(Make the sign of the cross with your right thumb on your lips, saying:)

Lord, open my lips and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

INVITATORY: Come, let us worship the Lord.
He is the King who is to come.

Psalm 119-S (118-S)
I call with all my heart, Lord, hear me,
I will keep your statutes.
I call upon you, save me
and I will do your will.

I rise before dawn and cry for help,
I hope in your word.
My eyes watch through the night
to ponder your promise.

In your love hear my voice, O Lord;
give me life by your decrees.
Those who harm me unjustly draw near;
they are far from your law.

But you, O Lord, are close,
your commands are truth.
Long have I known that your will is established 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 will be for ever. Amen

Come, let us worship the Lord.
He is the King who is to come.

ANT: Our strength is in you, O Lord. We will always praise you, our Savior.

Canticle 30 (Exodus 15)
I will sing to the Lord, glorious his triumph!
Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation.
This is my God, and I extol him.

He is my father's God, and I give him praise.
The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name.
The chariots of Pharaoh he hurled into the sea.
The flower of his army is drowned in the sea.

The enemy said "I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the plunder, I shall have my will.
I will draw my sword and my hand shall destroy them."
You blew with your breath and the sea closed over them.
They went down like lead into the mighty waters.

Who is like you among the gods, O Lord,
who is like you so glorious in holiness,
spreading fear through your deeds, you who do marvels?
You stretched forth your hand, the earth engulfed them.
Your love has guided the people you redeemed;
your power has led them to your holy dwelling.

Glory be 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: Our strength is in you, O Lord. We will always praise you, our Savior.

READING (Isaiah 11:1-2)
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.

[Reflect on the Reading, applying it to your life today.]

ANT: O people of Zion, banish your fears. God, your God, is coming to you.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH (Luke 1:68-79)
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 be 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: O people of Zion, banish your fears. God, your God, is coming to you.

INTERCESSIONS

From all eternity, O God, you have called us, your people, to salvation in Jesus your Son. Protect us and help us through our journey on earth to eternal life in heaven. We pray to the Lord.

Lord, teach all men and women to listen to your word and teachings and help believers to always remain holy. We pray to the Lord.

Lord, bless those who dedicate their lives to working with sick people, may they bring your healing touch to those they serve. We pray to the Lord.

During this winter season, O Lord, protect us from extreme weather, and provide the poor with adequate heat. We pray to the Lord.

(Pray for your special intentions.)

OUR FATHER
And now we pray to God the Father in the words that Jesus 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.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen

PRAYER
God our Father, you loved the world so much you gave your only Son to free us from the ancient power of sin and death. Help us who wait for his coming, and lead us to true liberty. 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