Office of Readings
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, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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 Hymn
During the night or at dawn:
At this the midnight hour we rise,
admonished by prophetic voice,
to sing once more our praise to God,
the Father, Son, and Spirit blest.
So therefore, let us offer hymns,
before the perfect Three in One,
of one pure substance, each the same,
for ever worthy of our praise.
At this dark hour of fear and dread,
the devastating angel came
to slay the firstborn of the land
and bring to Egypt death and woe.
Yet for the just then living there
there was the hour of saving grace:
the angel saw the sign of blood
and, awestruck, dared not punish them.
All Egypt wept with loud lament,
so many lay in frightful death;
the Israelites alone rejoiced,
protected by a lamb’s pure blood.
Now we, in truth, are Israel
and we rejoice in you, O Lord;
protected by the blood of Christ,
we laugh to scorn our evil foe.
O make us worthy, King of kings,
of glory when your Kingdom comes,
that we may merit on that day
to sing your praises evermore. Amen.
Tune: ABENDS, 8 8 8 8
Music: Herbert Stanley Oakley, 1830-1903
or Mode II, melody 43; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Mediæ noctis tempus est, 5th c., © 2023 ICEL
During the day:
Hail, O day, of all days most glorious,
blessed day of Christ’s noble victory,
day of gladness, worthy of endless joy,
first and foremost.
Light divine now shines over all the blind:
Christ the victor harrows the underworld,
conqu’ring death he reconciles us to God,
least to highest.
By the judgment of our eternal King
all were sentenced under the law of sin,
that from heaven grace for the poor and weak
might bring solace.
In his wisdom and everlasting pow’r,
God with mercy tempered his holy wrath,
though the foolish world ran on heedlessly,
all to ruin.
He is risen, free from the pow’r of hell,
great restorer of the whole human race,
on his shoulders bearing his wayward sheep
up to heaven.
Peace of angels graces the human race;
ranks of heaven grow and fill up again;
praise is fitting to our triumphant Lord,
praise eternal.
Let the Church our Mother now raise her voice
with the choirs of heaven in harmony.
Let the faithful cry out with joy this day:
Alleluia!
Death is conquered, vanquished and powerless;
with delight let all sing in victory:
Peace on earth, and let jubilation ring
in high heaven. Amen.
Tune: TOTHILL, 10 10 10 4
Music: ICEL 2021
or Mode VII, melody 91; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Salve dies, dierum gloria, Adam of St. Victor, 12th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?
When Psalm 24 is used as the invitatory psalm, psalm 95, above, is used as the first psalm of the Office of Readings.
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.
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.
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.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
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
When your Son was unjustly condemned, Lord God, and surrounded by the impious, he cried to you, and you set him free. Watch over your people as the treasure of your heart and guide their steps along safe paths that they may see your face.
Ant. Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy place?
Ant. 2 Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.
Psalm 66
Eucharistic hymn
The Lord is risen and all people have been brought by him to the Father (Hesychius).
I
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth, *
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise. *
Say to God: “How tremendous your deeds!
Because of the greatness of your strength *
your enemies cringe before you.
Before you all the earth shall bow; *
shall sing to you, sing to your name!”
Come and see the works of God, *
tremendous his deeds among men.
He turned the sea into dry land, *
they passed through the river dry-shod.
Let our joy then be in him; *
he rules for ever by his might.
His eyes keep watch over the nations; *
let rebels not rise against him.
O peoples, bless our God, *
let the voice of his praise resound,
of the God who gave life to our souls *
and kept our feet from stumbling.
For you, O God, have tested us, *
you have tried us as silver is tried:
you led us, God, into the snare; *
you laid a heavy burden on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads; †
we went through fire and through water *
but then you brought us relief.
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. Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia.
Ant. 3 Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.
II
Burnt offering I bring to your house; *
to you I will pay my vows,
the vows which my lips have uttered, *
which my mouth spoke in my distress.
I will offer burnt offerings of fatlings †
with the smoke of burning rams. *
I will offer bullocks and goats.
Come and hear, all who fear God. *
I will tell what he did for my soul:
to him I cried aloud, *
with high praise ready on my tongue.
If there had been evil in my heart, *
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened; *
he has heeded the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer *
nor withhold his love from 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.
Psalm Prayer
Almighty Father, in the death and resurrection of your own Son you brought us through the waters of baptism to the shores of new life. By those waters and the fire of the Holy Spirit you have given each of us consolation. Accept our sacrifice of praise; may our lives be a total offering to you, and may we deserve to enter your house and there with Christ praise your unfailing power.
Ant. Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia.
God’s word is alive; it strikes to the heart.
— It pierces more surely than a two-edged sword.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of the prophet Isaiah
6:1-13
The call of the prophet Isaiah
In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they hovered aloft.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!” they cried one to the other. “All the earth is filled with his glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.
Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” And he replied: Go and say to this people:
Listen carefully, but you shall not understand!
Look intently, but you shall know nothing!
You are to make the heart of this people sluggish,
to dull their ears and close their eyes;
Else their eyes will see, their ears hear,
their heart understand,
and they will turn and be healed.
“How long, O Lord?” I asked. And he replied:
Until the cities are desolate,
without inhabitants,
Houses, without a man,
and the earth is a desolate waste.
Until the Lord removes men far away,
and the land is abandoned more and more.
If there be still a tenth part in it,
then this in turn shall be laid waste;
As with a terebinth or an oak
whose trunk remains when its leaves have fallen.
[Holy offspring is the trunk.]
RESPONSORY
Revelation 4:8; Isaiah 6:3
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
he who was, and who is, and who is to come;
— all the earth is full of his glory.
The seraphim cried out to one another:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.
— All the earth is full of his glory.
SECOND READING
From a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop
(Hom. 16:6,7: PG 57, 231-232)
Salt of the earth and light of the world
You are the salt of the earth. It is not for your own sake, he says, but for the world’s sake that the word is entrusted to you. I am not sending you into two cities only or ten or twenty, not to a single nation, as I sent the prophets of old, but across land and sea, to the whole world. And that world is in a miserable state. For when he says: You are the salt of the earth, he is indicating that all mankind had lost its savor and had been corrupted by sin. Therefore, he requires of these men those virtues which are especially useful and even necessary if they are to bear the burdens of many. For the man who is kindly, modest, merciful and just will not keep his good works to himself but will see to it that these admirable fountains send out their streams for the good of others. Again, the man who is clean of heart, a peacemaker and ardent for truth will order his life so as to contribute to the common good.
Do not think, he says, that you are destined for easy struggles or unimportant tasks. You are the salt of the earth. What do these words imply? Did the disciples restore what had already turned rotten? Not at all. Salt cannot help what is already corrupted. That is not what they did. But what had first been renewed and freed from corruption and then turned over to them, they salted and preserved in the newness the Lord had bestowed. It took the power of Christ to free men from the corruption caused by sin; it was the task of the apostles through strenuous labor to keep that corruption from returning.
Have you noticed how, bit by bit, Christ shows them to be superior to the prophets? He says they are to be teachers not simply for Palestine but for the whole world. Do not be surprised, then, he says, that I address you apart from the others and involve you in such a dangerous enterprise. Consider the numerous and extensive cities, peoples and nations I will be sending you to govern. For this reason I would have you make others prudent, as well as being prudent yourselves. For unless you can do that, you will not be able to sustain even yourselves.
If others lose their savor, then your ministry will help them regain it. But if you yourselves suffer that loss, you will drag others down with you. Therefore, the greater the undertakings put into your hands, the more zealous you must be. For this reason he says: But if the salt becomes tasteless, how can its flavor be restored? It is good for nothing now, but to be thrown out and trampled by men’s feet.
When they hear the words: When they curse you and persecute you and accuse you of every evil, they may be afraid to come forward. Therefore he says; “Unless you are prepared for that sort of thing, it is in vain that I have chosen you. Curses shall necessarily be your lot but they shall not harm you and will simply be a testimony to your constancy. If through fear, however, you fail to show the forcefulness your mission demands, your lot will be much worse, for all will speak evil of you and despise you. That is what being trampled by men’s feet means.”
Then he passes on to a more exalted comparison: You are the light of the world. Once again, “of the world”: not of one nation or twenty cities, but of the whole world. The light he means is an intelligible light, far superior to the rays of the sun we see, just as the salt is a spiritual salt. First salt, then light, so that you may learn how profitable sharp words may be and how useful serious doctrine. Such teaching holds in check and prevents dissipation; it leads to virtue and sharpens the mind’s eye. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do men light a lamp and put it under a basket. Here again he is urging them to a careful manner of life and teaching them to be watchful, for they live under the eyes of all and have the whole world for the arena of their struggles.
RESPONSORY
Acts 1:8; Matthew 5:16
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
— and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Your light must shine before men,
so that they may see your good works
and give praise to your Father in heaven.
— And you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Those who wish to extend the celebration of the vigil of Sunday, according to tradition, first celebrate the Office of Readings. After both readings and before the Te Deum, they may add canticles and a gospel reading. Afterward the Te Deum is sung, the prayer is said, and the hour is concluded as in the Ordinary.
Optional Vigil
TE DEUM
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
℣. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
℟. Govern and uphold them now and always.
℣. Day by day we bless you.
℟. We praise your name for ever.
℣. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
℟. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
℣. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
℟. for we put our trust in you.
℣. In you, Lord, is our hope:
℟. and we shall never hope in vain.
The concluding part of the hymn may be omitted.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
God our Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
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 have prepared for those who love you
good things which no eye can see,
fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love,
so that, loving you in all things and above all things,
we may attain your promises,
which surpass every human desire.
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.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
******
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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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, 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. Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he shepherds, alleluia.
Continue with the Hymn
Eternal Maker of the world,
The sov’reign Lord of night and day:
You give the seasons of the year
To take time’s heaviness away.
In deepest night you never sleep,
A Lamp for trav’lers on the way;
A Light dividing night from night,
The rooster crows announcing day.
See, at the sound, the daystar wakes
And drives the darkness from the sky;
All those who strayed on deadly roads
Now take the path to life on high.
The ocean hears; the waves die down;
The sailor overcomes his fears.
Saint Peter hears; the Church’s Rock
Removes denial’s stain with tears.
O Jesus, save us, for we fall;
Look down and set us right, we pray,
For at your glance our failings fail,
And sorrow washes sins away.
O Light, upon our senses shine,
Dispel the sleepiness within;
Let our first words be words of you;
With faithful praise our day begin.
To you, O Christ, most kindly King,
And to the Father, glory be;
Praise to the Spirit Paraclete,
In ev’ry age, eternally. Amen.
Tune: Ætérne rerum cónditor L.M.
Music: Mode I
Text: Ætérne rerum cónditor, Saint Ambrose of Milan, 337?-397
Translation: Reverend Thomas Buffer, © 2004, all rights reserved, used with permission.
Continue with the Psalmody
CANTICLES
Ant. We hope in you, Lord; be a source of strength for us today and our salvation in times of trial.
Canticle I: Isaiah 33:2-10
Prayer of trust in need
In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).
O Lord, have pity on us, for you we wait. †
Be our strength every morning, *
our salvation in time of trouble!
At the roaring sound, peoples flee; *
when you rise in your majesty, nations are scattered.
Men gather spoil as caterpillars are gathered up; *
they rush upon it like the onrush of locusts.
The Lord is exalted, enthroned on high; *
he fills Zion with right and justice.
That which makes her seasons lasting, †
the riches that save her, are wisdom and knowledge; *
the fear of the Lord is her treasure.
See, the men of Ariel cry out in the streets, *
the messengers of Shalem weep bitterly.
The highways are desolate, *
travelers have quit the paths,
covenants are broken, their terms are spurned; *
yet no man gives it a thought.
The country languishes in mourning, *
Lebanon withers with shame;
Sharon is like the steppe, *
Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
Now will I rise up, says the Lord, *
now will I be exalted, now be lifted up.
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.
Canticle II: Isaiah 33:13-16
God will judge with justice
It is promised to you and your children and to all who are far away (Acts 2:39).
Hear, you who are far off, *
what I have done;
you who are near, *
acknowledge my might.
On Zion sinners are in dread, *
trembling grips the impious:
“Who of us can live with the consuming fire? *
Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?”
He who practices virtue and speaks honestly, *
who spurns what is gained by oppression,
brushing his hands free of contact with a bribe, †
stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed, *
closing his eyes lest he look on evil
He shall dwell on the heights, *
his stronghold shall be the rocky fastness,
his food and drink *
in steady supply.
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.
Canticle III: Sirach 36:11-17
Prayer for the people of God
This is eternal life: to know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).
Show mercy to the people called by your name; *
Israel, whom you named your first-born.
Take pity on your holy city, *
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty, *
your temple with your glory.
Give evidence of your deeds of old; *
fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name,
Reward those who have hoped in you, *
and let your prophets be proved true.
Hear the prayer of your servants, *
for you are ever gracious to your people;
Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth *
that you are the eternal 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. We hope in you, Lord; be a source of strength for us today and our salvation in times of trial.
THE HOLY GOSPEL
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
24:13-35
Stay with us, for evening draw near
Two disciples of Jesus that same day [the first day of the sabbath] were making their way to a village named Emmaus seven miles distant from Jerusalem, discussing as they went all that had happened. In the course of their lively exchange, Jesus approached and began to walk along with them. However, they were restrained from recognizing him.
He said to them, “What were you discussing as you go your way?” They halted, in distress, and one of them, Cleopas by name, asked him, “Are you the only resident of Jerusalem who does not know the things that went on there these past few days?” He said to them, “What things?”
They said: “All those that had to do with Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet powerful in word and deed in the eyes of God and all the people; how our chief priests and leaders delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him, We were hooping that he was the one who would set Israel free. Besides all this, today, the third day since these things happened, some women of our group have just brought us some astonishing news. They were at the tomb before dawn and failed to find his body, but returned with the tale that they had seen a vision of angels who had declared he was alive. Some of our number went to the tomb and found it to be just as the women said, but him they did not see.”
Then he said to them, “What little sense you have! How slow you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to undergo all this so as to enter into his glory?” Beginning, then, with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to him.
By now they were near the village to which they were going, and he acted as if he were going farther. But they pressed him: “Stay with us. It is nearly evening—the day is practically over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he had seated himself with them to eat, he took bread, pronounced the blessing, then broke the bread and began to distribute it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him; whereupon he vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our heats burning inside us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
They got up immediately and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven and the rest of the company assembled. They were greeted with, “The Lord has been raised! It is true! He has appeared to Simon.” Then they recounted what had happened on the road and how they had come to know him in the breaking of bread.
A homily on the Gospel may be given.
Te Deum
