Office of Readings
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the
Invitatory Psalm.
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.
Love’s redeeming work is done,
fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er!
Lo, he sets in blood no more!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal!
Christ has burst the gates of hell;
death in vain forbids him rise;
Christ has opened paradise.
Lives again our victor King;
where, O death, is now thy sting?
Dying once, he all doth save;
where thy victory, O grave?
Soar we now where Christ has led,
following our exalted Head;
made like him, like him we rise,
ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to thee by both be given:
thee we greet triumphant now;
hail, the Resurrection thou!
Psalm 23 (24)
The Lord comes to his temple
O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Alleluia.
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas
and set it firm over the waters.
Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord
and be justified by God his saviour.
This is the way of those who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power.
The Lord, strong in battle.
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts
– he is the king of glory.
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.
O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Alleluia.
Psalm 83 (84)
Longing for the Lord's temple
How delightful is your dwelling-place, Lord, God of hosts! Alleluia.
How delightful is your dwelling-place, Lord of hosts!
My soul is weak with longing for the courts of your palace.
My heart and my body rejoice in the living God.
Even the sparrow finds itself a home,
the swallow a nest to raise her young –
in your altars, O Lord,
Lord of strength, my king and my God.
Blessed are they who dwell in your house:
they will praise you for ever.
Blessed the man whose help comes from you,
who has set his heart on climbing to you.
They pass through the valley of thirst
and make a spring there:
the morning rain will cover it with blessings.
They will go from strength to strength:
they will see the God of gods, in Zion.
Lord God of hosts, listen to my prayer;
hear me, O God of Jacob.
Take notice of us, God our protector,
and look on the face of your anointed one.
One day in the courts of my God
is worth more than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be at the doorstep of the house of my God
than live in the dwellings of sinners.
For the Lord my God is my sun and my shield.
The Lord gives grace and glory.
He will not deny his good things
to those who walk in purity.
Blessed is he who trusts in you,
O Lord of hosts.
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.
How delightful is your dwelling-place, Lord, God of hosts! Alleluia.
Psalm 86 (87)
Jerusalem, mother of all nations
Of you are told glorious things, O city of God. Alleluia.
Its foundations are set on the sacred mountains –
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the tents of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, city of God!
I shall count Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.
The Philistines, Tyrians, Ethiopians –
all have their birthplace here.
Of Zion it will be said “Here is the birthplace of all people:
the Most High himself has set it firm.”
The Lord shall write in the book of the nations:
“Here is their birthplace.”
They will sing as in joyful processions:
“All my being springs from you.”
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.
Of you are told glorious things, O city of God. Alleluia.
℣. I bow down before your holy temple, alleluia.
℟. I will praise your name, O Lord. Alleluia.
| First Reading |
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| Apocalypse 21:9-27 © |
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A vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, the bride of the Lamb
One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.’ In the spirit, he took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven. It had all the radiant glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond. The walls of it were of a great height, and had twelve gates; at each of the twelve gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel that was speaking to me was carrying a gold measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and wall. The plan of the city is perfectly square, its length the same as its breadth. He measured the city with his rod and it was twelve thousand furlongs in length and in breadth, and equal in height. He measured its wall, and this was a hundred and forty-four cubits high – the angel was using the ordinary cubit. The wall was built of diamond, and the city of pure gold, like polished glass. The foundations of the city wall were faced with all kinds of precious stone: the first with diamond, the second lapis lazuli, the third turquoise, the fourth crystal, the fifth agate, the sixth ruby, the seventh gold quartz, the eighth malachite, the ninth topaz, the tenth emerald, the eleventh sapphire and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate being made of a single pearl, and the main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. I saw that there was no temple in the city since the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were themselves the temple, and the city did not need the sun or the moon for light, since it was lit by the radiant glory of God and the Lamb was a lighted torch for it. The pagan nations will live by its light and the kings of the earth will bring it their treasures. The gates of it will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there – and the nations will come, bringing their treasure and their wealth. Nothing unclean may come into it: no one who does what is loathsome or false, but only those who are listed in the Lamb’s book of life.
| Responsory |
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| Cf. Rv 21:21,23,26; cf. Tb 13:11,18 |
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℟. Jerusalem, your streets shall be paved with pure gold and within you a song of gladness will be raised,* and Alleluia will be on the lips of all who dwell in your homes.
℣. You will shine with a very great splendour, and all the ends of the earth will revere you,* and Alleluia will be on the lips of all who dwell in your homes.
| Second Reading |
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| A reading from the homilies of Origen on the book of Joshua |
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We are built up as living stones into the house and altar of God
All of us who believe in Christ Jesus are said to be living stones according to the statement of scripture when it says, ‘Like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’
We have learned to notice in the case of material stones, that those which are stronger and more powerful are placed first in the foundations, so that the weight of the whole building can be put securely on them. Similarly you must understand that from among these living stones there are some in the foundations of this spiritual building. Now who are those who are laid in the foundations? The apostles and the prophets. This is what Paul himself has to say in his teaching, ‘You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the corner stone.’
You must learn that Christ also himself is the foundation of the building which we are now describing, so that you may more eagerly prepare yourself for the construction of his building and be found to be one of those stones which are closer to the foundation. For these are the words of Paul the apostle, ‘For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.’ Blessed therefore are those who will be found to have constructed sacred and religious buildings upon that glorious foundation.
But in this building of the church there must also be an altar. From this I conclude that whichever of you ‘living stones’ are ready for this and prepared to give up time to prayers, to offer entreaties to God day and night and to offer up the sacrifices of supplication, such people I say are the stones out of which Jesus builds his altar.
Study now what praise is offered to these same stones of the altar. ‘Moses the lawgiver,’ he said, ‘ordered that an altar be built out of unhewn stones, untouched by the chisel.’ Who now are these unhewn stones ? Perhaps these unhewn, unviolated stones could be the holy apostles, all making together one altar by reason of their harmony and concord. For so it is reported of them that, as all prayed together with one accord and opened their mouths, they said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men.’
These men therefore who were able to pray with one mind, with one voice, with one voice in one spirit, are perhaps worthy of being all employed to build together one altar upon which Jesus may offer sacrifice to the Father.
However, let us too try to take care that we may all with one mind say the same things, having the same sentiments, doing nothing in strife nor through vainglory, but remaining with one feeling, one sentiment, in the hope that we too can be made fitting stones for the altar.
℟. The house of the Lord is set upon the heights of the mountains and towers high over all the hills.* All the nations will come to it and say, Glory to you, O Lord, alleluia!
℣. They will come, they will come to it, full of song, carrying their sheaves.* All the nations will come to it and say, Glory to you, O Lord, alleluia!
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”
The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.
You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.
And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
The final part of the hymn may be omitted:
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.
Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.
Let us pray.
Lord God, you have called your people to become your Church.
Grant that all who are gathered in your name
may fear you and love you and follow you
and, under your guidance, attain to your promises in heaven.
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.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
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.
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