God, come to our assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us your peace.
And when the trials of earth shall cease.
Grant us the morning light of grace,
The radiant splendor of your face.
Immortal, Holy, Threefold Light.
Yours be the kingdom, pow’r, and might;
All glory be eternally
To you, life-giving Trinity!
Psalmody
Antiphon 1: “Be steadfast in walking in the vocation to which you were called. (CCD: Vol. 5, p.256)
Psalm 113
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
may the name of the LORD be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens God’s glory.
Who is like the LORD our God,
enthroned on high,
looking down on heaven and earth?
God raises the needy from the dust,
lifts the poor from the ash heap,
Seats them with princes,
the princes of the people,
Gives the childless wife a home,
the joyful mother of children.
Glory to the Father….
Antiphon 1: “Be steadfast in walking in the vocation to which you were called.” (CCD: Vol. 5, p.256)
Antiphon 2: “Holiness consists in this: doing well what you do, in conformity with your vocation.” (CCD: Vol. 10, p. 284)
Psalm 15
Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
and dwell on your holy mountain?
Those who walks without fault,
who act with justice
and speak the truth from the heart,
who does not slander with the tongue,
who does no wrong to their kindred,
who casts no slur on neighbors,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honors those who fear the Lord;
those who keep their word, come what may,
who take no interest on a loan
and accept no bribes against the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.
Glory to the Father…
Antiphon 2: “Holiness consists in this: doing well what you do, in conformity with your vocation.” (CCD: Vol. 10, p. 284)
Antiphon 3: “We must conform ourselves to the will of God and adore the wisdom of His ways.” (CCD: Vol. 5, p. 117)
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight,
to be full of love.
He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.
Glory to the Father….
Antiphon 3: “We must conform ourselves to the will of God and adore the wisdom of His ways.” (CCD: Vol. 5, p. 117)
Reading
From a conference of St. Vincent de Paul (Liturgy of the Hours: Proper of the Congregation of the Mission, 1978, pp.63-64)
To preach the Gospel to the poor is an exalted task; it is pre-eminently a task of the Son of God. We are the instruments by which the Son of God continues to do from heaven what he did on earth. It is an important reason for praising God, my brothers; and to thank him continuously for this grace! To preach the Gospel to the poor does not simply mean to teach mysteries necessary for salvation, but…to make the Gospel into a reality.
To form priests who devote themselves to the care of the poor, was this not the task of Our Lord…who personally alleviated their lot, comforting and curing them? Are not the poor the suffering members of Our Lord? Are they not our brothers and sisters? And if the priests abandon them, who will come to their aid?
Therefore, if any among us are of the opinion that he belongs to the Congregation to preach the Gospel to the poor, but not to alleviate their distress, or to provide for their spiritual needs, but not for their temporal ones, I say this in rebuttal: we must come to their aid ourselves, or have others to come to their aid in every way possible. To do this is to preach the Gospel in work and work; it is the most perfect way, and it is what Our Lord has practiced and what is to be done by those who represent him here on earth.
Responsory
Let us love God, brothers, let us love God,
– Let us love God, brothers, let us love God.
With the strength of our arms,
– and with the sweat of our brows.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Let us love God, brothers with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.
MAGNIFICAT
Antiphon: Our Lord is found in humility of heart and simplicity of words and actions.” (CCD: Vol. 12, p.182)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever. Glory to the Father….
Antiphon: Our Lord is found in humility of heart and simplicity of words and actions.”
Intercessions
God has made an everlasting covenant with his people, never ceasing to bless us. Grateful for our Vincentian vocation, we confidently direct our prayers:
Save your people, Lord, especially the poor who are our portion,
– energize the Vincentian Family to serve them in Jesus’ name.
Give our confreres a share in your life by deepening our vocation,
– help us to find Christ in the poor and the poor in Christ.
Show your love to those who are suffering,
– give us the eyes to see them with the compassion of Christ.
Call and confirm young men to follow Christ as Vincentians, – give them the grace to “put out into the deep” joining our community for mission.
Bless our seminarians and enlighten those discerning a vocation to our community. – may they find strength and grace to labor in the Lord’s harvest.
Grant eternal rest to those who have died, especially our family members and confreres,
– welcome them into the company of the faithful departed.
Through the intercession and protection of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, – may we encourage all to come to Mary ‘at the foot of the altar’ in faith-filled devotion.
Our Father
Closing Prayer
Father,
may this evening pledge of our service to you
bring you glory and praise.
For our salvation you looked with favor
on the lowliness of the Virgin Mary;
lead us to the fullness of the salvation
you have prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Salve Regina
