Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, The Eternal High Priest
Psalmody
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord.
Psalm 143:1-11
Prayer in distress
Lord, listen to my prayer: *
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer. †
Do not call your servant to judgment *
for no one is just in your sight.
The enemy pursues my soul; *
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness *
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails; *
my heart is numb within me.
I remember the days that are past: *
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought †
and to you I stretch out my hands. *
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.
Lord, make haste and answer; *
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face *
lest I become like those in the grave.
In the morning let me know your love *
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk: *
to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; *
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will *
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me *
in ways that are level and smooth.
For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life; *
in your justice save my soul from distress.
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
Lord Jesus, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgment with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice.
Ant. At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord.
Ant. 2 The Lord will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem.
Canticle: Isaiah 66:10-14a
Joys of heaven
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, *
all you who love her;
exult, exult with her, *
all you who were mourning over her!
Oh, that you may suck fully *
of the milk of her comfort,
That you may nurse with delight *
at her abundant breasts!
For thus says the Lord: †
Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, *
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.
As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, *
and fondled in her lap;
as a mother comforts her son, †
so will I comfort you; *
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, *
and your bodies flourish like the grass.
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. The Lord will make a river of peace flow through Jerusalem.
Ant. 3 Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God.
Psalm 147:1-11
The loving kindness of God who can do all he wills
Praise the Lord for he is good; †
sing to our God for he is loving: *
to him our praise is due.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem *
and brings back Israel’s exiles,
he heals the broken-hearted, *
he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars; *
he calls each one by its name.
Our Lord is great and almighty; *
his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly; *
he humbles the wicked to the dust.
O sing to the Lord, giving thanks; *
sing psalms to our God with the harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds; *
he prepares the rain for the earth,
making mountains sprout with grass *
and with plants to serve man’s needs.
He provides the beasts with their food *
and young ravens that call upon him.
His delight is not in horses *
nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength.
The Lord delights in those who revere him, *
in those who wait for his love.
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
God our Father, great builder of the heavenly Jerusalem, you know the number of the stars and call each of them by name. Heal hearts that are broken, gather together those who have been scattered, and enrich us all from the plenitude of your eternal wisdom.
Ant. Let us joyfully praise the Lord our God.
1st Reading
1 Cor 1:18-25
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Acclamation before the Gospel
Mt 5:16
℟. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
℟. Alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Gospel
Mt 5:13-19
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:
The Gospel of the Lord.
All reply:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then he kisses the book, saying quietly:
Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of
the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the
Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to
the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Gospel Canticle
Ant. In every sacrifice, let us praise the Creator of all things through his Son, Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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. In every sacrifice, let us praise the Creator of all things through his Son, Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.