[Salvation]

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.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 33 (34)

The Lord, the salvation of the righteous

The angel of the Lord will build defences round those who fear the Lord: he will come to their rescue.

I shall bless the Lord for ever:

  my mouth will proclaim his praise.

My soul will glory in the Lord:

  let the meek listen and rejoice.

Join me and proclaim the greatness of the Lord:

  together let us exalt his name.

I sought the Lord and he listened to me:

  he rescued me from all my fears.

Look to him and he will shine upon you,

  and you will not be put to shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord answered him

  and saved him from all his many troubles.

The angel of the Lord will build defences

  round those who fear the Lord:

  he will come to their rescue.

Taste and see that the Lord is kind:

  happy the man who hopes in him.

Revere the Lord, his saints:

  for those who fear him are never destitute.

The rich are hungry and in want,

  but for those who seek the Lord

  there is no lack of good things.

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 angel of the Lord will build defences round those who fear the Lord: he will come to their rescue.

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Psalm 33 (34)

Long live the Lord! for his angel has guarded me.

Come, children, listen to me:

  I shall teach you the fear of the Lord.

Who is the man sho desires life,

  who wants to live long to enjoy good things?

Do not let your tongue speak evil:

  let your lips not utter deceit.

Avoid evil, do good:

  seek peace and follow it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the just

  and his ears hear their cries;

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil:

  he wipes their memory from the earth.

The just cried out, and the Lord listened

  and freed them from all their many troubles.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted:

  the crushed in spirit he will save.

Many are the troubles of the just,

  but the Lord will free them from all of them.

He will protect all their bones:

  not one will be broken.

Their own evil destroys sinners:

  those who hate the just will be punished.

The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants:

  those who put their hope in him will not be punished.

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.

Long live the Lord! for his angel has guarded me.

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Canticle	Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
Bless the God of heaven, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you.
We thank you,   Lord God Almighty, who are and who were,   that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign. The nations were angered,   but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged, the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants,   and those who feared your name, both great and small. Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God,   and the power of his Anointed, for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down,   who accused them day and night in the sight of God. But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb   and through their own witness. They did not cling to life,   even in the face of death. Therefore rejoice, heavens,   and you who dwell in them. 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.
Bless the God of heaven, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you.

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Short reading	Apocalypse 8:3-4 ©
An angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar. A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints.

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Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
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.
Their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.

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Prayers and Intercessions

?

Let us pray to the Lord that, with the angels who do his will, we may be made more eager to hear his words: – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory. O God, you have made the angels messengers of the wonders you perform:   with their help make us your messengers to mankind. – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory. Most high Lord, the angels unceasingly proclaim your holiness:   grant that your praise may resound in the Church forever. – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory. You have sent your angels to watch over your servants in their ways:   make all travellers arrive safely home in peace and rejoicing. – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory. You sent the angels to proclaim peace to men:   send them to bring counsel of peace to rulers and peoples. – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory. When you send your angels to gather your chosen ones from the four corners of the earth,   may all your children be numbered among those you have chosen. – With the angels we sing the praises of your glory.

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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, in your infinite providence you deign to send your holy angels to be our guardians. Grant to us who pray to you

  that we may be defended by them in this life

  and rejoice with them in the next.

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]

Regnum Christi

Heavenly Helpers

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Friday, 26th week, OT

Father Edward McIlmail, LC

 

Matthew 18: 1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Introductory Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for giving me another day to grow in love for you, another day to move ahead in my spiritual life, another day to pray for the souls closest to me. I want only to please you during this brief time of prayer.

Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of childlike simplicity.

1. Turning the Tables The disciples are curious about the Kingdom of Heaven, and their curiosity has a tinge of self-interest. They want to know how to get ahead in the Kingdom. Their very question belies a misunderstanding of Christ. The Kingdom, among other things, is reflected in the Church on earth. And the Church, being universal, is a kind of family that takes in all mankind. If ever we ask, “Who is the greatest in our family?” we can be sure that it is the wrong kind of question. The more appropriate question is: “How can I be a better member of the family? How can I be a better husband? A better wife? A better son or daughter or brother or sister?” That is the question Christ wants us to ask ourselves.

2. Child´s Play We must not think that Christ had a naive notion of children as little angels who never do wrong. So why does Christ hold up children as models for the rest of us? In part, it is their simplicity, their tendency to trust. They might not understand why a parent tells them something, but they likely will accept it because they realize it comes from someone who loves them. The spiritual life requires that same kind of trust. We might not understand completely why God asks us to do something, but if there´s a basic trust and openness to him, it is easier to follow his commands. Many people, unfortunately, squander what should be the most productive years of their lives because they doubt God and his Church. They complicate things, only to find years later the wisdom of what Our Lord was trying to tell them. By then, their faults can be forgiven, but not undone. Once a vase is broken, it can be fixed but it will never be the same as if it had never broken. Am I saying no to God because of a lack of trust?

3. Angelic Aid Prayers to guardian angels used to be popular with Catholics. It is fitting that we pray to them, because each of us has one. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life," writes St. Basil (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 336). Our angel reflects God´s loving providence for our welfare and protection. The world is a moral minefield, waiting for us to make the wrong step. Our angel helps us make it through this valley of tears. Do I ever think to pray to my angel?

Conversation with Christ: The simplicity of children can make me look foolish by comparison. I believe in you and trust you, Lord. Help me to translate that trust into serenity and simplicity. Let me accept the crosses of daily life with calmness, seeing your loving designs behind them.

Resolution: I will say “yes” to the next difficult thing someone asks of me, so long as it is something morally good.