Office of Readings
In those places where this Memorial is observed as a Solemnity or Feast, please use the texts found in the ‘Prayers’ Section of the iBreviary with the proper texts found below.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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.
Go to Psalm 24
Go to Psalm 67
Go to 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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Go to the Hymn
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Go to 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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Go to 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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
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
Loving shepherd of thy sheep,
Keep thy lamb, in safety keep;
Nothing can thy power withstand,
None can pluck me from thy hand.
I would bless thee every day,
Gladly all thy will obey,
Like the blessed ones above,
Happy in thy precious love.
Loving Shepherd, ever near,
Teach thy lamb thy voice to hear;
Suffer not my steps to stray
From the straight and narrow way.
Where thou leadest I would go,
Walking in thy steps below.
Till before my Father’s throne
I shall know as I am known.
Tune: Buckland 77.77
Music: Leighton Hayne, 1836-1883
Text: Jane E. Leeson, 1807-1882
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.
Psalm 107
Thanksgiving for deliverance
This is God’s message to the sons of Israel; the good news of peace proclaimed through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36).
I
“O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; *
for his love endures for ever.”
Let them say this, the Lord’s redeemed, *
whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe
and gathered from far-off lands, *
from east and west, north and south.
Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness, *
finding no way to a city they could dwell in.
Hungry they were and thirsty; *
their soul was fainting within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need *
and he rescued them from their distress
and he led them along the right way *
to reach a city they could dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his love, *
for the wonders he does for men.
For he satisfies the thirsty soul; *
he fills the hungry with good things.
Some lay in darkness and in gloom, *
prisoners in misery and chains,
Having defied the words of God *
and spurned the counsels of the Most High.
He crushed their spirit with toil; *
they stumbled; there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need *
and he rescued them from their distress.
He led them forth from darkness and gloom *
and broke their chains to pieces.
Let them thank the Lord for his goodness, *
for the wonders he does for men:
for he bursts the gates of bronze *
and shatters the iron bars.
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. Let us praise the Lord for his mercy and for the wonderful things he has done for men.
Ant. 2 Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.
II
Some were sick on account of their sins *
and afflicted on account of their guilt.
They had a loathing for every food; *
they came close to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need *
and he rescued them from their distress.
He sent forth his word to heal them *
and saved their life from the grave.
Let them thank the Lord for his love, *
for the wonders he does for men.
Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks *
and tell of his deeds with rejoicing.
Some sailed to the sea in ships *
to trade on the mighty waters.
These men have seen the Lord’s deeds, *
the wonders he does in the deep.
For he spoke; he summoned the gale, *
raising up the waves of the sea.
Tossed up to heaven, then into the deep; *
their soul melted away in their distress.
They staggered, reeled like drunken men, *
for all their skill was gone.
Then they cried to the Lord in their need *
and he rescued them from their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper: *
all the waves of the sea were hushed.
They rejoiced because of the calm *
and he led them to the haven they desired.
Let them thank the Lord for his love, *
the wonders he does for men.
Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people *
and praise him in the meeting of all the elders.
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. Men have seen the works of God, the marvels he has done.
Ant. 3 Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.
III
He changes streams into a desert, *
springs of water into thirsty ground,
fruitful land into a salty waste, *
for the wickedness of those who live there.
But he changes desert into streams, *
thirsty ground into springs of water.
There he settles the hungry *
and they build a city to dwell in.
They sow fields and plant their vines; *
these yield crops for the harvest.
He blesses them; they grow in numbers. *
He does not let their herds decrease.
He pours contempt upon princes, *
makes them wander in trackless wastes.
They diminish, are reduced to nothing *
by oppression, evil and sorrow.
But he raises the needy from distress; *
makes families numerous as a flock.
The upright see it and rejoice *
but all who do wrong are silenced.
Whoever is wise, let him heed these things *
and consider the love of the Lord.
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
You fill the hungry with good things, Lord God, and break the sinner’s chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need and lead your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunrise to sunset, that we may grow together in faith and love and give lasting thanks for your kindness.
Ant. Those who love the Lord will see and rejoice; they will understand his loving kindness.
Your truth, O God, is high as the clouds.
– Lord, your goodness is deep as the ocean.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of Ecclesiastes
11:7-12:14
Thoughts on old age
Light is sweet! and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him, as he enjoys them all, remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that is to come is vanity.
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart,
the vision of your eyes;
Yet understand that as regards all this
God will bring you to judgment.
Ward off grief from your heart
and put away trouble from your presence,
though the dawn of youth is fleeting.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened,
and the light, and the moon, and the stars,
while the clouds return after the rain;
When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
And the grinders are idle because they are few,
and they who look through the windows grow blind;
When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one waits for the chirp of a bird,
but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
And one fears heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because man goes to his lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the broken pulley falls into the well,
And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
Besides being wise, Qoheleth taught the people knowledge, and weighed, scrutinized and arranged many proverbs. Qoheleth sought to find pleasing sayings, and to write down true sayings with precision.
The sayings of the wise are like goads; like fixed spikes are the topics given by one collector.
As to more than these, my son, beware. Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh.
The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man’s all; because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.
RESPONSORY
Psalm 71:17, 9; see Psalm 16:11
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and to this very day I proclaim your marvelous works.
– Do not abandon me in my old age.
Your presence fills me with joy,
and everlasting pleasures are at your right hand.
– Do not abandon me in my old age.
SECOND READING
From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop
(Sermo 171, 1-3. 5)
Rejoice in the Lord always
The Apostle tells us to rejoice, but in the Lord, not in the world. Whoever wishes to be a friend of this world, says Scripture, will be reckoned an enemy of God. As a man cannot serve two masters, so one cannot rejoice both in the world and in the Lord.
Let joy in the Lord prevail, then, until joy in the world is no more. Let joy in the Lord go on increasing; let joy in the world go on decreasing until it is no more. This is said, not because we are not to rejoice while we are in this world, but in order that, even while we are still in this world, we may already rejoice in the Lord.
You may object: I am in the world; if I rejoice I certainly rejoice where I am. What is this? Do you mean that because you are in the world you are not in the Lord? Listen again to the Apostle, speaking now to the Athenians: in the Acts of the Apostles he says this is of God and the Lord our creator: In him we live and move and have our being. If he is everywhere, where is he not? Surely this was what he was exhorting us to realize. The Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything.
This is a great truth, that he ascended above all the heavens, yet is near to those on earth. Who is this stranger and neighbor if not the one who became our neighbor out of compassion?
The man lying on the road, left half-dead by robbers, the man treated with contempt by the priest and the levite who passed by, the man approached by the passing Samaritan to take care of him and help him, that man is the whole human race. When the immortal one, the holy one, was far removed from us because we were mortal and sinners, he came down to us, so that he, the stranger, might become our neighbor.
He did not treat us as our sins deserved. For we are now sons of God. How do we show this? The only Son of God died for us, so that he might not remain alone. He who died as the only Son did not want to remain as the only Son. For the only Son of God made many sons of God. He bought brothers for himself by his blood; he made them welcome by being rejected; he ransomed them by being sold; he honored them by being dishonored; he gave them life by being put to death.
So, brethren, rejoice in the Lord, not in the world. That is, rejoice in the truth, not in wickedness; rejoice in the hope of eternity, not in the fading flower of vanity. That is the way to rejoice. Wherever you are on earth, however long you remain on earth, the Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything.
RESPONSORY
2 Corinthians 13:11; Romans 15:13
Rejoice, brothers:
Strive for perfection;
encourage one another.
Live in harmony and peace
– and the God of love and peace will be with you, alleluia.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through your faith in him.
– And the God of love and peace will be with you, alleluia.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Father,
you continually raise up your faithful
to the glory of holiness.
In your love
kindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit
who so filled the heart of Philip Neri.
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.
Or:
O God, who never cease to bestow the glory of holiness
on the faithful servants you raise up for yourself,
graciously grant
that the Holy Spirit may kindle in us that fire
with which he wonderfully filled
the heart of Saint Philip Neri.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
******
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