(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: Lord, lay your healing hand upon me, for I have sinned.

Psalm 41 (40)
Happy those who consider the poor and the weak.
The Lord will save them in the evil day,
will guard them, give them life, make them happy in the land
and will not give them up to the will of their foes.
The Lord will give them strength in their pain,
will bring them back from sickness to health.

As for me, I said "Lord, have mercy on me,
heal my soul for I have sinned against you."
My foes are speaking evil against me.
They want me to die and my name to perish.
They come to visit me and speak empty words,
their hearts full of malice, they spread it abroad.

My enemies whisper together against me.
They all weigh up the evil which is on me.
They say something deadly is fixed upon me
and I will not rise from where I lie.
Thus even my friend, in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has turned against me.

But you, O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let me rise once more and I will repay them.
By this I shall know that you are my friend,
if my foes do not shout in triumph over me.
If you uphold me I shall be unharmed
and set in your presence for evermore.

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: Lord, lay your healing hand upon me, for I have sinned.

ANT: The mighty Lord is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Psalm 46 (45)
God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea;
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The waters of a river give joy to God's city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken;
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.
(He burns the shields with fire.)
"Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!"

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our strong-hold.

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 mighty Lord is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

READING (Romans 15:1-3)
We who are strong in faith should be patient
with the scruples of those whose faith is weak;
we must not be selfish.
Each should please his neighbor so as to do him good by building up his spirit.
Thus, in accord with Scripture, Christ did not please himself:
"The reproaches they uttered against you fell on me.:

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

ANT: The Lord has come to the help of his servants,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

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: The Lord has come to the help of his servants,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

INTERCESSIONS
Blessed be God, who hears the prayers of the needy,
and fills the hungry with good things.
Let us pray to him in confidence; Lord, show us your mercy.

Merciful Father, upon the cross Jesus offered you the perfect evening sacrifice,
we pray now for all the suffering members of his Church.

Release those in bondage, give sight to the blind,
shelter the widow and the orphan.

Clothe your faithful people in the armor of salvation,
and shield them from the deceptions of the devil.

Let your merciful presence be with us, Lord, at the hour of our death,
may we be found faithful and leave this world in your peace.

Lead the departed into the light of your dwelling-place,
that they may gaze upon you for all eternity.

[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,
help us to follow the example
of your Son's patience in suffering.
By sharing the burden he carries,
may we come to share his glory
in the kingdom where he lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen