MORNING PRAYER FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020
God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant 1 Though sinless, the Lord has been put to death. The world is in mourning as for an only son.
Psalm 64
Prayer for help against enemies
This psalm commemorates most particularly our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).
Hear my voice, O God, as I complain, *
guard my life from dread of the foe.
Hide me from the band of the wicked, *
from the throng of those who do evil.
They sharpen their tongues like swords; *
they aim bitter words like arrows
to shoot at the innocent from ambush, *
shooting suddenly and recklessly.
They scheme their evil course; *
they conspire to lay secret snares.
They say: “Who will see us? *
Who can search out our crimes?”
He will search who searches the mind *
and knows the depth of the heart.
God has shot them with his arrow *
and dealt them sudden wounds.
Their own tongue has brought them to ruin *
and all who see them mock.
Then will all men fear; *
they will tell what God has done.
They will understand God’s deeds. *
The just will rejoice in the Lord
and fly to him for refuge. *
All the upright hearts will glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Though sinless, the Lord has been put to death. The world is in mourning as for an only son.
Psalm Prayer
[Father, you gave your Son victory over the men who plotted evil against him; when he cried to you in his agony, you delivered him from fear of his enemies. May those who suffer with him in this life find refuge and success in you.]
Ant. 2 From the jaws of hell, Lord, rescue my soul.
Canticle: Isaiah 38:10-14, 17b-20
Anguish of a dying man and joy in his restoration
I was living, I was dead . . . and I hold the keys of death (Revelation 1:17-18).
Once I said, *
“In the noontime of life I must depart!
To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned *
for the rest of my years.”
I said, “I shall see the Lord no more *
in the land of the living.
No longer shall I behold my fellow men *
among those who dwell in the world.”
My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent, *
is struck down and borne away from me;
you have folded up my life, like a weaver *
who severs the last thread.
Day and night you give me over to torment; *
I cry out until the dawn.
Like a lion he breaks all my bones; *
day and night you give me over to torment.
Like a swallow I utter shrill cries; *
I moan like a dove.
My eyes grow weak, gazing heavenward: *
O Lord, I am in straits; be my surety!
You have preserved my life *
from the pit of destruction,
When you cast behind your back *
all my sins.
For it is not the nether world that gives you thanks, *
nor death that praises you;
Neither do those who go down into the pit *
await your kindness.
The living, the living give you thanks, *
as I do today.
Fathers declare to their sons, *
O God, your faithfulness.
The Lord is our savior; *
we shall sing to stringed instruments
In the house of the Lord *
all the days of our life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. From the jaws of hell, Lord, rescue my soul.
Ant 3. I was dead, but now I live for ever, and I hold the keys of death and of hell.
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Let mind and heart be in your song: this is to glorify God with your whole self (Hesychius).
Praise God in his holy place, *
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds, *
praise his surpassing greatness.
O praise him with sound of trumpet, *
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance, *
praise him with strings and pipes.
O praise him with resounding cymbals, *
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes *
give praise to the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
[Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just ones holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.]
Ant. I was dead, but now I live for ever, and I hold the keys of death and of hell.
READING
Hosea 5:15b-16:2
Thus says the Lord,
In their affliction, they shall look for me:
“Come, let us return to the Lord,
For it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;
he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.
He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence.”
In place of the Responory the following is said:
Ant. For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross. Therefore God raised him on high and gave him the name above all other names.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Save us, O Savior of the world. On the cross you redeemed us by the shedding of your blood; we cry out for your help, O God.
Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68 -79
The Messiah and his forerunner
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 savior, *
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 God *
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.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Save us, O Savior of the world. On the cross you redeemed us by the shedding of your blood; we cry out for your help, O God.
INTERCESSIONS
Our Redeemer suffered and was buried for us in order to rise again. With sincere love we adore him, and aware of our needs we cry out:
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ our Savior, your sorrowing Mother stood by you at your death and burial,
– in our sorrows may we share your suffering.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ our Lord, like the seed buried in the ground, you brought forth for us the harvest of grace,
– may we die to sin and live for God.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ the Good Shepherd, in death you lay hidden from the world,
– teach us to love a life hidden with you in the Father.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, the new Adam, you entered the kingdom of death to release all the just since the beginning of the world,
– may all who lie dead in sin hear your voice and rise to life.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ Son of the living God, through baptism we were buried with you,
– risen also in baptism, may we walk in newness of life.
Lord, have mercy on us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer that Christ himself taught us:)
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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
All-powerful and ever-living God,
your only Son went down among the dead
and rose again in glory.
In your goodness
raise up your faithful people,
buried with him in baptism,
to be one with him
in the everlasting life of heaven,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
– And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
– Amen.