick Langan, LC

Matthew 5: 1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness´ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord, recognizing your complete dominion over my life, I place myself in your presence. I believe you are my Lord and God. I hope in the power of your grace working in my life and in the eternity you have prepared for me. I love you for your many blessings and gifts. Help me to love you worthily in return. Without you I can do nothing, so come to my aid today.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to assimilate the beatitudes into my daily living so that I may become a greater witness to you.

1. Where Do My Values Rank? Each one of the beatitudes is a challenge that turns the world’s values upside down. They are an invitation to reflect on where our values lie. If we set our hearts on and put our energies in the world’s values (avarice, gluttony and self-indulgence, superficial joy and amusement, vanity) we might obtain them for a while, but they will never last or ever satisfy us. If we set our heart on and put our energy into pleasing our Creator and following Christ, even though we may have all kinds of trouble, our happiness will be lasting. With Christ’s coming, human values were included in the plan of our redemption and so were promoted and transformed. Christianity does not suppress or underrate human values, but rather, it gives them a new direction and a new spirit and meaning. From these arise the Christian values that Christ handed on to us in his Gospel message. The beatitudes offer us an X-ray of what the heart of a person centered on the Gospel should be: poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure, seeking justice and peace, and patient amidst persecution.

2. Where Do I Seek Happiness? The Catechism of the Catholic Church in Number 1717 tells us the beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin. God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it. St. Augustine writes, “How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from you” (Confessions 10, 20). Only in prayer can I set my heart on Christ and the beatitude he has prepared for us. Mary is the example of one who reflected on and lived the beatitudes perfectly.

3. Road to Eternity Jesus clarifies the idea of holiness and eternal life by pointing out the way that leads to it. The starting point is our own human condition, in which suffering is not a chance occurrence, but rather a reality connected with the very structure of life. Jesus did not come to do away with suffering, but to redeem it by making it a means of salvation and eternal happiness. Poverty, afflictions, injustices, and persecutions do not demean, but rather ennoble and purify, when they are accepted by a heart that is humble and submissive to God’s will, a heart that has the serenity that comes from faith in him and desires to share in Christ’s passion. They make us like the suffering Savior and, therefore, worthy of sharing in his glory. This does not mean we do not try to defend ourselves or prevent – as far as possible – these evils, but if they happen we can use them to our advantage.

Conversation with Christ:Lord, help me to live the beatitudes today and to see with the eyes of faith the happiness they bring. Help me to take advantage of all the suffering that may come my way so as to convert it into a great source of grace. Even though I feel incapable of living these ideals by my own effort, I have great confidence in your grace.

Resolution:I will choose one of the beatitudes and put a special effort into living it today.