Universalis
Friday 16 May 2025    (other days)
Friday of the 4th week of Eastertide 

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Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
  and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
  is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Light’s glittering morn bedecks the sky,
Heav’n thunders forth its victor cry:
The glad earth shouts her triumph high,
And groaning hell makes wild reply.
While he, the King of sovereign might,
Treads down death’s strength in death’s despite,
And trampling hell by victor’s right,
Brings forth his sleeping saints to light.
Fast barred beneath the stone of late,
In watch and ward where soldiers wait,
Now shining in triumphant state,
He rises victor from death’s gate.
Hell’s pains are loosed and tears are fled:
Captivity is captive led:
The angel, crowned with light, hath said:
‘The Lord is risen from the dead.’
Author of all, be thou our guide
In this our joy of Eastertide;
Whene’er assaults of death impend,
Thy people strengthen and defend.
To thee who, dead, again dost live,
All glory, Lord, thy people give:
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me

Christ gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. Alleluia.
Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;
  in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.
Wash me ever more from my guilt
  and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know how guilty I am:
  my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
  and I have done evil in your sight.
Know this, so that you may give just sentence
  and an unbiased judgement.
See, I was conceived in guilt,
  in sin my mother conceived me;
but you love truth in the heart,
  and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;
  you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;
  the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins
  and wipe out all my transgressions;
create a pure heart in me, God,
  put a steadfast spirit into me.
Do not send me away from your presence,
  or withdraw your holy spirit from me;
give me again the joy of your salvation,
  and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.
I will teach the unjust your ways,
  and the impious will return to you.
Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,
  and my voice will glory in your justice.
Open my lips, Lord,
  and my mouth will proclaim your praise;
for you do not delight in sacrifices:
  if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:
  a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,
  so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,
Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;
  then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
  and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
  is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Christ gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. Alleluia.

How to listen
CanticleTobit 13

Thanksgiving for the freeing of the people

Jerusalem, city of God, you will be radiant with light. Alleluia.
Bless the Lord, his chosen ones: all of you, praise his greatness.
Keep feast-days of rejoicing and proclaim his holy name.
Jerusalem, holy city: he will punish you for what you have done.
Thank the Lord for his good deeds, and bless the eternal king,
  so that in you, once more, with gladness, your tabernacle may be built,
  so that in you he may make all exiles rejoice,
  so that in you he may care for the distressed
for all ages, for ever.
Your bright light will shine out to the ends of the earth:
  many nations will come to you from afar.
From the farthest corners of the world they will come to your holy name
  carrying gifts in their hands for the King of heaven.
Generation on generation, they will proclaim their joy
  and the name of the chosen city will endure for ever.
So rejoice and be glad among the children of the just,
  for they will be brought together and bless the eternal Lord.
Happy are those who love you, fortunate those who rejoice in your peace.
My soul, bless the Lord, the great King,
  for in Jerusalem his house will be built,
  to stand 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 ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Jerusalem, city of God, you will be radiant with light. Alleluia.

Psalm 147 (147B)
God, the foundation of Jerusalem

I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem
  — Zion, praise your God.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,
  he has blessed your children.
He keeps your borders in peace,
  he fills you with the richest wheat.
He sends out his command over the earth,
  and swiftly runs his word.
He sends down snow that is like wool,
  frost that is like ashes.
He sends hailstones like crumbs
  — who can withstand his cold?
He will send out his word, and all will be melted;
  his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.
He proclaims his word to Jacob,
  his laws and judgements to Israel.
He has not done this for other nations:
  he has not shown them his judgements.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
  and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
  is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. Alleluia.
Scripture ReadingActs 5:30-32
It was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.
Short Responsory
The Lord has risen from the dead, alleluia, alleluia.
– The Lord has risen from the dead, alleluia, alleluia.
For our sake he died on the cross, alleluia, alleluia.
– The Lord has risen from the dead, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has risen from the dead, alleluia, alleluia.
CanticleBenedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

I am going now to prepare a place for you, and I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you also may be. Alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
  for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
  in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
  his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies
  and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
  to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
  that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
  – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him,
  for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:
  for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
  so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
  one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
  who live in the shadow of death;
  to lead our feet in the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
  and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
  is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
I am going now to prepare a place for you, and I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you also may be. Alleluia.
Prayers and intercessions
Through his Spirit God raised Jesus from the dead and he will give life to our own mortal bodies. Let us pray to him, saying:
– Lord, give us life through your Holy Spirit.
Father, you accepted the sacrifice of your Son, raising him from the dead:
  receive our morning offering and lead us to eternal life.
– Lord, give us life through your Holy Spirit.
Reveal your presence in our work this day:
  may we do everything for your glory and for the sanctification of our world.
– Lord, give us life through your Holy Spirit.
Do not allow our work to come to nothing:
  let it serve our fellow men and bring us to your kingdom.
– Lord, give us life through your Holy Spirit.
Open our eyes to see our brother’s need:
  warm our hearts that we may offer him our love.
– Lord, give us life through your Holy Spirit.
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.
Lord God, source of our freedom and salvation,
  listen to our humble prayer.
You redeemed us by the shedding of your Son’s blood:
  enable us to live by your grace,
and grant us at all times
  the joy of your safe keeping.
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.
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
  Amen.

The psalms and canticles here are our own translation from the Latin. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The Universalis apps and programs do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.

Universalis podcast: The week ahead – from 18 to 24 May

Papal names; Leo I, Leo II, Leo III, Leo IV. Madagascar and its saints. Saint Rita of Cascia. The lost manuscript that was found at the fishmonger’s. (21 minutes)
Episode notes.

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