Blessed be the Lord, our rock!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
Hymn
Meter: 87 87
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Christian soldiers in the conflict!
Bear the banner of the cross;
Rich reward shall crown the victor,
More than recompense for loss.
Not with paltry palms that wither
Shall the brow be gaily crowned;
But with light that shines eternal,
And with heav’nly joy renowned.
Earthly joys are faint and fleeting,
Earthly favors quickly fade;
Heav’nward lift your eyes, expecting
There your true reward is laid.
God be praised, who crowns the victor;
Christ be praised, who saves from sin;
Equal praise to God the Spirit,
By whose aid we fight and win.
Psalm 24:7-10
The weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. (2 Cor 10:4)
Not infrequently, history has made nonsense of promises of peace achieved by war, but the history of God’s kingdom shows that the peace of God is indeed achieved by waging war in Christ against all the powers of evil that disguise themselves as insignificant temptations to sin.
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….
Word of God. Ephesians 6:12-17
Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. (Eph 6:11)
Canticle of Mary
The Lord put on justice as his breastplate,/ salvation, as the helmet on his head;/ He clothed himself with garments of vengeance,/ wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal. (cf. Is 59:17)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor 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 fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father…
Intercessions
Jesus Christ has overcome all evil. Let us put our trust in him as we pray:
R/Save your people, Lord.
You defeated the tempter in the desert:
– defeat in us the subtle forces of temptation. R/
You overcame violence with love:
– uproot from our hearts all thoughts of anger and retaliation. R/
You contradicted falsehood with truth:
– protect us from all inner and outward deceit. R/
You conquered death with life:
– bring to everlasting life those who have died. R/
Personal intentions
Our Father….
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever! Amen.
Marian Antiphon
Virgin most prudent, whither have you gone forth,
shining as exceedingly as the dawn?
Daughter Zion, you are all beautiful and sweet,
lovely as the moon, bright as the sun.
Translated by James Monti
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, O most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
