Fourth Sunday of Lent Morning Prayer

Transcription

1 Today the entrance antiphon of the Mass begins with the word rejoice! We are near to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ! We must also remember that we are ever-closer to Resurrection, so let us lift up our hearts to our ever-loving Father! HYMN: Children of the Light (CD: On that Day by Scott Soper) Refrain: We live no longer for ourselves: We live in Christ, we are God s new creation! We walk no longer in the night; We walk with Jesus as children of light! Verses: 1. We are no longer woman or man, no longer servant or free; We have put on Christ! We are children of God! In God s kingdom we all become one! 2. We are no longer who we once were, Lost in the darkness of night; God became like us, Became fragile like us, So that we might be holy like God! 3. We are one in the Lord, we are one in the faith, in one Spirit we live as God s own. Let us walk in the light, let us walk in the ways of compassion, of justice and peace 1

2 Antiphon: All peoples of the earth give praise and thanks to our God. Psalm 122 I rejoiced when they said to me Let us go to the house of the Lord. And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem built as a city, walled round about. There the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as it was decreed for Israel. To give thanks to the name of our God There are the thrones of justice the thrones of the house of David. For the peace of Jerusalem pray; May those who love you prosper. May peace be within your ramparts, prosperity within your towers For the sake of my friends I say Peace be with you for the sake of the house of our God I pray for your good. Glory be Antiphon: Sing to the Lord and bless His name. Psalm 138 I thank you Lord with all my heart. In the presence of the angels, to you I sing. I bow low toward your holy temple. I praise your name for your mercy and your faithfulness. For you have exalted over all your name and your promise. On the day I cried out, you answered, you strengthened my spirit. All the kings of the earth will praise you, Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth. They will sing of the way of the Lord How great is the glory of the Lord. 2

3 The Lord is on high, but cares for the lowly and knows the proud from afar. Though I walk in the midst of dangers, you guard my life when the enemies rage. You stretch out your hand; your right hand saves me. The Lord is with me to the end. Lord your mercy endures forever. Never forsake the work of your hands. Glory be ( Psalm Translation taken from The Catholic Study Bible- Second edition - Oxford University Press.) Reading: O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God so humbles himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Look at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by Him. Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that he who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally. (St Francis: Taken from a Letter to the Entire Order) Responsory: From the depths of our hearts, we cry to you, Father, - hear us we pray. We will do what you desire - hear us we pray. Glory be to the Father -From the depths 3

4 Canticle of Zechariah Antiphon: Remember the marvels that God has done for us. Blessed be the Lord, The God of Israel; He has come to His people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, Born of the house of His servant David. Through His holy prophets He promised of old That He would save us from our enemies, From the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers And to remember His holy Covenant. This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham: To set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship Him without fear, Holy and righteous in His sight All the days of our life. You, My child shall be called The prophet of the Most High, For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, To give his people knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our Lord The dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness And the shadow of death, And to guide our feet into the way of peace. 4

5 Intercessions: Let us joyfully cry out in thanks to God our Father who guides and nourishes us. At the beginning of this day fill our hearts with zeal for serving you -so that our thoughts and actions may redound to your glory. Father, be present to Pope Benedict, the Bishops and Priests of your Church -may you guide them to lead your people to you. Help us in this Lenten season to listen more frequently to your word -that we may celebrate the solemnity of Easter with greater love for Christ, our paschal sacrifice. Give to the dead the perfect joy of your steadfast love -and number us also among your chosen ones. Our Father Prayer: Father, may our Lenten observance prepare us to embrace the paschal mystery and to proclaim your salvation with joyful praise. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. 5