Festivals
V. O Lord, open our lips:
R. and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
PSALMODY
Antiphon: The Lord is King, let the earth rejoice:*
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
Opening – From Psalm 97
You are the Lord, most high over all the earth;*
you are exalted far above all gods.
The Lord loves those who hate evil;*
he preserves the lives of his saints
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light has sprung up for the righteous,*
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous.*
and give thanks to his holy name.
Glory be to the Father…
Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God,*
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another,*
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language,*
and their voices are not heard,
Their sound has gone out into all lands,*
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;*
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again;*
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect
and revives the soul;*
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart;*
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean
and endures for ever;*
the judgements of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold,*
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened,*
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often he offends?*
cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;*
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offence.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight,*
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Glory be to the Father . . .
Gracious creator of heaven and earth, your Word has come among us as the true Sun of righteousness, and the good news of his birth has gone out to the ends of the world. Open our eyes to the light of your law, that we may be purified from sin and serve you without reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Light and our Life. Amen
Conclusion – Te Deum
We praise you, O God;
we acclaim you as Lord.
All creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the 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 praise:
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose 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 to 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.
Antiphon: The Lord is King, let the earth rejoice:*
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
READINGS
Sirach 39: 1-10
He seeks out the wisdom of all the ancients,
and is concerned with prophecies;
he preserves the sayings of the famous
and penetrates the subtleties of parables;
he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and is at home with the obscurities of parables.
He serves among the great
and appears before rulers;
he travels in foreign lands
and learns what is good and evil in the human lot.
He sets his heart on rising early
to seek the Lord who made him,
and to petition the Most High;
he opens his mouth in prayer
and asks pardon for his sins.
If the great Lord is willing,
he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words of wisdom of his own
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
The Lord will direct his counsel and knowledge,
as he meditates on his mysteries.
He will show the wisdom of what he has learned,
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
Many will praise his understanding;
it will never be blotted out.
His memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all generations.
Nations will speak of his wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim his praise.
Acts 9: 1-22
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.
Silence
Response (Ps. 96.4)
V. Lord I will sing of your loving kindnesses throughout all generations:
R. Lord I will sing of your loving kindnesses throughout all generations:
V. My mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness
R. Throughout all generations.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. Lord I will sing of your loving kindnesses throughout all generations:
MAGNIFICAT
Magnificat Antiphon: Those that sow in tears*
shall reap with songs of joy.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father
Magnificat Antiphon: Those that sow in tears*
shall reap with songs of joy.
PRAYERS
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Collects
Almighty God, by the preaching of your servant Paul you caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world. May we who celebrate his wonderful conversion follow him in bearing witness to your truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
