Morning Prayer
INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Go to the Hymn
Go to the Psalmody
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 24
Psalm 67
Psalm 100
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
HYMN
Alternate Hymns
The morning light dawns crimson gold,
all heaven echoes hymns of praise,
the world exulting shouts for joy,
and hell with groaning howls in grief.
For that most strong and mighty King,
by crushing all the pow’rs of death
and trampling hell beneath his feet,
has freed the wretched from their chains.
Enclosed within a tomb of stone,
secured by strong and zealous guard,
the Victor rises from the grave,
in triumph nobly marching forth.
Now grief of hell and cries of woe,
all pain and sorrow are undone;
an angel, clothed in light, proclaims:
The Lord is risen as he said.
O Jesus, be for mind and heart
our everlasting paschal joy
and gather us, reborn by grace,
to share your triumphs evermore.
To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
who shine in vict’ry over death,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: DUKE STREET, 8 8 8 8
Music: attributed to John Warrington Hatton, ca. 1710-1793, in William Dixon’s Euphonia, ca. 1805
or Mode VIII, melody 98; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Aurora lucis rutilat, 5th c., © 2023 ICEL
Continue with the Psalmody
Or:
Now let the new Jerusalem
draw forth new sweetness from this hymn,
and let the chorus celebrate
with solemn joy this Paschal Feast.
For Christ, unconquered lion comes,
the dragon crushed beneath his feet;
with living voice he cries aloud,
and, rising, wakes the dead from death.
The prey that Satan had devoured
his nether kingdom must expel:
a crowd of captives, free at last,
now follows Jesus from the tomb.
He triumphs, filled with splendid light,
in sov’reign pow’r and majesty;
he forms a single commonwealth,
one native land of heav’n and earth.
Let us entreat him with our song
as soldiers of our God and King,
that rank on rank he order us
within the splendor of his courts.
O Jesus, be for mind and heart
our everlasting paschal joy
and gather us, reborn by grace,
to share your triumphs evermore.
To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
who shine in vict’ry over death,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: DUKE STREET, 8 8 8 8
Music: attributed to John Warrington Hatton, ca. 1710-1793, in William Dixon’s Euphonia, ca. 1805
or Mode I, melody 10; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Chorus novæ Ierusalem, Saint Fulbert of Chartres, ca. 960-1029, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 How wonderful are your works, O Lord, alleluia.
Psalm 92
Praise of God the creator
Sing in praise of Christ’s redeeming work (Saint Athanasius).
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, *
to make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning *
and your truth in the watches of the night,
on the ten-stringed lyre and the lute, *
with the murmuring sound of the harp.
Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad; *
for the work of your hands I shout with joy.
O Lord, how great are your works! *
How deep are your designs!
The foolish man cannot know this *
and the fool cannot understand.
Though the wicked spring up like grass *
and all who do evil thrive:
they are doomed to be eternally destroyed. *
But you, Lord, are eternally on high.
See how your enemies perish; *
all doers of evil are scattered.
To me you give the wild-ox’s strength; *
you anoint me with the purest oil.
My eyes looked in triumph on my foes; *
my ears heard gladly of their fall.
The just will flourish like the palm-tree *
and grow like a Lebanon cedar.
Planted in the house of the Lord *
they will flourish in the courts of our God,
still bearing fruit when they are old, *
still full of sap, still green,
to proclaim that the Lord is just. *
In him, my rock, there is no wrong
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.
Psalm Prayer
Take our shame away from us, Lord, and make us rejoice in your saving works. May all who have been chosen by your Son always abound in works of faith, hope, and love in your service.
Ant. How wonderful are your works, O Lord, alleluia.
Ant. 2 I will pour cleansing water upon you, alleluia.
Canticle: Ezekiel 36:24-28
The Lord will renew his people
They will be his own people, and God himself will be with them, their own God (Revelation 21:3).
I will take you away from among the nations, †
gather you from all the foreign lands, *
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you †
to cleanse you from all your impurities, *
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart *
and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts *
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you †
and make you live by my statutes, *
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; †
you shall be my people, *
and I will be your God.
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. I will pour cleansing water upon you, alleluia.
Ant. 3 All things are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s, alleluia.
Psalm 8
The majesty of the Lord and man’s dignity
The Father gave Christ lordship of creation and made him head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22).
How great is your name, O Lord our God, *
through all the earth!
Your majesty is praised above the heavens; *
on the lips of children and of babes
you have found praise to foil your enemy, *
to silence the foe and the rebel.
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, *
the moon and the stars which you arranged,
what is man that you should keep him in mind, *
mortal man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god; *
with glory and honor you crowned him,
gave him power over the works of your hands, *
put all things under his feet.
All of them, sheep and cattle, *
yes, even the savage beasts,
birds of the air, and fish *
that make their way through the waters.
How great is your name, O Lord our God *
through all the earth!
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.
Psalm Prayer
Almighty Lord, how wonderful is your name. You have made every creature subject to you; make us worthy to give you service.
Ant. All things are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s, alleluia.
READING
Romans 14:7-9
None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own master. While we live we are responsible to the Lord, and when we die we die as his servants. Both in life and in death we are the Lord’s. That is why Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
RESPONSORY
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
— The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
He hung upon the cross for us,
— alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. When the prince of pastors comes again, you will receive from him an unfading crown of glory, alleluia.
Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner
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 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. When the prince of pastors comes again, you will receive from him an unfading crown of glory, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ has made known to us the life that lasts for ever. With faith and joy let us cry out to him, saying:
Lord, may your resurrection bring us the riches of your grace.
Eternal shepherd, look on your flock as it rises from sleep,
— feed us with the word of life and the bread from heaven.
Lord, may your resurrection bring us the riches of your grace.
Keep us safe from wolf and hireling,
— and make us faithful in listening to your voice.
Lord, may your resurrection bring us the riches of your grace.
You are present to all who preach your Gospel, and give power to their words,
— make us today preachers of your resurrection by our holiness of life.
Lord, may your resurrection bring us the riches of your grace.
Be our great joy that no one can take from us,
— so that we may reject sin with its sadness, and reach out to eternal life.
Lord, may your resurrection bring us the riches of your grace.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself 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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Father,
may we whom you renew in baptism
bear witness to our faith by the way we live.
By the suffering, death, and resurrection of your Son
may we come to eternal joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, who in the celebration of Easter
graciously give to the world
the healing of heavenly remedies,
show benevolence to your Church,
that our present observance
may benefit us for eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Morning Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
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Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Continue with the Hymn
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Continue with the Hymn
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.
Continue with the Hymn
Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ our heav’nly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save, Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now He rules eternal King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing, Alleluia!
Praise to God the Father sing, Alleluia!
Praise to God the Son, our King, Alleluia!
Praise to God the Spirit be, Alleluia!
Now and through eternity, Alleluia!
Tune: Easter Hymn 77.77 with alleluia
Music: Lyra Davidica, 1708
Text: Stanza 1 In Lyra Davidica, Latin Carol, paraphrased, 1708, alt; stanzas 2, 3, The Compleat Psalmodist, 1749, alt; stanza 4, William Reynolds, 1860
Continue with the Psalmody
Or:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Ye sons and daughters, let us sing!
The King of Heav’n, the glorious King,
O’er death today rose triumphing.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
That Easter morn, at break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
An angel clad in white they see,
Who sat, and spoke unto the three,
“Your Lord doth go to Galilee.”
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
On this most holy day of days,
To God your hearts and voices raise,
In laud and jubilee and praise.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
And we with Holy Church unite,
As evermore is just and right,
In glory to the King of light.
Alleluia!
Tune: O Filii et Filiae 888 with alleluias
Music: Seventeenth Century French Proper Melody
Text: Jean Tisserand, d. 1495
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, alt.
Continue with the Psalmody
Or:
This joyful Eastertide
Away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
Has sprung to life this morrow:
Refrain: Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
My flesh in hope shall rest
And for a season slumber
Till trump from east to west
Shall wake the dead in number:
Refrain: Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
Death’s flood has lost its chill
Since Jesus crossed the river;
Lover of souls, from ill
My passing soul deliver:
Refrain: Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
Tune: Vreuchten 67.67 with refrain
Music: Ooudaen’s David’s Psalmen, 1685
Text: George R. Woodward, 1848-1934
Continue with the Psalmody
Or:
This day our risen Savior reigns,
Creation’s undefeated King,
While angels in resplendent light
With mighty voice his triumph sing.
This day the Lord has made his own,
Who broke from his confining grave,
His living presence fills the world
That by his cross he came to save.
To God the Father glory give
For Jesus Christ his deathless Son,
Who with the Holy Spirit lives
Immortal, and for ever one.
Tune: Solemnis Haec Festivas L.M.
Music: Graduale, 1685
Text: © 1974 Stanbrook Abbey, used with permission
Continue with the Psalmody