(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: Yours is mortal Beauty;
every word you speak is full of grace.

Psalm 45 (44)
My heart overflows with noble words.
To the king I must speak the song I have made,
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the people on earth
and graciousness is poured upon your lips,
because God has blest you for evermore.

O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh;
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.

Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand.
Your arrows are sharp, peoples fall beneath you.
The foes of the king fall down and lose heart.

Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever.
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom,
Your love is for justice, your hatred for evil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above other kings;
your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.

From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father's house.
So will the king desire your beauty;
he is your lord, pay homage to him.

And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts,
the richest of the peoples shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor,
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.

She is led to the king with her maiden companions.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.

Children shall be yours in place of your forebears;
you will make them rulers over all the earth.
May this song make your name for ever remembered.
May the peoples praise you from age to age.

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: Yours is mortal Beauty;
every word you speak is full of grace.

ANT: God planned in the fullness of time
to restore all things in Christ.

Canticle 21 (Ephesians 1:3-10)
Blest be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless before him.

He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ,
according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of his glorious grace
which he freely gave us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us.

He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight
the mystery of his will,
according to his purpose that he set forth in Christ,
His purpose he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,
to unite all things in him,
things in heaven and things on earth.

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: God planned in the fullness of time
to restore all things in Christ.

READING (Romans 12:1-2)
Friends, I beg you through the mercy of God
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice
holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform youselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind
so that you may judge what is God's will,
what is good, pleasing and perfect.

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

ANT: Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
For as you have judged them, so God will judge you.

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: Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
For as you have judged them, so God will judge you.

INTERCESSIONS
Our Lord Jesus Christ has saved us from our sins.
As his people, let us call out to him to have mercy on us.

We pray for young people; show them, Lord,
the way you have chosen for each of them;
may they walk in it, and find fulfillment.

Lord in your compassion you have healed all forms of sickness;
bring hope to the sick and raise them up,
teach us to love and care for them.

May all of our deceased relative and friends rise to glory in your peace;
grant us with them a share in your kingdom.

[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 savior,
bring us back to you
and fill our minds with your wisdom.
May we be enriched by our observance of Lent.
Grant 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