[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

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.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed. The Lord’s right hand has raised me up.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

  and his kindness is for ever.

Now let Israel say, he is good

  and his kindness is for ever.

Now let the house of Aaron say it too:

  that his kindness is for ever.

Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:

  that his kindness is for ever.

In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:

  he listened, and led me to freedom.

The Lord is with me,

  I will fear nothing that man can do.

The Lord, my help, is with me,

  and I shall look down upon my enemies.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,

  better than to trust in men.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,

  better than to trust in the leaders of men.

All the nations surrounded me,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They crowded in and besieged me,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They surrounded me like swarms of bees,

  they burned like a fire of dry thorns,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,

  and the Lord came to my help.

The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:

  he has become my saviour.

A cry of joy and salvation

  in the dwellings of the righteous:

“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!

  The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;

  the Lord’s right hand has triumphed.”

I shall not die, but live,

  and tell of the works of the Lord.

The Lord chastised me severely

  but did not let me die.

Open the gates of righteousness:

  I will go in, and thank the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;

  it is the upright who enter here.

I will thank you, for you listened to me,

  and became my saviour.

The stone that the builders rejected

  has become the corner-stone.

It was the Lord who did this –

  it is marvellous to behold.

This is the day that was made by the Lord:

  let us rejoice today, and be glad.

Lord, keep me safe;

  O Lord, let me prosper!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

  We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, he shines upon us!

  Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,

  up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I will give thanks to you;

  my God, I will give you praise.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

  and his kindness is 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.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed. The Lord’s right hand has raised me up.

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Canticle	Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Let us sing the hymn of the three youths as they walked in the fiery furnace. Let us bless the Lord.
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,   praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory   praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory   praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,   seated on the cherubim,   praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven   praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works,   praise and exalt him 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.
Let us sing the hymn of the three youths as they walked in the fiery furnace. Let us bless the Lord.

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Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord in his mighty firmament.

Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,

  praise him in his mighty firmament.

Praise him for his mighty deeds,

  praise him for all his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet-blasts,

  praise him with the harp and lyre,

praise him with timbrel and dance,

  praise him with strings and pipes,

praise him with cymbals resounding,

  praise him with cymbals of jubilation.

All that breathes, praise the Lord!

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.

Praise the Lord in his mighty firmament.

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Short reading	Nehemiah 8:9,10 ©
This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.

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Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’
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.
Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’

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Prayers and Intercessions

?

God’s treasury of gifts is infinite. Through Jesus Christ, his ever-living Son who intercedes for us, let us give him glory and pray: – Kindle in us the fire of your love. God of compassion, may we be full of kind actions today:   may everyone experience our humanity. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. With the ark you saved Noah from the waters of the flood:   with the waters of baptism, save those who are soon to be baptized. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. May we be fed not by bread alone   but by every word that comes from your mouth. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. Make us make up every quarrel   and rejoice in your gifts of peace, concord and love. – Kindle in us the fire of your love.

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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 who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

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O God, you told us to listen to your beloved Son.

  Nourish us by planting your word within us;

  give us spiritual clearsightedness

  to see and enjoy the vision of your glory.

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.

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

A M E N

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 9:2-10

Peter wore his heart on his sleeve. He loved Jesus and wanted to do everything for him.

His intentions were so good! Yet this fisherman had a knack for the impetuous. He was very good at acting before thinking!

Think, for example, of the time when Peter jumped out of a boat and onto a storm-tossed lake. Then, when he recalled that humans are not supposed to walk on water, he sank. At another time, just after Jesus predicted his death on the cross, Peter rebuked him. Or what about the time when Peter tried to keep Jesus from washing his feet? When Jesus corrected that impetuous thought, Peter immediately replied with another one: “Then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well” (John 13:9).

Today’s Gospel story fits right into this pattern. Peter was awestruck at the sight of Jesus being transfigured. Perhaps he was frightened also, as well as filled with joy. So how did he react? By offering to build a monument to the event. And God was quick to correct Peter—again: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7).

We all can be like Peter. Perhaps we are not as impetuous, but we all tend to focus on what we can do for Jesus, while God wants us first and foremost to listen to him.

Lent is a wonderful time for us to learn how to listen to Jesus. We need to pay more careful attention to what Jesus wants to say to us and less attention to what we can do for him. Our God is not cold and distant. He is generous and loving. He wants to share his life with us. But sometimes we’re just too busy serving him to receive from him!

When you are at Mass today, try your best to listen to Jesus. When you meditate on the Transfiguration, put yourself at the scene. Imagine how this miracle would impact your life and your thinking. You might just find the Holy Spirit filling you with more grace and drawing you closer to the Lord.

“Lord, teach me how to listen to your voice.”

Genesis 22:1-2,9-10,13,15-18; Psalm 116:10,15-19; Romans 8:31-34