(Make the sign of the cross, saying:)

God, come to my assistance,
Lord, make haste to help me.
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: All you who are lost and fearful, take heart. Our God will come to save us.

Psalm 16 (15)
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to you Lord "You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone."

You have put into my heart a marvelous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in your land.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
Never will I offer their offerings of blood.
Never will I take their name upon my lips.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup,
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight,
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

I will bless you, Lord, you give me counsel,
and even at night direct my heart.
I keep you, Lord, ever in my sight;
since you are at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.

You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness 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

ANT: All you who are lost and fearful, take heart. Our God will come to save us.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

ANT: The Law was given to Moses. But grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

Canticle 22 (Philippians 2:6-11)
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.
He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even death upon a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him,
and bestowed on him the name that is above ev'ry other name.

That at the name of Jesus ev'ry knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
And ev'ry tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

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: The Law was given to Moses. But grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

READING (1 Thessalonians, 5:23-24)
May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls us is trustworthy, therefore he will do it.

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

ANT: O Lord, may your presence be our peace. We will rejoice in your love for ever.

CANTICLE OF MARY (Lk 1:46-55)
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 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

ANT: O Lord, may your presence be our peace. We will rejoice in your love for ever.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus is born of the Virgin Mary, we pray that he will come and bring us his peace. We pray to the Lord.

Bless those, O Lord, whom you have called to serve in government, that they will minister to all citizens in justice and love . We pray to the Lord.

When you come to judge at the end of time, show us your loving mercy, and forgive us our weaknesses. We pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, by your death you have given hope to those who have died, be merciful to all of our deceased loved ones for whom we pray. 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
Father in heaven, the day draws near when the glory of your Son will make radiant the night of the waiting world. May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek him. May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find him. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen