Morning Prayer

0524 Dedication of a Church Feast

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HYMN

The church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth;
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder
we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping;
their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song. Amen.

PSALMODY

Psalm 63:2-9
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

Ant. 1:My house will be called a house of prayer.

O God, you are my God, for you I long; *
for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you *
like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary *
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life, *
my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life, *
in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, *
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you. *
On you I muse through the night

for you have been my help; *
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.

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:My house will be called a house of prayer.

Canticle: Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5).

Ant. 2:Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. *
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. *
You heavens, bless the Lord.

All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord. *
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.

Sun and moon, bless the Lord. *
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord. *
All you winds, bless the Lord.

Fire and heat, bless the Lord. *
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.

Dew and rain, bless the Lord. *
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.

Ice and snow, bless the Lord. *
Nights and days, bless the Lord.

Light and darkness, bless the Lord. *
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord. *
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Mountains and hills, bless the Lord. *
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.

You springs, bless the Lord. *
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.

You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord. *
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.

All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord. *
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord. *
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. *
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.

Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord. *
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.

Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord. *
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. *
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.

Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven. *
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. 2: Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy people.
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Ant. 3:Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

Sing a new song to the Lord, *
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its maker, *
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

Let them praise his name with dancing *
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people. *
He crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, *
shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips *
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations *
and punishment on all the peoples;

to bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles in fetters of iron;

to carry out the sentence pre-ordained; *
this honor is for all his faithful.

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. 3:Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

READING [Isaiah 56:7]
Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; Their holocausts and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

RESPONSORY
【V】:The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.
【R】:The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

【V】:In the city of our God and on his holy mountain,
【R】:he exceeds all praise.

【V】:Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
【R】:The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

Benedictus Antiphon
Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come to his house.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! *
He has visited his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up for us a mighty saviour *
in the house of David his servant,

as he promised by the lips of holy men, *
those who were his prophets from of old.

A saviour who would free us from our foes, *
from the hands of all who hate us.

So his love for our fathers is fulfilled *
and his holy covenant remembered.

He swore to Abraham our father to grant us, *
that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes,

we might serve him in holiness and justice *
all the days of our life in his presence.

As for you, little child, *
you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High.

You shall go ahead of the Lord *
to prepare his ways before him,

To make known to his people their salvation *
through forgiveness of all their sins,

the loving-kindness of the heart of our God *
who visits us like the dawn from on high.

He will give light to those in darkness, +
those who dwell in the shadow of death, *
and guide us 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.

Benedictus Antiphon
Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come to his house.

INTERCESSIONS
We are the living stones, laid upon the cornerstone that is Christ. Let us pray to our all-powerful Father for his Son’s beloved Church, professing our faith in her as we say:
This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.【R】

Father, like the farmer, prune your vineyard, protect it and increase its yield,
- until it extends before you throughout the world.【R】

Eternal shepherd, protect and increase your flock,
- that all the sheep may be gathered into one flock under your Son, the one shepherd.【R】

All-powerful sower, plant the word in your field,
- that it may yield a hundredfold for your eternal harvest.【R】

Wise builder, sanctify your home and your family,
- that the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, your spouse, may appear before all as your glorious bride.【R】

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
Lord God, you choose men as living stones to become an eternal dwelling, built to the glory of your name. Increase your gifts of grace to the Church. Through the prayers of our Blessed Father Francis may your faithful people throng in ever greater numbers to form the heavenly Jerusalem: 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.