Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

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  August 19th, 2026 – This Week: How I Long to See the Flame Leap Up – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026

  The Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time • Saint Bernard • Saint Pius X • The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary • Liturgical Colours: Green/White This week begins with Christ’s striking words, from Sunday’s Evening Prayer: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up!” In Luke’s Gospel, this is Christ speaking about the urgent nature of His mission — that purifying fire is the zeal of divine love He came to kindle in the world, the same fire that would later appear as tongues of flame at Pentecost. What follows this week traces where that fire goes: its intended reach across the whole world; what it costs to carry, and its quiet, daily form in the Church’s own prayer — the Hours themselves, described by Saint Basil as “the voice of the Church,” rising unceasingly. Sunday‘s Evening Prayer II and Christ’s startling words: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up!”— Magnificat Antiphon, Evening Prayer II, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 12:49) In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is saying His message will bring radical division rather than immediate peace. That fire, the intense, disruptive, and purifying power of God’s truth will divide loyalties and test human hearts. The Office of Readings that same day, from Saint John Chrysostom, names how far that fire was meant to travel: “I am not sending you into two cities only or ten or twenty, not to a single nation… but across land and sea, to the whole world.”— Second Reading, Office of Readings, Sunday (From a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostum, (Salt of the earth and light of the world)) Monday‘s Office of Readings names what carrying that fire actually costs. Saint Gregory the Great describes those who bear it as beset on every side: “Holy men beset by tribulation must endure the assaults of those who use violence and verbal attacks… with wisdom they teach the wayward while showing a courageous contempt for outward hostility.”— Second Reading, Office of Readings, Monday (From the Moral Reflections on Job by Saint Gregory the Great, (Struggles without, fears within)) On Tuesday, the biblical instruction from Colossians gives the fire its most ordinary form — not a mystical vision, or a transcendent experience but a daily practice: “Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs.” A fire that is kept alight through nothing more dramatic than daily singing. On Wednesday, Saint Augustine’s homily, written in his poignant style many centuries ago, is teaching a lesson in gratitude, much needed both in the old and the modern times: “Have we forgotten the flood and the calamitous times of famine and war…? Far from justifying complaints about our own time, they teach us how much we have to be thankful for.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Wednesday, (From a sermon by Saint Augustine, (He who perseveres to the end will be saved)) Thursday, the Memorial of Saint Bernard, we see what happens when the fire takes hold of a single life. His own proper antiphon says it plainly: “Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine.” — Benedictus Antiphon, Morning Prayer, Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Friday, the Memorial of Saint Pius X, brings the week’s clearest answer to what the daily singing of psalms actually is. In his own apostolic constitution, read in the Office of Readings, Pius X describes the psalms prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours: “That singing of psalms, which is the daughter of that hymn of praise… which goes up unceasingly before the throne of God and of the Lamb.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Memorial of Saint Pius X (From the apostolic constitution Divino afflatu of Pope Saint Pius X, (The song of the Church)) This is the fire’s quiet, daily form — not an engulfing blaze but an unceasing rising, hour by hour, voice joined to voice, across the whole Church. Saturday closes the week with the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary, and a homily by Saint Amadeus of Lausanne that shows where a life entirely carried by that fire finally arrives: “She was borne from virtue to virtue by the Spirit of the Lord, she was transported from earthly renown to heavenly brightness.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Memorial of the Queenship of Mary (From a homily by Saint Amadeus of Lausanne, (Queen of the world and of peace)) The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God: the same fire Christ longed to see leap up, fully alight in a single human life, all the way to heaven in glory. The Hours are how this fire has stayed lit for centuries — not through dramatic gestures, but through daily, ordinary prayer joined across the whole world. If this daily practice means something in your own life, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute ✞Pray Morning Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church ✞Pray Office of Readings for the Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope ✞Pray Office of Readings for the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary With gratitude,The Divine Office Team
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  August 19th, 2026 – Invitatory – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 3min

  Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. Psalm 95 Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us. Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving and sing joyful songs to the Lord. Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. The Lord is God, the mighty God, the great king over all the gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the highest mountains as well He made the sea; it belongs to him, the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands. Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker, For he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds. Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness, when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me, Although they had seen all of my works. Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. Forty years I endured that generation. I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways.” So I swore in my anger, “They shall not enter into my rest.” Ant. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness. 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. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the Earth, serve the Lord with gladness.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Office of Readings – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 17min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 615 Proper of Seasons: 131 Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1151 Christian Prayer: Does not contain Office of Readings Office of Readings for Wednesday in Ordinary Time God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNFor the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r, Sun and moon, and stars of light, Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild; Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For each perfect gift of Thine, to our race so freely given, graces human and divine, flowers of earth and buds of heaven. Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 𝄞"For The Beauty Of The Earth" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: For the Beauty of the Earth; Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835–1917; Music: Conrad Kocher, 1786–1872; Tune: DIX; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2017 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Bless the Lord, my soul; never forget all he has done for you. Psalm 103 Praise for God’s tender compassion In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us (see Luke 1:78). I My soul, give thanks to the Lord, all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings. It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion, who fills your life with good things, renewing your youth like an eagle’s. The Lord does deeds of justice, gives judgment for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses and his deeds to Israel’s sons. 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. Bless the Lord, my soul; never forget all he has done for you. Ant. 2 As a father is gentle with his children, so is the Lord with those who revere him. II The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults. For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins. As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him; for he knows of what we are made, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flowers like the flower of the field; the wind blows and he is gone and his place never sees him again. 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. As a father is gentle with his children, so is the Lord with those who revere him. Ant. 3 Bless the Lord, all you his works! III But the love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear; his justice reaches out to children’s children when they keep his covenant in truth, when they keep his will in their mind. The Lord has set his sway in heaven and his kingdom is ruling over all. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels, mighty in power, fulfilling his word, who heed the voice of his word. Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts, his servants who do his will. Give thanks to the Lord, all his works, in every place where he rules. My soul, give thanks to the Lord! 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 You have compassion for the sinner, Lord, as a father has compassion for his children. Heal the weakness of your people and save us from lasting death that we may praise and glorify you for ever. Ant. Bless the Lord, all you his works! Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Lord, make me understand the way of your precepts. — And I will marvel at your wisdom. READINGS First reading From the book of the prophet Isaiah 9:7–10:4 God’s wrath against Israel The Lord has sent word against Jacob, it falls upon Israel; And all the people know it, Ephraim and those who dwell in Samaria, those who say in arrogance and pride of heart, “Bricks have fallen, but we will build with cut stone; Sycamores are felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” But the Lord raises up their foes against them and stirs up their enemies to action: Aram on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, and his hand is still outstretched! The people do not turn to him who struck them, nor seek the Lord of hosts. So the Lord severs from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day. [The elder and the noble are the head, the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.] The leaders of this people mislead them and those to be led are engulfed. For this reason, the Lord does not spare their young men, and their orphans and widows he does not pity; They are wholly profaned and sinful, and every mouth gives vent to folly. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched! For wickedness burns like fire, devouring brier and thorn; It kindles the forest thickets, which go up in columns of smoke. At the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land quakes, and the people are like fuel for fire; No man spares his brother, each devours the flesh of his neighbor. Though they hack on the right, they are hungry; though they eat on the left, they are not filled. Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn on Judah. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched! Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and who write oppressive decrees, Depriving the needy of judgment and robbing my people’s poor of their rights, Making widows their plunder, and orphans their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, when ruin comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth, Lest it sink beneath the captive or fall beneath the slain? For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched! RESPONSORY Lamentations 2:1 How the Lord in his anger has brought darkness upon daughter Zion; — he has flung the glory of Israel down from heaven to earth. In the day of his wrath, he has forgotten Zion, his footstool. — He has flung the glory of Israel down from heaven to earth. Second reading From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop He who perseveres to the end will be saved Whenever we suffer some affliction, we should regard it both as a punishment and as a correction. Our holy Scriptures themselves do not promise us peace, security and rest. On the contrary, the Gospel makes no secret of the troubles and temptations that await us, but it also says that he who perseveres to the end will be saved. What good has there ever been in this life since the time when the first man received the just sentence of death and the curse from which Christ our Lord has delivered us? So we must not grumble, my brothers, for as the Apostle says: Some of them murmured and were destroyed by serpents. Is there any affliction now endured by mankind that was not endured by our fathers before us? What sufferings of ours even bear comparison with what we know of their sufferings? And yet you hear people complaining about this present day and age because things were so much better in former times. I wonder what would happen if they could be taken back to the days of their ancestors–would we not still hear them complaining? You may think past ages were good, but it is only because you are not living in them. It amazes me that you who have now been freed from the curse, who have believed in the son of God, who have been instructed in the holy Scriptures–that you can think the days of Adam were good. And your ancestors bore the curse of Adam, of that Adam to whom the words were addressed: With sweat on your brow you shall eat your bread; you shall till the earth from which you were taken, and it will yield you thorns and thistles. This is what he deserved and what he had to suffer; this is the punishment meted out to him by the just judgment of God. How then can you think that past ages were better than your own? From the time of that first Adam to the time of his descendants today, man’s lot has been labor and sweat, thorns and thistles. Have we forgotten the flood and the calamitous times of famine and war whose history has been recorded precisely in order to keep us from complaining to God on account of our own times? Just think what those past ages were like! Is there one of us who does not shudder to hear or read of them? Far from justifying complaints about our own time, they teach us how much we have to be thankful for. RESPONSORY Psalm 77:6-7, 3; see 11, 10 I ponder the days of old, I remember the years long past. All night long I meditated in my heart, — I cried out: O God, have pity on me. I sought God on the day of my suffering, I held out my hands to him the whole night through. — I cried out: O God, have pity on me. CONCLUDING PRAYER O God, who have prepared for those who love you good things which no eye can see, fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love, so that, loving you in all things and above all things, we may attain your promises, which surpass every human desire. 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. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Morning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 16min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 654 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1191 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 618 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1155 Christian Prayer (single volume) Ordinary: 689 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 958 Morning Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNCreator of the skies above, The wisdom of your plan decreed That sun should give us light by day, And moon should rule the hours of night. The darkness is dispelled at last, The world's great beauty is revealed; Our strength of soul is now renewed To spur us on to kindly deeds. Returning day calls us to prayer, And bids us sing your praise anew; The brightening aspect of the sky Gives courage and serenity. May we avoid all stain of sin, No evil mar our thoughts this day, No sinful action spoil our lives, No wrong or idle words offend. But while the sun draws on the day, May our weak faith grow strong and sure With hope that presses to the goal, And love unites us all to Christ. O Father, this we ask be done Through Jesus Christ, your only Son, Whom in the Spirit we adore: One God who reigns for evermore. Amen. 𝄞"Creator of the Skies Above" by Kathleen Lundquist • Available for Purchase • Title: Creator of the Skies Above; Text: Fulgentis auctor ethers, 5th-6th c.; Translation: St. Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 PSALMODY Ant. 1 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. Psalm 108 Praise of God and a plea for help Since the Son of God has been exalted above the heavens, his glory is proclaimed through all the earth (Arnobius). My heart is ready, O God; I will sing, sing your praise. Awake, my soul; awake, lyre and harp. I will awake the dawn. I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples, among the nations I will praise you, for your love reaches to the heavens and your truth to the skies. O God, arise above the heavens; may your glory shine on earth! O come and deliver your friends; help with your right hand and reply. From his holy place God has made this promise: “I will triumph and divide the land of Shechem; I will measure out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine and Manasseh. Ephraim I take for my helmet, Judah for my commander’s staff. Moab I will use for my washbowl, on Edom I will plant my shoe. Over the Philistines I will shout in triumph.” But who will lead me to conquer the fortress? Who will bring me face to face with Edom? Will you utterly reject us, O God, and no longer march with our armies? Give us help against the foe: for the help of man is vain. With God we shall do bravely and he will trample down our foes. 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 Accept the prayers of your servants, Lord, and prepare our hearts to praise your holy name. Come to our aid in time of trouble and make us worthy to sing you songs of thanksgiving. Ant. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. Ant. 2 The Lord has robed me with grace and salvation. Canticle – Isaiah 61:10 – 62:5 The prophet’s joy in the vision of a new Jerusalem I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, with the beauty of a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2). I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord God make justice and praise spring up before all the nations. For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the Lord. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall men call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,” but you shall be called “My Delight,” and your land “Espoused.” For the Lord delights in you, and makes your land his spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. 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 has robed me with grace and salvation. Ant. 3 I will praise my God all the days of my life. Psalm 146 Those who trust in God know what it is to be happy To praise God in our lives means all we do must be for his glory (Arnobius). My soul, give praise to the Lord; I will praise the Lord all my days, make music to my God while I live. Put no trust in princes, in mortal men in whom there is no help. Take their breath, they return to clay and their plans that day come to nothing. He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who alone made heaven and earth, the seas and all they contain. It is he who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free, the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down, the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan. It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Zion’s God, from age to age. 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 of glory and power, those who have put all their trust in you are happy indeed. Shine the brightness of your light on us, that we may love you always with a pure heart. Ant. I will praise my God all the days of my life. READING Deuteronomy 4:39-40a Know, and fix in your heart, that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. RESPONSORY I will bless the Lord all my life long. — I will bless the Lord all my life long. With a song of praise ever on my lips, — all my life long. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — I will bless the Lord all my life long. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Let us serve the Lord in holiness all the days of our life. 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. Let us serve the Lord in holiness all the days of our life. INTERCESSIONS Christ, the splendor of the Father’s glory, enlightens us with his word. With deep love we call upon him: Hear us, King of eternal glory. Blessed are you, the alpha and the omega of our faith, — for you called us out of darkness into your marvelous light. Hear us, King of eternal glory. You enabled the blind to see, the deaf to hear, — help our unbelief. Hear us, King of eternal glory. Lord, keep us in your love, preserve our community, — do not let us become separated from one another. Hear us, King of eternal glory. Give us strength in temptation, endurance in trial, — and gratitude in prosperity. Hear us, King of eternal glory. 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. Concluding Prayer Father, keep in mind your holy covenant, sealed with the blood of the Lamb. Forgive the sins of your people and let this new day bring us closer to salvation. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. DISMISSAL May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. — Amen.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Midmorning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 7min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning) Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1201 (Midmorning) Midmorning Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMN1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true and only Light, Sun of Righteousness, arise, triumph o'er the shade of night; Day-spring from on high, be near; Day-star, in my heart appear. 2 Dark and cheerless is the morn unaccompanied by thee; joyless is the day's return till thy mercy's beams I see, till they inward light impart, glad my eyes and warm my heart. 3 Visit, then, this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief; fill me, Radiancy divine, scatter all my unbelief; more and more thyself display, shining to the perfect day! 𝄞"Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: Christ Who's Glory Fills the Skies; Text: Charles Wesley, 1740; Tune: RATISBON; J. G. Werner's Choralbuch, 1815; harm. William H. Havergal, 1861; Meter: 77 77 77; Artist: Johanna Montealto; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me. Psalm 120 Longing for peace To the Lord in the hour of my distress I call and he answers me. “O Lord, save my soul from lying lips, from the tongue of the deceitful.” What shall he pay you in return, O treacherous tongue? The warrior’s arrows sharpened and coals, red-hot, blazing. Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech, dwell among the tents of Kedar! Long enough have I been dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for fighting. 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. I cried out, and the Lord heard me. Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go. Psalm 121 Guardian of his people Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16) I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall come my help? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard. No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard. The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands. By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night. The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever. 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. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go. Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me. Psalm 122 The holy city, Jerusalem You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22) I rejoiced when I heard them say: “Let us go to God’s house.” And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city strongly compact. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgment of the house of David. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: “Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!” For love of my brethren and friends I say: Peace upon you. For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good. 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. I rejoiced in the good news they told me. READING 1 Corinthians 10:24,31 No man should seek his own interest, but rather that of his neighbor. The fact is that whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, you should do all for the glory of God. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. We do well to praise the Lord. — To sing to you, our God most high. CONCLUDING PRAYER God of truth, Father of all, you send your Spirit as you promised to bring together in love all whom sin has driven apart. Strengthen us to work for your blessings of unity and peace in the world. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Midday Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 10min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1197 (Midday) Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 623 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1161 (Midday) Midday Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time using Current Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNBlest are the moments, doubly blest, that, drawn from this one hour of rest, are with a ready heart bestowed upon the service of our God! Each field is then a hallowed spot, an altar in each man's cot, a church in every grove that spreads its living roof above our heads. Look up to heaven! the industrious sun already half his race hath run; he cannot halt or go astray, but our immortal spirits may. Lord, since his rising in the east, if we have faltered or transgressed, guide, from thy love's abundant source, what yet remains of this day's course; help with thy grace, through life's short day, our upward and our downward way; and glorify for us the west, when we shall sink to final rest. Amen. 𝄞"Blest are the Moments, Doubly Blest" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: Blest are the Moments, Doubly Blest; Text: William Wordsworth (1770-1850); Music: Wareham (William Knapp, 1697-1768); Artist: Johanna Montealto; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 Lord, I cry to you for help; I trust in your promise. Psalm 119:145-152 XIX (Koph) I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me, I will keep your commands; I call upon you, save me and I will do your will. I rise before dawn and cry for help, I hope in your word. My eyes watch through the night to ponder your promise. In your love hear my voice, O Lord; give me life by your decrees. Those who harm me unjustly draw near: they are far from your law. But you, O Lord, are close: your commands are truth. Long have I known that your will is established for ever. 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 Save us by the power of your hand, Father, for our enemies have ignored your words. May the fire of your word consume our sins and its brightness illumine our hearts. Ant. Lord, I cry to you for help; I trust in your promise. Ant. 2 The Lord knows how fleeting are the thoughts of men. Psalm 94 The Lord will avenge the just God punishes wicked conduct; he has called you to share his holiness. You must have nothing to do with impurity (1 Thessalonians 4:6-7). I O Lord avenging God, avenging God, appear! Judge of the earth, arise, give the proud what they deserve! How long, O Lord, shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? They bluster with arrogant speech; the evil-doers boast to each other. They crush your people, Lord, they afflict the ones you have chosen. They kill the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless child. And they say: “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.” Mark this, most senseless of people; fools, when will you understand? Can he who made the ear, not hear? Can he who formed the eye, not see? Will he who corrects nations, not punish? Will he who teaches men, not have knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of men. He knows they are no more than a breath. 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 knows how fleeting are the thoughts of men. Ant. 3 The Lord has become my stronghold; in him I put my trust. II Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord, whom you train by means of your law: to him you give peace in evil days while the pit is being dug for the wicked. The Lord will not abandon his people nor forsake those who are his own; for judgment shall again be just and all true hearts shall uphold it. Who will stand up for me against the wicked? Who will defend me against those who do evil? If the Lord were not to help me, I would soon go down into the silence. When I think: “I have lost my foothold,” your mercy, Lord, holds me up. When cares increase in my heart your consolation calms my soul. Can judges who do evil be your friends? They do injustice under cover of law; they attack the life of the just and condemn innocent blood. As for me, the Lord will be a stronghold; my God will be the rock where I take refuge. He will repay them for their wickedness, destroy them for their evil deeds. The Lord, our God, will destroy them. 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, you taught your disciples not to fear the world. Do not abandon your inheritance to sinners, nor ignore the power of the enemy against the Church. Grant us always to seek the wisdom of the cross and the blessing of those who suffer for the sake of justice. May we always be filled with your happiness. Ant. The Lord has become my stronghold; in him I put my trust. READING Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through him. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Lord, I will offer you a sacrifice of praise. — And I will call upon your name. CONCLUDING PRAYER God of mercy, this midday moment of rest is your welcome gift. Bless the work we have begun, make good its defects and let us finish it in a way that pleases you. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Midafternoon Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 8min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1295 (Midafternoon) Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1202 (Midafternoon) Midafternoon Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNO God, creation’s secret force, Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source, Who from the morn till evening's ray Through all its changes guid’st the day: Grant us, when this short life is past, The glorious evening that shall last; That, by a holy death attained, Eternal glory may be gained. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; With the Holy Spirit and Thee, Shall live and reign eternally. 𝄞"O God, Creation's Secret Force" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: O God, Creation's Secret Force; Words: At­trib­ut­ed to St. Am­brose of Mi­lan, 4th Cen­tu­ry; Trans­lat­ion from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, 1852; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy. Psalm 126 Joyful hope in God Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7) When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: “What marvels the Lord worked for them!” What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing: they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves 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 has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy. Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city. Psalm 127 Apart from God our labors are worthless You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9) If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. In vain is your earlier rising, your going later to rest, you who toil for the bread you eat, when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber. Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, a blessing, the fruit of the womb. Indeed the sons of youth are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. O the happiness of the man who has filled his quiver with these arrows! He will have no cause for shame when he disputes with his foes in the gateways. 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. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city. Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord. Psalm 128 Happiness of family life rooted in God “May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius) O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labor of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper; your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; Your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life! May you see your children’s children in a happy Jerusalem! On Israel, 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. Blessed are those who fear the Lord. READING Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from Him as your reward. Be slaves of Christ the Lord. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Lord, you are my inheritance and my cup. — My life is in your hands. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, to save all mankind you streched out your arms on the cross. Let our work be pleasing to you: may it proclaim your salvation to the world, for you live and reign forever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Evening Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 16min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 668 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1202 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 632 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 1166 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 694 All from the Psalter: Wednesday, Week IV, 963 Evening Prayer for Wednesday in Ordinary Time God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNAs sun declines and shadows fall, The sea and hills will fade from sight; Its fiery orb bids us farewell But promises tomorrow's light. And this, O God, creator wise, You regulate in wondrous way The laws of this great universe At which we marvel night and day. While darkness rides across the sky, And stars their silent watches keep, Your children leave their constant toil, Regaining strength by peaceful sleep. Made rich in hope, kept strong in faith, May we be blest throughout the night, By Christ, the Word, who timeless reigns, True splendor of the Father’s light. He is the sun that never sets, No dusk can make his lustre die, The kind Protector of the earth, The joys of all the saints on high. O Father, Son and Spirit blest Grant us at last that light to see, And full of joy your praises sing, Bathed in your love eternally. Amen. 𝄞"As Sun Declines and Shadows Fall" by Kathleen Lundquist • Title: As Sun Declines and Shadows Fall; Text: Sol, ecce, lentus occident, Novus; Translation: St. Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding. Psalm 139 God sees all that is Who has known the mind of God, who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:34). I O Lord, you search me and you know me, you know my resting and my rising, you discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, all my ways lie open to you. Before ever a word is on my tongue you know it, O Lord, through and through. Behind and before you besiege me, your hand ever laid upon me. Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, too high, beyond my reach. O where can I go from your spirit, or where can I flee from your face? If I climb the heavens, you are there. If I lie in the grave, you are there. If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell at the sea’s furthest end, even there your hand would lead me, your right hand would hold me fast. If I say: “Let the darkness hide me and the light around me be night,” even darkness is not dark for you and the night is as clear as the day. 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. Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding. Ant. 2 I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve. II For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation. Already you knew my soul, my body held no secret from you when I was being fashioned in secret and molded in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw all my actions, they were all of them written in your book, every one of my days was decreed before one of them came into being. To me, how mysterious your thoughts, the sum of them not to be numbered! If I count them, they are more than the sand; to finish, I must be eternal, like you. O search me, God, and know my heart. O test me and know my thoughts. See that I follow not the wrong path and lead me in the path of life eternal. 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 You watch over heaven and earth, Lord Jesus. Your death brought light to the dead; your resurrection gave joy to the saints; your ascension made the angels rejoice. Your power exceeds all power. Lead us to life eternal, and watch over us with your love. May your friends be filled with honour and join you in heaven. Ant. I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve. Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself. Canticle – Colossians 1:12-20 Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead Let us give thanks to the Father for having made you worthy to share the lot of the saints in light. He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. Through him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creatures. In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, things visible and invisible. All were created through him; all were created for him. He is before all else that is. In him everything continues in being. It is he who is head of the body, the church! he who is the beginning, the first-born of the dead, so that primacy may be his in everything. It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of his cross. 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. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself. READING 1 John 2:3-6 The way we can be sure of our knowledge of Christ is to keep his commandments. The man who claims, “I have known him,” without keeping his commandments, is a liar; in such a one there is no truth. But whoever keeps his word, truly has the love of God been made perfect in him. The way we can be sure we are in union with him is for the man who claims to abide in him to conduct himself just as he did. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. RESPONSORY Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye. — Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye. Gather us under the shadow of your wings, and keep us, — as the apple of your eye. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye. CANTICLE OF MARY Ant. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud and lift up the lowly. Luke 1:46-55 The soul rejoices in the Lord 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, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud and lift up the lowly. INTERCESSIONS With joyful hearts, let us praise the Eternal Father whose mercy toward his people is exalted to the heavens: Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. Remember, Lord, that you sent your Son into the world to be its savior, not its judge, — let his glorious death bring us salvation. Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. You ordained your priests to be ministers of Christ and stewards of your marvelous gifts, — fill them with fidelity, wisdom and love. Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. You have called men and women to chastity for the sake of the kingdom, — let them faithfully follow your Son. Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. From the beginning you intended husband and wife to be one, — keep all families united in sincere love. Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. You sent Christ Jesus into the world to absolve the sins of men, — free all the dead from their sins. Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord. 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. Concluding Prayer God our Father, you have filled the hungry with the good things of heaven. Keep in mind your infinite compassion. Look upon our poverty: and let us share the riches of your life and love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. — Amen. DISMISSAL May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. — Amen.
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  August 19th, 2026 – Night Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 8min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours: Vol I, Page 1180 Vol II, Page 1638 Vol III, Page 1280 Vol IV, Page 1244 Christian Prayer: Page 1047 General instruction: Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight. Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer. Night Prayer for Wednesday God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. Examination of conscience: We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better. I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,    And, striking your breast, say: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;    Then continue: therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.    With a priest present, this absolution will be given: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.    The people reply: Amen HYMNBefore the ending of the day, Creator of the world we pray, that with your constant favor thou be our guard and keeper now. From harmful dreams defend our sight, from fears and terrors of the night; withhold from us our dark desires, Prevent us from eternal fire. O Father, this we ask be done, through Jesus Christ Your only Son: who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, shall live and reign eternally. Amen. 𝄞"Before the Ending of the Day" by Johanna Montealto • Title: Before The Ending of The Day; Lyric: St. Ambrose; Translation: John Mason Neale (1818-1866), 1851; Music: Te lucis ante terminum (Plainsong Mode viii); Artist: Johanna Montealto; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 Lord God, be my refuge and my strength. Psalm 31:1-6 Trustful prayer in adversity Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46). In you, O Lord, I take refuge. Let me never be put to shame. In your justice, set me free, hear me and speedily rescue me. Be a rock of refuge for me, a mighty stronghold to save me, for you are my rock, my stronghold. For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Release me from the snares they have hidden for you are my refuge, Lord. Into your hands I commend my spirit. It is you who will redeem me, Lord. 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. Lord God, be my refuge and my strength. Ant. 2 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord. Psalm 130 A cry from the depths He will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading. If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you. My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak. Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord. Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption, Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity. 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. Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord. READING Ephesians 4:26-27 If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you. RESPONSORY Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. — Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. — I commend my spirit. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Gospel Canticle Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Luke 2:29-32 Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel Lord, now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel. 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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Concluding Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, you have given your followers an example of gentleness and humility, a task that is easy, a burden that is light. Accept the prayers and work of this day, and give us the rest that will strengthen us to render more faithful service to you who live and reign for ever and ever. — Amen. Blessing May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. — Amen. Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and Blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
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  August 19th, 2026 – The Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition: What We Know So Far – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026

  Brothers and Sisters in Christ, For many years now, we have shared updates with you about the long-awaited Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours — the first major revision of the Church’s official daily prayer in the United States in more than fifty years. This year, that long journey has reached a major milestone and is now approaching its end. Where Things Stand In October 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the new English translation for liturgical use in the United States. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, President of the USCCB, then signed a decree of promulgation establishing two important dates: Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, will be the first-use date — the day the Second Edition becomes lawful for use. The First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028, will be the mandatory-use date — the day the current translation is retired. Between these two dates lies a period of transition, sometimes called a vacatio legis, during which the faithful and clergy alike may continue praying with their current volumes while the new edition becomes available. Can I Keep Praying With My Current Books? This is a question we hear often, the answer is Yes, for most of you, nothing changes right away. Between Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (the first-use date) and the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028 (the mandatory-use date), your current four-volume set remains entirely valid for prayer. You are not required to buy the new edition the moment it becomes available. The distinction that matters is between obligation and devotion: If you are a priest, deacon, or religious bound by canon law to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the current translation continues to fulfill that obligation right up until the mandatory-use date. Starting December 3, 2028, the Second Edition will be required for you. If you are a layperson praying the Hours as an act of personal devotion, you are not bound by that same canonical obligation, so nothing forces you to purchase the new set on any particular date. You are free to continue praying with the volumes you already have. That said, we do encourage everyone — clergy, religious, and laity alike — to plan on transitioning to the Second Edition by the mandatory-use date, the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2028. Praying the same texts as the rest of the Church, in the same words at the same hours, is part of what makes the Liturgy of the Hours a shared, public prayer of the whole Body of Christ rather than a private devotion. We are not in a position to encourage an earlier move: as of this writing, the USCCB has not yet established a licensing model for digital editions of the Second Edition, so we do not yet have the rights to publish the new text on DivineOffice.org. We are hopeful that a digital licensing path will be in place well before the 2028 deadline, at which point we intend to update our texts and begin the work of recording new audio for the Second Edition. Two Publishers, Four Volumes The USCCB has selected Ascension Press and Word on Fire Publishing as the exclusive publishers of the new four-volume breviary. Both have announced that pre-orders will open on July 1, 2026, beginning with Volume II, covering Lent and Easter — fittingly, the first volume needed for the Ash Wednesday first-use date. The remaining three volumes are expected to follow throughout the year, with the complete four-volume set anticipated by the end of 2027. Four additional publishers have also been selected to produce single-volume “major extracts” — editions containing Lauds, Vespers, and Compline — for those who do not need the full four-volume breviary for daily prayer. What About Digital and Audio Formats? This is a question many of you have asked us directly, since so much of what we do here at DivineOffice.org depends on digital text and recorded audio. The honest answer is that the USCCB has not yet announced a timeline for digital or alternative formats. The Bishops’ Conference has stated only that availability will be determined and shared at a later date. We hope and pray that these details will be resolved in a way that lets us continue the mission many of you have come to depend on and that we have carried for nearly twenty years now, bringing the Liturgy of the Hours to everyone in the United States and the world. Especially our visually, hearing impaired brothers and sisters who pray with us through our audio or the accessible versions. A word about the Spanish version Some of you have also asked whether this new translation affects our own Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. It does not. The USCCB’s Second Edition is an English-language undertaking, and the USCCB has not confirmed a Spanish edition of its own. Existing Spanish translations approved by other bishops’ conferences remain entirely valid for prayer, and our work on recording the Liturgy of the Hours in Spanish continues on its own path, independent of this transition. Continuing to Walk Together We know many of you have waited a long time for this new edition, and we share your anticipation. As always, we will continue to follow the USCCB’s official announcements closely and share verified updates with you as they come. Many of you know the many obstacles this work has overcome in 20 years of existence. God willing, we will do so for many more. The current translation will be maintained and updated as until now through website, podcasts and apps and every effort will be made to sustain and expand our mission in the world. Thank you for praying with us, today and always. The Divine Office Team
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  August 20th, 2026 – This Week: How I Long to See the Flame Leap Up – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026

  The Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time • Saint Bernard • Saint Pius X • The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary • Liturgical Colours: Green/White This week begins with Christ’s striking words, from Sunday’s Evening Prayer: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up!” In Luke’s Gospel, this is Christ speaking about the urgent nature of His mission — that purifying fire is the zeal of divine love He came to kindle in the world, the same fire that would later appear as tongues of flame at Pentecost. What follows this week traces where that fire goes: its intended reach across the whole world; what it costs to carry, and its quiet, daily form in the Church’s own prayer — the Hours themselves, described by Saint Basil as “the voice of the Church,” rising unceasingly. Sunday‘s Evening Prayer II and Christ’s startling words: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I long to see the flame leap up!”— Magnificat Antiphon, Evening Prayer II, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 12:49) In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is saying His message will bring radical division rather than immediate peace. That fire, the intense, disruptive, and purifying power of God’s truth will divide loyalties and test human hearts. The Office of Readings that same day, from Saint John Chrysostom, names how far that fire was meant to travel: “I am not sending you into two cities only or ten or twenty, not to a single nation… but across land and sea, to the whole world.”— Second Reading, Office of Readings, Sunday (From a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostum, (Salt of the earth and light of the world)) Monday‘s Office of Readings names what carrying that fire actually costs. Saint Gregory the Great describes those who bear it as beset on every side: “Holy men beset by tribulation must endure the assaults of those who use violence and verbal attacks… with wisdom they teach the wayward while showing a courageous contempt for outward hostility.”— Second Reading, Office of Readings, Monday (From the Moral Reflections on Job by Saint Gregory the Great, (Struggles without, fears within)) On Tuesday, the biblical instruction from Colossians gives the fire its most ordinary form — not a mystical vision, or a transcendent experience but a daily practice: “Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs.” A fire that is kept alight through nothing more dramatic than daily singing. On Wednesday, Saint Augustine’s homily, written in his poignant style many centuries ago, is teaching a lesson in gratitude, much needed both in the old and the modern times: “Have we forgotten the flood and the calamitous times of famine and war…? Far from justifying complaints about our own time, they teach us how much we have to be thankful for.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Wednesday, (From a sermon by Saint Augustine, (He who perseveres to the end will be saved)) Thursday, the Memorial of Saint Bernard, we see what happens when the fire takes hold of a single life. His own proper antiphon says it plainly: “Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine.” — Benedictus Antiphon, Morning Prayer, Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Friday, the Memorial of Saint Pius X, brings the week’s clearest answer to what the daily singing of psalms actually is. In his own apostolic constitution, read in the Office of Readings, Pius X describes the psalms prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours: “That singing of psalms, which is the daughter of that hymn of praise… which goes up unceasingly before the throne of God and of the Lamb.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Memorial of Saint Pius X (From the apostolic constitution Divino afflatu of Pope Saint Pius X, (The song of the Church)) This is the fire’s quiet, daily form — not an engulfing blaze but an unceasing rising, hour by hour, voice joined to voice, across the whole Church. Saturday closes the week with the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary, and a homily by Saint Amadeus of Lausanne that shows where a life entirely carried by that fire finally arrives: “She was borne from virtue to virtue by the Spirit of the Lord, she was transported from earthly renown to heavenly brightness.” — Second Reading, Office of Readings, Memorial of the Queenship of Mary (From a homily by Saint Amadeus of Lausanne, (Queen of the world and of peace)) The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God: the same fire Christ longed to see leap up, fully alight in a single human life, all the way to heaven in glory. The Hours are how this fire has stayed lit for centuries — not through dramatic gestures, but through daily, ordinary prayer joined across the whole world. If this daily practice means something in your own life, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute ✞Pray Morning Prayer for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church ✞Pray Office of Readings for the Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope ✞Pray Office of Readings for the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary With gratitude,The Divine Office Team
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  August 20th, 2026 – About Today – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026

  August 20 Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Memorial “The faithful know how much need they have of Jesus and Him crucified; but though they wonder and rejoice at the ineffable love made manifest in Him, they are not daunted at having no more than their own poor souls to give in return for such great and condescending charity. They love all the more, because they know themselves to be loved so exceedingly… ” [1] St. Bernard was born into a noble family in 1090 at Fontaines in eastern France. St. Bernard studied literature and sacred scripture with the canons at Châtillon-sur-Seine. When he was 23, he and 30 young nobles entered the monastery of Cîteaux, the monastery from which sprang the Cistercian Order. Three years later he was sent to found the monastery of Clairvaux. St. Bernard became very influential. He served as secretary to the Synod of Troyes (1128), supported Innocent II in his struggle with a rival papal claimant, and urged the condemnations of teachings of Abelard at the Council of Sens (1140) and of Gilbert de la Porrée at Reims (1148). His monastery at Clairvaux attracted many new members; from it monks were sent to Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, England, and Ireland to establish new Cistercian communities. He was a brilliant writer, who knew the Bible extremely well. He had a great devotion to Mary. Bernard was canonized in 1174 by Pope Alexander III and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1830 by Pope Pius VIII. [2] Written by Sarah Ciotti Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD [1] St. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 7, www.ccel.org. [2] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Bernard of Clairvaux.”
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  August 20th, 2026 – Invitatory – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 4min

  Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. Psalm 95 Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us. Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving and sing joyful songs to the Lord. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. The Lord is God, the mighty God, the great king over all the gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the highest mountains as well He made the sea; it belongs to him, the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker, For he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness, when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me, Although they had seen all of my works. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. Forty years I endured that generation. I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways.” So I swore in my anger, “They shall not enter into my rest.” Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia. 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. Come, let us worship the Lord, fount of all wisdom, alleluia.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Office of Readings – Memorial – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 17min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 615 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1174 Common of Doctors: 1777 (not used) Common of Holy Men: 1821 (verse before the readings) Proper of Seasons: 136 (first reading) Proper of Saints: 1333 (second reading, responsory, concluding prayer) Christian Prayer: Does not contain Office of Readings Office of Readings for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNO God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Beneath the shadow of Your throne Your saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is your arm alone, And our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame, From everlasting you are God, To endless years the same. A thousand ages in your sight Are like an evening gone; Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun. Time, like an ever rolling stream, Bears all our lives away; They fly, forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day. O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be now our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home. 𝄞"O God, Our Help in Ages Past" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss, Vince Clark • Musical Score • Title: O God, Our Help in Ages Past; Text: Based on Psalm 90; Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, Psalms of David..., 1719, alt.; Tune: ST. ANNE, CM; later form of melody (rhythm adapted), attr. to William Croft, 1678-1727, A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms, 1708; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss, Vince Clark; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face. Psalm 44 The misfortunes of God’s people We triumph over all these things through him who loved us (Romans 8:37). I We heard with our own ears, O God, our fathers have told us the story of the things you did in their days, you yourself, in days long ago. To plant them you uprooted the nations: to let them spread you laid peoples low. No sword of their own won the land; no arm of their own brought them victory. It was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face: for you loved them. It is you, my king, my God, who granted victories to Jacob. Through you we beat down our foes; in your name we trampled our aggressors. For it was not in my bow that I trusted nor yet was I saved by my sword: it was you who saved us from our foes, it was you who put our foes to shame. All day long our boast was in God and we praised your name without ceasing. 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. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face. Ant. 2 Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face. II Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us: you no longer go forth with our armies. You make us retreat from the foe and our enemies plunder us at will. You make us like sheep for the slaughter and scatter us among the nations. You sell your own people for nothing and make no profit by the sale. You make us the taunt of our neighbors, the laughing stock of all who are near. Among the nations, you make us a byword, among the peoples a thing of derision. All day long my disgrace is before me: my face is covered with shame at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer, at the sight of the foe and avenger. 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. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face. Ant. 3 Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever. III This befell us though we had not forgotten you; though we had not been false to your covenant, though we had not withdrawn our hearts; though our feet had not strayed from your path. Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows and covered us with the shadow of death. Had we forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to another god would not God have found this out, he who knows the secrets of the heart? It is for you we face death all day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep? Arise, do not reject us for ever! Why do you hide your face and forget our oppression and misery? For we are brought down low to the dust; our body lies prostrate on the earth. Stand up and come to our help! Redeem us because of your 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 Lord Jesus, you foretold that we would share in the persecutions that brought you to a violent death. The Church formed at the cost of your precious blood is even now conformed to your Passion; may it be transformed, now and eternally, by the power of your resurrection. Ant. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. The Lord led this holy man along a sure path. — He showed him the kingdom of God. READINGS First reading From the book of the prophet Isaiah 11:1-16 The root of Jesse and the return of the remnant of God’s people Thus says the Lord: A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea. On that day, The root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. On that day, The Lord shall again take it in hand to reclaim the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria and Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, and Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the isles of the sea. He shall raise a signal to the nations and gather the outcasts of Israel; The dispersed of Judah he shall assemble from the four corners of the earth. The envy of Ephraim shall pass away, and the rivalry of Judah be removed; Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not be hostile to Ephraim; But they shall swoop down on the foothills of the Philistines to the west, together they shall plunder the Kedemites; Edom and Moab shall be their possessions, and the Ammonites their subjects. The Lord shall dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and wave his hand over the Euphrates in his fierce anger And shatter it into seven streamlets, so that it can be crossed in sandals. There shall be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, As there was for Israel when he came up from the land of Egypt. RESPONSORY Isaiah 55:12; 11:16 You will depart with joy; you will be led away in peace. — Mountains and hills will break into joyful song before you, and all the trees of the forest will clap their hands. There will be a highway for the remnant of my people as there was for Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt. — Mountains and hills will break into joyful song before you, and all the trees of the forest will clap their hands. Second reading From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot I love because I love, I love that I may love Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him. The Bridegroom’s love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love’s bride? Could it be that Love not be loved? Rightly then does she give up all other feelings and give herself wholly to love alone; in giving love back, all she can do is to respond to love. And when she has poured out her whole being in love, what is that in comparison with the unceasing torrent of that original source? Clearly, lover and Love, soul and Word, bride and Bridegroom, creature and Creator do not flow with the same volume; one might as well equate a thirsty man with the fountain. What then of the bride’s hope, her aching desire, her passionate love, her confident assurance? Is all this to wilt just because she cannot match stride for stride with her giant, any more than she can vie with honey for sweetness, rival the lamb for gentleness, show herself as white as the lily, burn as bright as the sun, be equal in love with him who is Love? No. It is true that the creature loves less because she is less. But if she loves with her whole being, nothing is lacking where everything is given. To love so ardently then is to share the marriage bond; she cannot love so much and not be totally loved, and it is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and total marriage consists. Or are we to doubt that the soul is loved by the Word first and with a greater love? RESPONSORY Psalm 31:20; 36:9 Lord, how great are the hidden treasures of your goodness, — which you have stored up for those who fear you. They are filled with the bounty of your house; and you give them to drink from the stream of your delights. — Which you have stored up for those who fear you. CONCLUDING PRAYER O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. 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. ACCLAMATION (at least in the communal celebration) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Morning Prayer – Memorial – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 16min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 618 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1177 Common of Doctors of the Church: 1783 (reading) Common of Holy Men: 1833 (intercessions) Proper of Saints: 1335 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer) Christian Prayer (single volume) Ordinary: 689 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 968 Common of Doctors of the Church: 1435 (reading) Common of Holy Men: 1452 (intercessions) Proper of Saints: 1233 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer) Morning Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNJesus, our Teacher, loving Lord and Master, In adoration we acclaim your precepts, You alone offer words of life eternal, Laws of salvation. Humbly we thank you, Shepherd through the ages, For the protection to your Church extended, Constantly guiding, that all souls may find there Light in the darkness. Masters of learning were your eager servants, Stars of great splendor with but one ambition, Deeper to fathom and explain the wonders Of revelation. All tongues should praise you, Jesus, divine Master, Who lavish treasures from your Holy Spirit, Through words and writings of the Church's doctors, Flame ever fruitful. May this day's patron, whom we gladly honor, Ever be near us, leading on your people, Till we all praise you, faith and hope rewarded, In light eternal. Amen. 𝄞"Jesus, Our Teacher, Loving Lord and Master" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Available for Purchase • Title: Jesus, Our Teacher, Loving Lord and Master; Text: Doctor aeternus, Novus; Tr. St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode VIII; Liber Hymnarius; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Accompaniment: Sara Faux; Recording copyright 2017 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 PSALMODY Ant. 1 At daybreak, be merciful to me, O Lord. Psalm 143 Prayer in distress A man is not justified by observance of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). 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 The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman and our mother (Galatians 4:26). 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 The loving kindness of God who can do all he wills You are God: we praise you; you are the Lord: we acclaim you. 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. READING Wisdom 7:13-14 Simply I learned about Wisdom, and ungrudgingly do I share — her riches I do not hide away; For to men she is an unfailing treasure; those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God, to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. RESPONSORY Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints. — Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints. With joyful praise let the Church tell forth — the wisdom of the saints. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Let the peoples proclaim the wisdom of the saints. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine. 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. Blessed Bernard, your life, flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, illumines the Church with the light of true faith and doctrine. INTERCESSIONS My brothers, let us praise Christ, asking to serve him and to be holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. Let us acclaim him: Lord, you alone are the holy one. You desired to experience everything we experience but sin, — have mercy on us, Lord Jesus. Lord, you alone are the holy one. You called us to love perfectly, — make us holy, Lord Jesus. Lord, you alone are the holy one. You commissioned us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, — let your light shine on us, Lord Jesus. Lord, you alone are the holy one. You desired to serve, not to be served, — help us, Lord Jesus, to give humble service to you and to our neighbors. Lord, you alone are the holy one. You are in the form of God sharing in the splendor of the Father, — Lord Jesus, let us see the glory of your face. Lord, you alone are the holy one. 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. Concluding Prayer O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. 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. DISMISSAL May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. — Amen.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Midmorning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 8min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning) Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1222 (Midmorning) Midmorning Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using the Complementary Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNNew every morning is the love our wakening and uprising prove; through sleep and darkness safely brought, restored to life and power and thought. New mercies, each returning day, hover around us while we pray; new perils past, new sins forgiven, new thoughts of God, new hopes above. If on our daily course our mind be set to hallow all we find, new treasures still, of countless price, God will provide for sacrifice. Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be, as more of heaven in each we see; some softening gleam of love and prayer shall dawn on every cross and care. The trivial round, the common task, will furnish all we ought to ask: room to deny ourselves; a road to bring us daily nearer God. Only, O Lord, in thy dear love, fit us for perfect rest above; and help us, this and every day, to live more nearly as we pray. 𝄞"New Every Morning Is The Love" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: New every morning is the love; Words: John Keble, 1822; Music: Melcombe, Kedron; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 I cried out, and the Lord heard me. Psalm 120 Longing for peace To the Lord in the hour of my distress I call and he answers me. “O Lord, save my soul from lying lips, from the tongue of the deceitful.” What shall he pay you in return, O treacherous tongue? The warrior’s arrows sharpened and coals, red-hot, blazing. Alas, that I abide a stranger in Meshech, dwell among the tents of Kedar! Long enough have I been dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for fighting. 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. I cried out, and the Lord heard me. Ant. 2 May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go. Psalm 121 Guardian of his people Never again will they hunger and thirst, never again know scorching heat (Revelation 7:16) I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall come my help? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard. No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard. The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands. By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night. The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever. 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. May the Lord watch over you as you come and as you go. Ant. 3 I rejoiced in the good news they told me. Psalm 122 The holy city, Jerusalem You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22) I rejoiced when I heard them say: Let us go to God’s house. And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city strongly compact. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgment of the house of David. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: “Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!” For love of my brethren and friends I say: Peace upon you. For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good. 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. I rejoiced in the good news they told me. READING 1 John 3:23-24 God’s commandment is this: we are to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and are to love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and this is how we know that he remains in us from the Spirit that he gave us. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Lord, you guide the upright man, — you know him through and through. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord, in midmorning you gave your Holy Spirit to the apostles gathered in prayer. Give us a share in the life and love that your Spirit brings. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Midday Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 9min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1219 (Midday) Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 623 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1183 (Midday) Midday Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using the Current Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNJesus, only begotten Son and Lamb of God the Father Thou didst give Thy body and blood to buy me from the grave Chorus: My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler, Each day and night, each dark and light. My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler, Each day and night, my Christ. Jesus, Son of Mary, be near me and uphold me in my standing, in my lying and in my sleeping. Chorus: My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler, Each day and night, each dark and light. My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler, Each day and night, my Christ. My helper, my encircler, My strength everlasting. My Christ, my Christ, my shield, my encircler, Each day and night, my Christ. 𝄞"Prayer for Protection" by Briege O'Hare And Marie Cox • Available on iTunes • Available for Purchase • Title: Prayer for Protection ; Text: Briege O'Hare, OSC, inspired by The Carmina Gadelica; Album: The Peace of God. Songs from a Celtic Monastery; Composed and arranged by: Briege O'Hare, OSC; Sung by: Marie Cox,RSM; (c) 2006 Hermitage Production; Used by permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Peace of God PSALMODY Ant. 1 If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments. Psalm 119 XX (Resh) See my affliction and save me for I remember your law. Uphold my cause and defend me; by your promise give me life. Salvation is far from the wicked who are heedless of your commands. Numberless, Lord, are your mercies; with your decrees give me life. Though my foes and oppressors are countless I have not swerved from your will. I look at the faithless with disgust; they ignore your promise. See how I love your precepts; in your mercy give me life. Your word is founded on truth: your decrees are eternal. 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 Help us always to rejoice in your promise, Father, and to praise the glory of your deeds. Keep us united in the love of your peace; then we shall have little to fear from the threats of the mighty. Ant. If you love me, says the Lord, keep my commandments. Ant. 2 May the Lord bless you, and peace will be yours all the days of your life. Psalm 128 Happiness of family life rooted in God “May the Lord bless you from Zion” refers to the Church (Arnobius). O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labor of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper; your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life! May you see your children’s children in a happy Jerusalem! On Israel, 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. Psalm-prayer Give lasting happiness, Lord, to those who reverence your name, so that our life and work may be such as to deserve your commendation, and bring us, laden with good fruit, to our everlasting home. Ant. May the Lord bless you, and peace will be yours all the days of your life. Ant. 3 God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies. Psalm 129 God’s people reaffirm their trust in time of affliction The voice of the Church lamenting its suffering is heard in this psalm (Saint Augustine). “They have pressed me hard from my youth,” this is Israel’s song. “They have pressed me hard from my youth but could never destroy me. They ploughed my back like ploughmen, drawing long furrows. But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed the yoke of the wicked.” Let them be shamed and routed, those who hate Zion! Let them be like grass on the roof that withers before it flowers. With that no reaper fills his arms, no binder makes his sheaves and those passing by will not say: “On you the Lord’s blessing!” “We bless you in the name of the Lord.” 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, living in glory as the Son of Man, remember that when our sins had ploughed long furrows on your back, your death broke the bonds of sin and Satan for ever. Bless your Church, wounded in its members, and strengthen it by your invincible power and grace. Ant. God will gain the victory for you over all your enemies. READING Wisdom 1:1-2 Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; Because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. Trust firmly in the Lord and do his will. — And you will dwell secure in the land of promise. CONCLUDING PRAYER All-powerful and ever-living God, with you there is no darkness, from you nothing is hidden. Fill us with the radiance of your light: may we understand the law you have given us and live it with generosity and faith. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Midafternoon Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 8min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1295 (Midafternoon) Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1223 (Midafternoon) Midafternoon Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time using Complementary Psalmody God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNO God, creation’s secret force, Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source, Who from the morn till evening's ray Through all its changes guid’st the day: Grant us, when this short life is past, The glorious evening that shall last; That, by a holy death attained, Eternal glory may be gained. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; With the Holy Spirit and Thee, Shall live and reign eternally. 𝄞"O God, Creation's Secret Force" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: O God, Creation's Secret Force; Words: At­trib­ut­ed to St. Am­brose of Mi­lan, 4th Cen­tu­ry; Trans­lat­ion from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, 1852; Recording copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 The Lord has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy. Psalm 126 Joyful hope in God Companions with him in suffering, you will share his over-flowing happiness (2 Corinthians 1:7) When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: “What marvels the Lord worked for them!” What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing: they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves 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 has done great things for us; he is the source of all our joy. Ant. 2 May the Lord build our house and watch over our city. Psalm 127 Apart from God our labors are worthless You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9) If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. In vain is your earlier rising, your going later to rest, you who toil for the bread you eat, when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber. Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, a blessing, the fruit of the womb. Indeed the sons of youth are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. O the happiness of the man who has filled his quiver with these arrows! He will have no cause for shame when he disputes with his foes in the gateways. 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. May the Lord build our house and watch over our city. Ant. 3 Blessed are those who fear the Lord. Psalm 128 Happiness of family life rooted in God “May the Lord bless you from Zion,” that is, from the Church (Arnobius) O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labor of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper; your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; Your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life! May you see your children’s children in a happy Jerusalem! On Israel, 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. Blessed are those who fear the Lord. READING Hebrews 12:1b-2 Let us lay aside every encumbrance of sin which clings to us and persevere in running the race which lies ahead. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects our faith. For the sake of the joy which lay before him he endured the cross, heedless of its shame, he has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. I put my trust in the Lord. — His promise bears me up. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord, help us to follow the example of your Son’s patience and endurance. May we face all life’s difficulties with confidence and faith. Grant this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Evening Prayer – Memorial – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 15min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 632 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 1188 Common of Doctors: 1763 (reading) Common of Holy Men: 1840 (intercessions) Proper of Saints: 1335 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer) Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 694 Psalter: Thursday, Week IV, 973 Common of Doctors: 1436 (reading) Common of Holy Men: 1455 (intercessions) Proper of Saints: 1233 (canticle of Zechariah antiphon, concluding prayer) Evening Prayer for Thursday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. HYMNFor holy joy our voices sing, For this day the feast we keep Of those who labored for their Lord As pastors of the Savior's sheep. To tend their flocks no toil they spare, To keep their feet from every snare, They feed their souls on doctrine pure, That they may tread in paths secure. They keep rapacious wolves away, To robbers, entrance they deny, They lead their sheep to pastures green, And guard the fold both night and day. Most holy shepherds of the flock, Rewarded now as Christ's right hand, Obtain for us his clement grace When at the judgement seat we stand. O Christ, our great eternal Priest, All glory ever be to you, With God the Father ever blest, In union with the Spirit too. Amen. 𝄞"For Holy Joy our Voices Sing" by Kathleen Lundquist, Sara Faux • Title: For Holy Joy our Voices Sing; Text: from Latin; Petrus Piacenza, 1919; Tr. St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK; Tune: Chant, Mode IV; Liber Hymnarius; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Accompaniment: Sara Faux; Recording copyright 2018 by Surgeworks, Inc. PSALMODY Ant. 1 He is my comfort and my refuge. In him I put my trust. Psalm 144 Prayer for victory and peace Christ learned the art of warfare when he overcame the world, as he said: “I have overcome the world” (Saint Hilary). I Blessed be the Lord, my rock who trains my arms for battle, who prepares my hands for war. He is my love, my fortress; he is my stronghold, my savior, my shield, my place of refuge. He brings peoples under my rule. Lord, what is man that you care for him, mortal man, that you keep him in mind; man, who is merely a breath whose life fades like a shadow? Lower your heavens and come down; touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke. Flash your lightnings; rout the foe, shoot your arrows and put them to flight. Reach down from heaven and save me; draw me out from the mighty waters, from the hands of alien foes whose mouths are filled with lies, whose hands are raised in perjury. 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. He is my comfort and my refuge. In him I put my trust. Ant. 2 Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. II To you, O God, will I sing a new song; I will play on the ten-stringed harp to you who give kings their victory, who set David your servant free. You set him free from the evil sword; you rescued him from alien foes whose mouths were filled with lies, whose hands were raised in perjury. Let our sons then flourish like saplings grown tall and strong from their youth: our daughters graceful as columns, adorned as though for a palace. Let our barns be filled to overflowing with crops of every kind; our sheep increasing by thousands, myriads of sheep in our fields, our cattle heavy with young, no ruined wall, no exile, no sound of weeping in our streets. Happy the people with such blessings; happy the people whose God is the Lord. 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, God of strength, you gave your Son victory over death. Direct your Church’s fight against evil in this world. Clothe us with the weapons of light and unite us under one banner of love, that we may receive our eternal reward after the battle of earthly life. Ant. Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Ant. 3 Now the victorious reign of our God has begun. Canticle – Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a The judgment of God We praise you, the Lord God Almighty, who is and who was. You have assumed your great power, you have begun your reign. The nations have raged in anger, but then came your day of wrath and the moment to judge the dead: The time to reward your servants the prophets and the holy ones who revere you, the great and the small alike. Now have salvation and power come, the reign of our God and the authority of his Anointed One. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who night and day accused them before God. They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. So rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell therein! 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. Now the victorious reign of our God has begun. READING James 3:17-18 Wisdom from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church. RESPONSORY In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence. — In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence. The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding. — He spoke with eloquence. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — In the midst of the Church he spoke with eloquence. CANTICLE OF MARY Ant. Bernard, eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory, at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers. Luke 1:46-55 The soul rejoices in the Lord 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, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Ant. Bernard, eloquent doctor of the Church, friend of Christ the Bridegroom, eminent preacher of the Virgin Mother’s glory, at Clairvaux you became the illustrious shepherd of your followers. INTERCESSIONS Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray: Bring salvation to your people, Lord. You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women, — let Christians rejoice always in such splendor. Bring salvation to your people, Lord. You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion, — through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people. Bring salvation to your people, Lord. In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit, — fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit. Bring salvation to your people, Lord. You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors, — let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you. Bring salvation to your people, Lord. The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life, — save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life. Bring salvation to your people, Lord. 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. Concluding Prayer O God, who made of the Abbot Saint Bernard a man consumed with zeal for your house and a light shining and burning in your Church, grant, through his intercession, that we may be on fire with the same spirit and walk always as children of light. 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. DISMISSAL May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. — Amen.
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  August 20th, 2026 – Night Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 19.08.2026 13min

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours: Vol I, Page 1183 Vol II, Page 1642 Vol III, Page 1283 Vol IV, Page 1247 Christian Prayer: Page 1049 General instruction: Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight. Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer. Night Prayer for Thursday God, come to my assistance. — Lord, make haste to help me. 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. Alleluia. Examination of conscience: We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better. Lord Jesus raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy — Lord have mercy Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy. — Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus you feed us with your body and blood: Lord, have mercy — Lord have mercy HYMNPraise to the Lord, the almighty, the king of creation! O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation! Let all who hear, now to his temple draw near; Joining in glad adoration. Praise to the Lord, who over all things is wondrously reigning; And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining. Have you not seen all that is needful has been Sent by his gracious ordaining? Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you; Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do As with his love he befriends you. Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore him! All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him. Let the Amen sound from his people again, Gladly forever adore Him. 𝄞"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" by Rebecca Hincke • Musical Score • Title: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty; Text: Lobe den Herren, den machtigen Konig der Ehren, Joachim Neunter; Translation: Catherine Winkworth; Tune: 17th c. German; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: Divine Office PSALMODY Ant. 1 In you, my God, my body will rest in hope. Psalm 16 God is my portion, my inheritance The Father raised up Jesus from the dead and broke the bonds of death (Acts 2:24). Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: “You are my God. My happiness lies in you alone.” He has put into my heart a marvelous love for the faithful ones who dwell in his land. Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows. Never will I offer their offerings of blood. Never will I take their name upon my lips. O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize. The lot marked out for me is my delight: welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me! I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm. And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay. You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever. 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 you, my God, my body will rest in hope. READING 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSORY Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. — Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. — I commend my spirit. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Gospel Canticle Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Luke 2:29-32 Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel Lord, now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel. 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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Concluding Prayer Lord God, send peaceful sleep to refresh our tired bodies. May your help always renew us and keep us strong in your service. We ask this through Christ our Lord. — Amen. Blessing May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. — Amen. Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ave Maria, gratia plena Maria, gratia plena Maria, gratia plena Ave, ave dominus Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus Et benedictus Et benedictus fructus ventris Ventris tui, Jesus Ave Maria! Ave Maria Mater Dei Ora pro nobis peccatoribus Ora, ora pro nobis Ora ora pro nobis peccatoribus Nunc et in hora mortis In hora mortis, nostrae In hora mortis mortis nostrae In hora mortis, nostrae Ave Maria! English Translation Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. 𝄞"Ave Maria" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Title: Ave Maria; Composer: Franz Schubert; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission