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

Episodes

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  October 8th, 2026 – This Week: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026

  27th Week in Ordinary Time • Optional Memorials of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Saint Bruno, Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Saint Denis, and Companions, Martyrs, Saint John Leonardi, Saint John Henry Newman • Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary • Liturgical Colours: Green/Red/White Throughout this week, both the First Readings from Saint Paul’s first letter to Timothy and their complementary patristic texts explore aspects of theological integrity: empty talk, cowardly silence, wordy prayer, teaching handed on without distortion, the preacher whose tongue is bound by his own sin. A week-long dialogue on spiritual and worldly duty takes place. On Wednesday we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights Sunday 4 October — 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 1:1–20 Saint Paul begins his letter by telling Timothy to stay in Ephesus and confront people who have “turned to meaningless talk”, guard against false teachers, preserve sound doctrine, and “fight the good fight”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, Pastoral Guide — Delivers a sharp condemnation of cowardly pastors through the words of the prophet: “They are dumb dogs that cannot bark.” Monday 5 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 2:1–15 — “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for all men.”Second reading: Saint Ambrose, On Cain and Abel — Saint Ambrose, commenting on prayer, makes an important distinction: don’t offer “long and wearisome prayers”, but pray “often, and with perseverance. Lengthy prayers are usually filled with empty words, while neglect of prayer results in indifference to prayer.”The Short reading: at both Morning and Evening Prayer stay on the same subject: “Always speak and act as men destined for judgment” (James 2), and “Do not, my brothers, speak ill of one another” (James 4). Tuesday 6 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 3:1–16 — “Whoever wants to be a bishop aspires to a noble task… He should be a good teacher.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, “Letter to the Trallians” — He is teaching ecclesial unity centered on the three-fold hierarchy of the Church: bishop, clergy, and deacons: “whoever acts apart from the bishop and the clergy and the deacons is not pure in his conscience.” Wednesday 7 October — Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 4:1—5:2 — “Train yourself for the life of piety, for while physical training is to some extent valuable, the discipline of religion is incalculably more so.”Second reading: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “We should meditate on the mysteries of salvation” — Saint Bernard reframes Mary’s essential role in making the invisible God visible to humanity. His sermon connects her to deep meditation on Christ and functions as a theological framework for the purpose, structure, and practice of praying the Rosary. Thursday 8 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 5:3–25 — “The real widow, left destitute, is one who has set her hope on God and continues night and day in supplications and prayers.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Philadelphians — “I am deeply impressed by his gentleness, and by his silence he is more effective than the empty talkers.” There is a silence that abandons the flock, and a silence that carries more than speech.Morning Prayer, Short Reading: “The one who speaks is to deliver God’s message.” (1 Peter 4:8–11a) Friday 9 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:1–10 — Saint Paul instructs Timothy on the traits of corrupt teachers: “love of money is the root of all evil” while the true profit of religion is contentment: “we brought nothing into this world, nor have we the power to take anything out.”Second reading: From the first instruction by Saint Vincent of Lérins — His writing fits perfectly into this week’s call to theological integrity and vigilance. True doctrinal growth means the faith becomes “firmer over the years, more ample in the course of time, more exalted as it advances in age”. But it must truly be “development of the faith, not alteration of the faith”. Saturday 10 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:11–21 — Saint Paul’s final exhortation is a calls to “Fight the good fight of faith”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, The performance of our ministry — In his homily Saint Gregory admits that shepherds are human and subject to exhaustion, fear or discouragement and asks the people to fuel and protect the voice of their pastors: “Pray for us so that we may have the strength to work on your behalf, that our tongue may not grow weary of exhortation.” This week in focus: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept From Saturday, October 10th, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope (The performance of our ministry) Most busy people are busy with good things. The parent juggling their children’s schedules, the nurse on a double shift, the volunteer who somehow runs half the parish: nearly everything on their calendars is honest work for people they love. And still there is a particular evening feeling of having been present everywhere except before God. Saint Gregory the Great knew that feeling well, and on Saturday he admits it plainly: “There is something else about the life of the shepherds, dearest brothers, which discourages me greatly. But lest what I claim should seem unjust to anyone, I will accuse myself of the very same thing, although I fall into it unwillingly—compelled by the urgency of these barbarous times. I speak of our absorption in external affairs; we accept the duties of office, but by our actions we show that we are attentive to other things.” Saint Gregory was hardly idle. A monk on the Caelian Hill until he was made pope in 590, he took charge of a city weakened by plague and threatened by Lombard armies. His “external affairs” were grain for the hungry and negotiations to keep Rome from being plundered. He names the costs of his busy life this way: “We are wrapped up in worldly concerns, and the more we devote ourselves to external things, the more insensitive we become in spirit. For this reason the Church rightfully says about her own feeble members: They made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” That line from the Song of Songs can just as well describe the life of a caregiver, a pastor or a parent. The Church anticipates our exhaustion and answers it, there is a week-long dialog unfolding: On Wednesday, Saint Paul gives Timothy two commands side by side: “Attend to your duties; let them absorb you, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch yourself and watch your teaching.” Saint Paul fully expects the duties to absorb him. But adds “watch yourself”, like a father would say to his son. On Monday, Saint Ambrose guides us to find our own interior room meant for prayer. When Christ says “Go into your room,” Saint Ambrose hears “the room that is within you, the room where you hide your thoughts, where you keep your affections. This room of prayer is always with you, wherever you are, and it is always a secret room, where only God can see you.” That room comes along through every noise of the day, to the hospital, the office and the school pickup line. Sunday‘s Magnificat antiphon lifts one more weight: “Tell yourselves: We are useless servants, for we did only what we should have done.” The vineyards have an owner. The harvest Saint Gregory worried over has a Lord, and the Church invites us to get back into the inner room, surrender our worries, hand the fields back to the Lord: “So great a harvest and so few to gather it in; pray to the Lord of the harvest,— beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.My people, trust in God at all times; pour out your hearts before him.— Beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.”Responsory after the Second Reading (Luke 10:2; Psalm 62:9) If the Hours give you a room to tend your own vineyard, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute With gratitude,The Divine Office Team
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  October 8th, 2026 – Invitatory – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 2m

  Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God.[1] Psalm 67 O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God. Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God. The earth has yielded its fruit for God, our God, has blessed us. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him. Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, for he is our God. 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, for he is our God. [1]Note: When we made the sung recordings (for the Invitatory and the psalmody for high rank celebrations) we used the Mundelein Psalter. The text is meant to facilitate singing so that’s the reason you may notice differences.
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  October 8th, 2026 – Office of Readings – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 21m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 615 Proper of Seasons: 357 Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1025 Christian Prayer: Does not contain Office of Readings Office of Readings for Thursday 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. HYMNI am the Lord bringing light through the cloud Let the Heavens rain down righteousness Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit; Let the Heavens rain down righteousness I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness I the Lord have created it. I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud Let the Heavens rain down righteousness Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit; Let the Heavens rain down righteousness I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness I the Lord have created it. 𝄞"Isaiah 45" by Kathleen Lundquist • Available for Purchase • Title: Isaiah 45; Lyrics adapted from Revised Standard Version of the Bible; Composer: Kathleen Lundquist; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Used with permission. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Sing of Mary PSALMODY Ant. 1 Look on us, Lord, and see how we are despised. Psalm 89 Lament for the fall of David’s dynasty He has raised up for us a mighty Savior born of the house of David his servant (Luke 1:69). IV And yet you have rejected and spurned and are angry with the one you have anointed. You have broken your covenant with your servant and dishonored his crown in the dust. You have broken down all his walls and reduced his fortresses to ruins. He is despoiled by all who pass by: he has become the taunt of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have made his sword give way, you have not upheld him in battle. You have brought his glory to an end; you have hurled his throne to the ground. You have cut short the years of his youth; you have heaped disgrace upon him. 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. Look on us, Lord, and see how we are despised. Ant. 2 I am the root and stock of David; I am the morning star. V How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself for ever? How long will your anger burn like a fire? Remember, Lord, the shortness of my life and how frail you have made the sons of men. What man can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the grasp of the grave? Where are your mercies of the past, O Lord, which you have sworn in your faithfulness to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant is taunted, how I have to bear all the insults of the peoples. Thus your enemies taunt me, O Lord, mocking your anointed at every step. Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen, amen! 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 mercy and fidelity, you made a new and lasting pact with men and sealed it in the blood of your Son. Forgive the folly of our disloyalty and make us keep your commandments, so that in your new covenant we may be witnesses and heralds of your faithfulness and love on earth, and sharers of your glory in heaven. Ant. I am the root and stock of David; I am the morning star. Ant. 3 Our years wither away like grass, but you, Lord God, are eternal. Psalm 90 May we live in the radiance of God There is no time with God: a thousand years, a single day: it is all one (2 Peter 3:8). O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next. Before the mountains were born or the earth or the world brought forth, you are God, without beginning or end. You turn men back into dust and say: “Go back, sons of men.” To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch in the night. You sweep men away like a dream, like grass which springs up in the morning. In the morning it springs up and flowers: by evening it withers and fades. So we are destroyed in your anger, struck with terror in your fury. Our guilt lies open before you; our secrets in the light of your face. All our days pass away in your anger. Our life is over like a sigh. Our span is seventy years or eighty for those who are strong. And most of these are emptiness and pain. They pass swiftly and we are gone. Who understands the power of your anger and fears the strength of your fury? Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart. Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever? Show pity to your servants. In the morning, fill us with your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Give us joy to balance our affliction for the years when we knew misfortune. Show forth your work to your servants; let your glory shine on their children. Let the favor of the Lord be upon us: give success to the work of our hands, give success to the work of our hands. 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 Eternal Father, you give us life despite our guilt and even add days and years to our lives in order to bring us wisdom. Make us love and obey you, so that the works of our hands may always display what your hands have done, until the day we gaze upon the beauty of your face. Ant. Our years wither away like grass, but you, Lord God, are eternal. 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. In you is the source of life. — In your light we see light itself. READINGS First reading From the first letter of the apostle Paul to Timothy 5:3-25 Concerning widows and elders Honor the claims of widows who are real widows—that is, who are alone and bereft. If a widow has any children or grandchildren, let these learn that piety begins at home and that they should fittingly support their parents and grandparents; this is the way God wants it to be. The real widow, left destitute, is one who has set her hope on God and continues night and day in supplications and prayers. A widow who gives herself up to selfish indulgence, however, leads a life of living death. Make the following rules about widows, so that no one may incur blame. If anyone does not provide for his own relatives and especially for members of his immediate family, he has denied the faith; he is worse than an unbeliever. To be on the church’s roll of widows, a widow should be not less than sixty years of age. She must have been married only once. Her good character will be attested to by her good deeds. Has she brought up children? Has she been hospitable to strangers? Has she washed the feet of Christian visitors? Has she given help to those in distress? In a word, has she been eager to do every possible good work? Refuse to enroll the younger widows, for when their passions estrange them from Christ they will want to marry. This will bring them condemnation for breaking their first pledge. Besides, they learn to be ladies of leisure, who go about from house to house—becoming not only time-wasters but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things they ought not. That is why I should like to see the younger ones marry, have children, keep house, and in general give our enemies no occasion to speak ill of us. Already, some have turned away to follow Satan. If a woman church member has relatives who are widows, she must assist them. She should not let them become a burden to the church, which ought to be free to give help to the widows who are really in need. Presbyters who do well as leaders deserve to be paid double, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. The Scripture says, “You shall not put a muzzle on an ox when he is threshing the grain,” and also, “The worker deserves his wages.” Pay no attention to an accusation against a presbyter unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. The ones who do commit sin, however, are to be publicly reprimanded, so that the rest may fear to offend. I charge you before God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels: apply these rules without prejudice, act with complete impartiality! Never lay hands hastily on anyone, or you may be sharing in the misdeeds of others. Keep yourself pure. Stop drinking water only. Take a little wine for the good of your stomach, and because of your frequent illnesses. Some men’s sins are flagrant and cry out for judgment now, while other men’s sins will appear only later. Similarly, some good deeds stand out clearly as such; even inconspicuous ones cannot be hidden forever. RESPONSORY Philippians 1:27; 2:4, 5 Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, and with one mind and one spirit work together for the faith. — Do not look to your own interests, but consider those of others. In your attitude toward one another, be of the same mind as Christ. — Do not look to your own interests, but consider those of others. Second reading From a letter to the Philadelphians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr One bishop with the presbyters and deacons Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ located at Philadelphia in the province of Asia. You have found mercy and have been strengthened in the peace of God; you are now filled with gladness because of the passion of our Lord, and by his mercy you are made believers in his resurrection. I greet you in the blood of Jesus Christ. You are my abiding and unshakable joy, especially if your members remain united with the bishop and with his presbyters and deacons, all appointed in accordance with the mind of Christ who by his own will has strengthened them in the firmness which the Spirit gives. I know that this bishop has obtained his ministry, which serves the community, neither by his own efforts, nor from men nor even out of vainglory, but from the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am deeply impressed by his gentleness, and by his silence he is more effective than the empty talkers. He is in harmony with the commandments as is a lute with its strings. I call him blessed, then, for his sentiments toward God, since I know these to be virtuous and perfect, and for his stability and calm, in which he imitates the gentleness of the living God. As sons of the light of truth, flee divisions and evil doctrines; where your shepherd is, follow him as his flock. For all who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop; all who repent and return to the unity of the Church will also belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not be deceived, my brothers. If anyone follows a schismatic, he will not obtain the inheritance of God’s kingdom; if anyone lives by an alien teaching, he does not assent to the passion of the Lord. Be careful, therefore, to take part only in the one Eucharist; for there is only one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and one cup to unite us with his blood, one altar and one bishop with the presbyters and deacons, who are his fellow servants. Then, whatever you do, you will do according to God. My brothers, I overflow with love for you and with a joyous heart I make you strong – although it is not so much I but Jesus Christ. Although imprisoned for his sake, I fear more because of my imperfection. But your prayers will perfect me in the eyes of God so that I might yet receive the inheritance promised me by the merciful God. I seek refuge in the person of Christ through the Gospels and I appeal to the true ministry of the Church through the apostles. RESPONSORY Ephesians 2:20,22,21 You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. — In him you are being built into a temple, where God in the spirit shall dwell. Through him the whole structure is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. — In him you are being built into a temple, where God in the spirit shall dwell. CONCLUDING PRAYER Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Morning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 15m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 654 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1065 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 618 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1029 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 896 Morning Prayer for Thursday 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. HYMNBehold the golden Dawn arise; The paling night forsakes the skies: Those shades that hid the world from view, And us to dang'rous error drew. May this new day be calmly passed, May we keep pure while it shall last: Nor let our lips from truth depart, Nor dark designs engage the heart. So may the day speed on; the tongue No falsehood know, the hands no wrong: Our eyes from wanton gaze refrain, No guilt our guarded bodies stain. For God all-seeing from on high Surveys us with a watchful eye: Each day our every act he knows From early dawn to evening’s close. All laud to God the Father be; All praise, eternal Son, to thee; All glory, as is ever meet, To God the Holy Paraclete. Amen. 𝄞"Behold the Golden Dawn Arise" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Behold the Golden Dawn Arise; Text: Sol ecce surgit igneus, Prudentius; Tr. John M. Neale; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. Psalm 87 Jerusalem is mother of us all The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26). On the holy mountain is his city cherished by the Lord. The Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all Jacob’s dwellings. Of you are told glorious things, O city of God! “Babylon and Egypt I will count among those who know me; Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, these will be her children and Zion shall be called ‘Mother’ for all shall be her children.” It is he, the Lord Most High, who gives each his place. In his register of peoples he writes: “These are her children,” and while they dance they will sing: “In you all find their home.” 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, your only son wept over ancient Jerusalem, soon to be destroyed for its lack of faith. He established the new Jerusalem firmly upon rock and made it the mother of the faithful. Make us rejoice in your Church and grant that all people may be reborn into the freedom of your Spirit. Ant. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. Ant. 2 The Lord, the mighty conqueror, will come; he will bring with him the prize of victory. Canticle – Isaiah 40:10-17 The Good Shepherd: God most high and most wise See, I come quickly; I have my reward in hand (Revelation 22:12). Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. Who has cupped in his hand the waters of the sea, and marked off the heavens with a span? Who has held in a measure the dust of the earth, weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the spirit of the Lord, or has instructed him as his counselor? Whom did he consult to gain knowledge? Who taught him the path of judgment, or showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations count as a drop of the bucket, as dust on the scales; the coastlands weigh no more than powder. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor its animals be enough for holocausts. Before him all the nations are as nought, as nothing and void he accounts 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. Ant. The Lord, the mighty conqueror, will come; he will bring with him the prize of victory. Ant. 3 Give praise to the Lord our God, bow down before his holy mountain. Psalm 99 Holy is the Lord our God Christ, higher than the Cherubim, when you took our lowly nature you transformed our sinful world (Saint Athanasius). The Lord is king; the peoples tremble. He is throned on the cherubim; the earth quakes. The Lord is great in Zion. He is supreme over all the peoples. Let them praise his name, so terrible and great. He is holy, full of power. You are a king who loves what is right; you have established equity, justice and right; you have established them in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before Zion, his footstool. He the Lord is holy. Among his priests were Aaron and Moses, among those who invoked his name was Samuel. They invoked the Lord and he answered. To them he spoke in the pillar of cloud. They did his will; they kept the law, which he, the Lord, had given. O Lord our God, you answered them. For them you were a God who forgives; yet you punished all their offenses. Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before his holy mountain for the Lord our God is holy. 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, you are the source of all holiness. Though no one can see you and live, you give life most generously and in an even greater way restore it. Sanctify your priests through your life-giving Word and consecrate your people in his blood until our eyes see your face. Ant. Give praise to the Lord our God, bow down before his holy mountain. READING 1 Peter 4:8-11a As generous distributors of God’s manifold grace, put your gifts at the service of one another, each in the measure he has received. The one who speaks is to deliver God’s message. The one who serves is to do it with the strength provided by God. Thus, in all of you God is to be glorified through Jesus Christ. 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 From the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord. — From the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord. I will do what you desire; — hear me, O Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — From the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. Let us serve the Lord in holiness, and he will save us from our enemies. 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, and he will save us from our enemies. INTERCESSIONS Let us joyfully cry out in thanks to God the Father whose love guides and nourishes his people: May you be glorified, Lord, for all ages. Most merciful Father, we praise you for your love, — for you wondrously created us and even more wondrously restored us to grace. May you be glorified, Lord, for all ages. At the beginning of this day fill our hearts with zeal for serving you, — so that our thoughts and actions may redound to your glory. May you be glorified, Lord, for all ages. Purify our hearts of every evil desire, — make us intent on doing your will. May you be glorified, Lord, for all ages. Open our hearts to the needs of all men, — fill us with brotherly love. May you be glorified, Lord, for all ages. 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 All-powerful and ever-living God, shine with the light of your radiance on a people who live in the shadow of death. Let the dawn from on high break upon us: your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Midmorning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 8m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning) Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1075 (Midmorning) Midmorning 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. 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 Wisdom 19:22 Every way, O Lord, you magnified and glorified your people; unfailing, you stood by them in every time and circumstance. 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. O God, what marvels you have done! — You have shown your power to all the nations. 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Midday Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 10m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1071 (Midday) Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 623 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1035 (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. HYMNChrist be near at either hand, Christ behind, before me stand, Christ with me where e’er I go, Christ around, above, below. Christ be in my heart and mind, Christ within my soul enshrined, Christ control my wayward heart; Christ abide and ne’er depart. Christ my life and only way, Christ my lantern night and day, Christ be my unchanging friend, Guide and shepherd to the end. 𝄞"Christ Be Near At Either Hand" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Christ Be Near At Either Hand; Text: Traditional Irish text (the Lorica of St. Patrick); Artist: Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2017 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Receive me, Lord, according to your promise, that I may live. Psalm 119 XV (Samech) I have no love for half-hearted men: my love is for your law. You are my shelter, my shield; I hope in your word. Leave me, you who do evil; I will keep God’s command. If you uphold me by your promise I shall live; let my hopes not be in vain. Sustain me and I shall be saved and ever observe your commands. You spurn all who swerve from your statutes; their cunning is in vain. You throw away the wicked like dross: so I love your will. I tremble before you in terror; I fear your decrees. 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 and we shall be saved, Lord God; leave us and we are doomed. May you remain with us always so that the fullness of life may be ours. Ant. Receive me, Lord, according to your promise, that I may live. Ant. 2 Help us, O God our Savior, and pardon all our sins. Psalm 79 Lament for Jerusalem If only you had known what would bring you peace (Luke 19:42). O God, the nations have invaded our land, they have profaned your holy temple. They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. They have handed over the bodies of your servants as food to feed the birds of heaven and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out blood like water in Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. We have become the taunt of our neighbors, the mockery and scorn of those who surround us. How long, O Lord? Will you be angry for ever, how long will your anger burn like fire? Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us. Let your compassion hasten to meet us; we are left in the depths of distress. O God our savior, come to our help, come for the sake of the glory of your name. O Lord our God, forgive us our sins; rescue us for the sake of your name. Why should the nations say: “Where is their God?” Let us see the nations around us repaid with vengeance for the blood of your servants that was shed! Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die. But we, your people, the flock of your pasture, will give you thanks for ever and ever. We will tell your praise 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 Lord Jesus Christ, shepherd of your Church, in order to strengthen our faith and to lead us to the kingdom, you renewed and far surpassed the marvels of the old law. Through the uncertainties of this earthly journey, lead us home to the everlasting pastures. Ant. Help us, O God our Savior, and pardon all our sins. Ant. 3 O God of power, look down from heaven and come to tend this vine. Psalm 80 Lord, come to tend your vineyard Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20). O shepherd of Israel, hear us, you who lead Joseph’s flock, shine forth from your cherubim throne upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. O Lord, rouse up your might, O Lord, come to our help. God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. Lord God of hosts, how long will you frown on your people’s plea? You have fed them with tears for their bread, an abundance of tears for their drink. You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, our enemies laugh us to scorn. God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt; to plant it you drove out the nations. Before it you cleared the ground; it took root and spread through the land. The mountains were covered with its shadow, the cedars of God with its boughs. It stretched out its branches to the sea, to the Great River it stretched out its shoots. Then why have you broken down its walls? It is plucked by all who pass by. It is ravaged by the boar of the forest, devoured by the beasts of the field. God of hosts, turn again, we implore, look down from heaven and see. Visit this vine and protect it, the vine your right hand has planted. Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it. May they perish at the frown on your face. May your hand be on the man you have chosen, the man you have given your strength. And we shall never forsake you again: give us life that we may call upon your name. God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. 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, eternal Shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us to remain in your Son as branches on the vine that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere. Ant. O God of power, look down from heaven and come to tend this vine. Reading Deuteronomy 4:7 What great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon 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. The Lord is close to all who call upon him. — He will answer their prayers. 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Midafternoon Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 8m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1295 (Midafternoon) Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1076 (Midafternoon) Midafternoon 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. 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; the 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 Esther F:6 That people is Israel, who cried to God and was saved. The Lord saved his people and delivered us from all these evils. God worked signs and great wonders, such as have not occurred among the nations. 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 shall proclaim your goodness Lord, for you have answered me. — You have become my salvation. 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Evening Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 14m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 668 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1076 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 632 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 1040 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 694 All from the Psalter: Thursday, Week III, 901 Evening Prayer for Thursday in the 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. HYMNAlmighty God, whose will supreme Made ocean’s flood with life to teem; Part in the firmament to fly, And part in ocean depths to lie: Appointing fishes in the sea, And fowls in open air to be; That each, by origin the same, Its separate dwelling place might claim: Grant that thy servants by the tide Of Blood and Water purified No guilty fall from thee may know, Nor death eternal undergo. Let none despair through sin’s distress, Be none puffed up with boastfulness; That contrite hearts be not dismayed, Nor haughty souls in ruin laid. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee, Do live and reign eternally. Amen. 𝄞"Almighty God, Whose Will Supreme" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Almighty God, Whose Will Supreme; Text: Magnae Deus potentiae, Atrr. Gregory the Great, Tr. W J Courthope; Tune: Chant, Mode D; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Let your holy people rejoice, O Lord, as they enter your dwelling place. Psalm 132 God’s promises to the house of David The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David (Luke 1:32). I O Lord, remember David and all the many hardships he endured, the oath he swore to the Lord, his vow to the Strong One of Jacob. “I will not enter the house where I live nor go to the bed where I rest. I will give no sleep to my eyes, to my eyelids I will give no slumber till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Strong One of Jacob.” At Ephrathah we heard of the ark; we found it in the plains of Yearim. “Let us go to the place of his dwelling; let us go to kneel at his footstool.” Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest, you and the ark of your strength. Your priests shall be clothed with holiness: your faithful shall ring out their joy. For the sake of David your servant do not reject your anointed. 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 your holy people rejoice, O Lord, as they enter your dwelling place. Ant. 2 The Lord has chosen Zion as his sanctuary. II The Lord swore an oath to David; he will not go back on his word; “A son, the fruit of your body, will I set upon your throne. If they keep my covenant in truth and my laws that I have taught them, their sons also shall rule on your throne from age to age.” For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling: “This is my resting-place for ever, here have I chosen to live. I will greatly bless her produce, I will fill her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation and her faithful shall ring out their joy. There David’s stock will flower: I will prepare a lamp for my anointed. I will cover his enemies with shame but on him my crown shall shine.” 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 Christ, you chose to suffer and be overwhelmed by death in order to open the gates of death in triumph. Stay with us to help us on our pilgrimage; free us from all evil by the power of your resurrection. In the company of your saints, and constantly remembering your love for us, may we sing of your wonders in our Father’s house. Ant. The Lord has chosen Zion as his sanctuary. Ant. 3 The Father has given Christ all power, honor and kingship; all people will obey him. 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. The Father has given Christ all power, honor and kingship; all people will obey him. READING 1 Peter 3:8-9 All of you should be like-minded, sympathetic, loving toward one another, kindly disposed, and humble. Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult. Return a blessing instead. This you have been called to do, that you may receive a blessing as your inheritance. The audio for this hour uses a longer reading taken from the single volume Christian Prayer book, while this abbreviated text is from the 4 volume Liturgy of the Hours. 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 The Lord has given us food, bread of the finest wheat. —The Lord has given us food, bread of the finest wheat. Honey from the rock to our heart’s content, — bread of the finest wheat. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, —The Lord has given us food, bread of the finest wheat. CANTICLE OF MARY Ant. God has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted 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. God has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. INTERCESSIONS Let us call upon Christ, the Good Shepherd who comes to the aid of his people: Hear us, O God our refuge. Blessed are you, Lord, for you graciously called us into your holy Church, — keep us within the Church until death. Hear us, O God our refuge. You have given the care of all the churches to our Pope, — give him unfailing faith, lively hope and loving concern. Hear us, O God our refuge. Grant the grace of conversion to all sinners, — and the grace of true repentance to all men. Hear us, O God our refuge. You were willing to live as a stranger in our world, — be mindful of those who are separated from family and homeland. Hear us, O God our refuge. To all the departed who have hoped in you, — grant eternal peace. Hear us, O God our refuge. 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 Lord, we thank you for guiding us through the course of this day’s work. In your compassion forgive the sins we have committed through human weakness. 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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  October 8th, 2026 – Night Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 12m

  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. 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 HYMNLight serene of holy glory From the Immortal Father poured, Holy Thou, O blessed Jesus, Holy, blessed, Christ the Lord. Now we see the sun descending, Now declines the evening light, And in hymns we praise the Father, Son and Spirit, God of Might. Worthy of unending praises, Christ the Son of God, art Thou; For Thy gift of life eternal, See the world adores Thee now. 𝄞"Light Serene of Holy Glory" by Johanna Montealto • Musical Score • Title: Light Serene of Holy Glory; Text: Phos hilaron; Trans­lat­ion: John Brownie, 1857-1925; Tune: HERR ICH HABE MISGEHANDELT, 8 7 8 7; Johann Cruger, 1598-1662; Recording 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
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  October 9th, 2026 – This Week: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026

  27th Week in Ordinary Time • Optional Memorials of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Saint Bruno, Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Saint Denis, and Companions, Martyrs, Saint John Leonardi, Saint John Henry Newman • Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary • Liturgical Colours: Green/Red/White Throughout this week, both the First Readings from Saint Paul’s first letter to Timothy and their complementary patristic texts explore aspects of theological integrity: empty talk, cowardly silence, wordy prayer, teaching handed on without distortion, the preacher whose tongue is bound by his own sin. A week-long dialogue on spiritual and worldly duty takes place. On Wednesday we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights Sunday 4 October — 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 1:1–20 Saint Paul begins his letter by telling Timothy to stay in Ephesus and confront people who have “turned to meaningless talk”, guard against false teachers, preserve sound doctrine, and “fight the good fight”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, Pastoral Guide — Delivers a sharp condemnation of cowardly pastors through the words of the prophet: “They are dumb dogs that cannot bark.” Monday 5 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 2:1–15 — “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for all men.”Second reading: Saint Ambrose, On Cain and Abel — Saint Ambrose, commenting on prayer, makes an important distinction: don’t offer “long and wearisome prayers”, but pray “often, and with perseverance. Lengthy prayers are usually filled with empty words, while neglect of prayer results in indifference to prayer.”The Short reading: at both Morning and Evening Prayer stay on the same subject: “Always speak and act as men destined for judgment” (James 2), and “Do not, my brothers, speak ill of one another” (James 4). Tuesday 6 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 3:1–16 — “Whoever wants to be a bishop aspires to a noble task… He should be a good teacher.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, “Letter to the Trallians” — He is teaching ecclesial unity centered on the three-fold hierarchy of the Church: bishop, clergy, and deacons: “whoever acts apart from the bishop and the clergy and the deacons is not pure in his conscience.” Wednesday 7 October — Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 4:1—5:2 — “Train yourself for the life of piety, for while physical training is to some extent valuable, the discipline of religion is incalculably more so.”Second reading: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “We should meditate on the mysteries of salvation” — Saint Bernard reframes Mary’s essential role in making the invisible God visible to humanity. His sermon connects her to deep meditation on Christ and functions as a theological framework for the purpose, structure, and practice of praying the Rosary. Thursday 8 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 5:3–25 — “The real widow, left destitute, is one who has set her hope on God and continues night and day in supplications and prayers.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Philadelphians — “I am deeply impressed by his gentleness, and by his silence he is more effective than the empty talkers.” There is a silence that abandons the flock, and a silence that carries more than speech.Morning Prayer, Short Reading: “The one who speaks is to deliver God’s message.” (1 Peter 4:8–11a) Friday 9 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:1–10 — Saint Paul instructs Timothy on the traits of corrupt teachers: “love of money is the root of all evil” while the true profit of religion is contentment: “we brought nothing into this world, nor have we the power to take anything out.”Second reading: From the first instruction by Saint Vincent of Lérins — His writing fits perfectly into this week’s call to theological integrity and vigilance. True doctrinal growth means the faith becomes “firmer over the years, more ample in the course of time, more exalted as it advances in age”. But it must truly be “development of the faith, not alteration of the faith”. Saturday 10 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:11–21 — Saint Paul’s final exhortation is a calls to “Fight the good fight of faith”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, The performance of our ministry — In his homily Saint Gregory admits that shepherds are human and subject to exhaustion, fear or discouragement and asks the people to fuel and protect the voice of their pastors: “Pray for us so that we may have the strength to work on your behalf, that our tongue may not grow weary of exhortation.” This week in focus: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept From Saturday, October 10th, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope (The performance of our ministry) Most busy people are busy with good things. The parent juggling their children’s schedules, the nurse on a double shift, the volunteer who somehow runs half the parish: nearly everything on their calendars is honest work for people they love. And still there is a particular evening feeling of having been present everywhere except before God. Saint Gregory the Great knew that feeling well, and on Saturday he admits it plainly: “There is something else about the life of the shepherds, dearest brothers, which discourages me greatly. But lest what I claim should seem unjust to anyone, I will accuse myself of the very same thing, although I fall into it unwillingly—compelled by the urgency of these barbarous times. I speak of our absorption in external affairs; we accept the duties of office, but by our actions we show that we are attentive to other things.” Saint Gregory was hardly idle. A monk on the Caelian Hill until he was made pope in 590, he took charge of a city weakened by plague and threatened by Lombard armies. His “external affairs” were grain for the hungry and negotiations to keep Rome from being plundered. He names the costs of his busy life this way: “We are wrapped up in worldly concerns, and the more we devote ourselves to external things, the more insensitive we become in spirit. For this reason the Church rightfully says about her own feeble members: They made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” That line from the Song of Songs can just as well describe the life of a caregiver, a pastor or a parent. The Church anticipates our exhaustion and answers it, there is a week-long dialog unfolding: On Wednesday, Saint Paul gives Timothy two commands side by side: “Attend to your duties; let them absorb you, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch yourself and watch your teaching.” Saint Paul fully expects the duties to absorb him. But adds “watch yourself”, like a father would say to his son. On Monday, Saint Ambrose guides us to find our own interior room meant for prayer. When Christ says “Go into your room,” Saint Ambrose hears “the room that is within you, the room where you hide your thoughts, where you keep your affections. This room of prayer is always with you, wherever you are, and it is always a secret room, where only God can see you.” That room comes along through every noise of the day, to the hospital, the office and the school pickup line. Sunday‘s Magnificat antiphon lifts one more weight: “Tell yourselves: We are useless servants, for we did only what we should have done.” The vineyards have an owner. The harvest Saint Gregory worried over has a Lord, and the Church invites us to get back into the inner room, surrender our worries, hand the fields back to the Lord: “So great a harvest and so few to gather it in; pray to the Lord of the harvest,— beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.My people, trust in God at all times; pour out your hearts before him.— Beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.”Responsory after the Second Reading (Luke 10:2; Psalm 62:9) If the Hours give you a room to tend your own vineyard, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute With gratitude,The Divine Office Team
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  October 9th, 2026 – About Today – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026

  October 9 Saint Denis, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs; Saint John Leonardi, Priest; Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church Optional Memorials St. Denis was the Bishop of Paris around the year 275, yet little is known of his life. St. Gregory of Tours reports that Pope Fabian sent St. Denis and his companions, the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius, to present day Paris to re-establish the Church of Gaul. The men built a church on an island in the Seine and converted many pagans. Their success incited the governor Sisinnius, who had the men captured and killed. A shrine and later, a great basilica were built over their graves. They were celebrated in verse by the Christian poet, Venantius. [1] St. John Leonardi was born in 1541 in Lucca, Italy. When he was 17, his father sent him to train as a pharmacist. He was ordained a priest and served in hospitals and prisons, attracting many helpers. He later collaborated with St. Philip Neri and St. Joseph Calasanz. In 1596, Clement VIII appointed him Commissary Apostolic and sent him to reform some religious communities. St. John Leonardi inspired many by his preaching, which emphasized the teachings and reforms of the Council of Trent. He died in 1609. In 1621, his followers formed the Order of Clerics Regular of the Mother of God. He was canonized by Pius IX in 1861. [2][3] St. John Henry Newman (1801–1890) was an English theologian, priest, and scholar whose lifelong search for truth led him from Anglicanism into the Catholic Church. A leading figure of the Oxford Movement, he was received into the Catholic Church on October 9, 1845, and later became a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and a cardinal. Through his writings on faith, reason, conscience, and the development of Christian doctrine, Saint Newman became one of the most influential Catholic thinkers of his time. Canonized by Pope Francis in 2019 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV in 2025, he remains a powerful example of courageously following God’s truth. His motto, Cor ad cor loquitur — “Heart speaks to heart,” expresses his conviction that faith ultimately leads us into an intimate, personal relationship with Christ.[4] Written by Sarah Ciotti Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD [1] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Denis.” [2] Benedict XVI, General Audience, October 7, 2009. [3] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008. [4] The Vatican – Decree on the inscription of Saint John Henry Newman in the General Roman Calendar. Note: Optional Memorials and Commemorations are optional celebrations and, at present, we do not include content specific to these special days. This “About Today” is provided so that you can celebrate these Saints as you worship Christ.
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  October 9th, 2026 – Invitatory – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 3m

  Lord, open my lips. — And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Ant. Come, let us give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end. 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 give thanks to the Lord for his great love is without end.
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  October 9th, 2026 – Office of Readings – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 18m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 615 Proper of Seasons: 362 Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1046 Christian Prayer: Does not contain Office of Readings. Office of Readings for Friday 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. HYMN1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me by the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of my enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of my Lord for ever. 𝄞"Psalm 23" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Available on iTunes • Text from Psalm 23 King James Version; Used wih permission • Albums that contain this Hymn: Yesterday, Today, and Forever PSALMODY Ant. 1 I am worn out with crying, with longing for my God. Psalm 69 I am consumed with zeal for your house They offered him a mixture of wine and gall (Matthew 27:34). I Save me, O God, for the waters have risen to my neck. I have sunk into the mud of the deep and there is no foothold. I have entered the waters of the deep and the waves overwhelm me. I am wearied with all my crying, my throat is parched. My eyes are wasted away from looking for my God. More numerous than the hairs on my head are those who hate me without cause. Those who attack me with lies are too much for my strength. How can I restore what I have never stolen? O God, you know my sinful folly; my sins you can see. Let those who hope in you not be put to shame through me, Lord of hosts: let not those who seek you be dismayed through me, God of Israel. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. When I afflict my soul with fasting they make it a taunt against me. When I put on sackcloth in mourning then they make me a byword, the gossip of men at the gates, the subject of drunkards’ songs. 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 am worn out with crying, with longing for my God. Ant. 2 I needed food and they gave me gall; I was parched with thirst and they gave me vinegar. II This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favor. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: rescue me from sinking in the mud; save me from my foes. Save me from the waters of the deep lest the waves overwhelm me. Do not let the deep engulf me nor death close its mouth on me. Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer quickly for I am in distress. Come close to my soul and redeem me; ransom me pressed by my foes. You know how they taunt and deride me; my oppressors are all before you. Taunts have broken my heart; I have reached the end of my strength. I looked in vain for compassion, for consolers; not one could I find. For food they gave me poison; in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 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 needed food and they gave me gall; I was parched with thirst and they gave me vinegar. Ant. 3 Seek the Lord and you will live. III As for me in my poverty and pain let your help, O God, lift me up. I will praise God’s name with a song; I will glorify him with thanksgiving, a gift pleasing God more than oxen, more than beasts prepared for sacrifice. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and the earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. For God will bring help to Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah and men shall dwell there in possession. The sons of his servants shall inherit it; those who love his name shall dwell there. 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, to show the way of salvation, you chose that the standard of the cross should go before us, and you fulfilled the ancient prophecies in Christ’s Passover from death to life. Do not let us rouse your burning indignation by sin, but rather, through the contemplation of his wounds, make us burn with zeal for the honor of your Church and with grateful love for you. Ant. Seek the Lord and you will live. 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 will teach us his ways. — And we will follow in his footsteps. READINGS First reading From the first letter of the apostle Paul to Timothy  6:1-10 Concerning slaves and false teachers All under the yoke of slavery must regard their masters as worthy of full respect; otherwise the name of God and the church’s teaching suffer abuse. Those slaves whose masters are brothers in the faith must not take liberties with them on that account. They must perform their tasks even more faithfully, since those who will profit from their work are believers and beloved brothers. These are the things you must teach and preach. Whoever teaches in any other way, not holding to the sound doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching proper to true religion, should be recognized as both conceited and ignorant, a sick man in his passion for polemics and controversy. From these come envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions—in a word, the bickering of men with twisted minds who have lost all sense of truth. Such men value religion only as a means of personal gain. There is, of course, great gain in religion—provided one is content with a sufficiency. We brought nothing into this world, nor have we the power to take anything out. If we have food and clothing we have all that we need. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and a trap. They are letting themselves be captured by foolish and harmful desires which drag men down to ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all evil. Some men in their passion for it have strayed from the faith, and have come to grief amid great pain. RESPONSORY Matthew 6:25; see 1 Timothy 6:8 Do not worry about your life, and what you are to eat, nor about your body, and what you are to wear. — Surely life is worth more than food, and the body is more valuable than clothes. As long as we have food and clothing, we should be content. — Surely life is worth more than food, and the body is more valuable than clothes. Second reading From the first instruction by Saint Vincent of Lerins, priest The development of doctrine Is there to be no development of religion in the Church of Christ? Certainly, there is to be development and on the largest scale. Who can be so grudging to men, so full of hate for God, as to try to prevent it? But it must truly be development of the faith, not alteration of the faith. Development means that each thing expands to be itself, while alteration means that a thing is changed from one thing into another. The understanding, knowledge and wisdom of one and all, of individuals as well as of the whole Church, ought then to make great and vigorous progress with the passing of the ages and the centuries, but only along its own line of development, that is, with the same doctrine, the same meaning and the same import. The religion of souls should follow the law of development of bodies. Though bodies develop and unfold their component parts with the passing of the years, they always remain what they were. There is a great difference between the flower of childhood and the maturity of age, but those who become old are the very same people who were once young. Though the condition and appearance of one and the same individual may change, it is one and the same nature, one and the same person. The tiny members of unweaned children and the grown members of young men are still the same members. Men have the same number of limbs as children. Whatever develops at a later age was already present in seminal form; there is nothing new in old age that was not already latent in childhood. There is no doubt, then, that the legitimate and correct rule of development, the established and wonderful order of growth, is this: in older people the fullness of years always brings to completion those members and forms that the wisdom of the Creator fashioned beforehand in their earlier years. If, however, the human form were to turn into some shape that did not belong to its own nature, or even if something were added to the sum of its members or subtracted from it, the whole body would necessarily perish or become grotesque or at least be enfeebled. In the same way, the doctrine of the Christian religion should properly follow these laws of development, that is, by becoming firmer over the years, more ample in the course of time, more exalted as it advances in age. In ancient times our ancestors sowed the good seed in the harvest field of the Church. It would be very wrong and unfitting if we, their descendants, were to reap, not the genuine wheat of truth but the intrusive growth of error. On the contrary, what is right and fitting is this: there should be no inconsistency between first and last, but we should reap true doctrine from the growth of true teaching, so that when, in the course of time, those first sowings yield an increase it may flourish and be tended in our day also. RESPONSORY Deuteronomy 4:1, 2; John 6:63 Israel, listen to the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you. — Do not add to what I command you, nor subtract from it. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. — Do not add to what I command you, nor subtract from it. CONCLUDING PRAYER Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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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  October 9th, 2026 – Morning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 16m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 654 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1086 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 618 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1050 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 689 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 906 Morning Prayer for Friday 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. HYMNEternal Glory of the sky, Blest hope of frail humanity, The Father’s sole begotten One, Yet born a spotless virgin’s Son! Uplift us with Thine arm of might, And let our hearts rise pure and bright, And, ardent in God’s praises, pay The thanks we owe him every day. The day-star’s rays are glittering clear, And tell that day itself is near: The shadows of the night depart; Thou, holy Light, illume the heart! Within our senses ever dwell, And worldly darkness thence expel; Long as the days of life endure, Preserve our souls devout and pure. The faith that first must be possessed, Root deep within our inmost breast; And joyous hope in second place, Then charity, Thy greatest grace. All laud to God the Father be, All praise, eternal Son, to Thee; All glory, as is ever meet, To God the holy Paraclete. Amen. 𝄞"Eternal Glory of the Sky" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Eternal Glory of the Sky; Text: Aeterna caeli gloria, 7th-8th c.; Tr. John M. Neale; Tune: Chant, Mode I; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 3 PSALMODY Ant. 1 You alone, I have grieved by my sin; have pity on me, O Lord. Psalm 51 O God, have mercy on me Your inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on a new man (Ephesians 4:23-24). Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offense. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. My offenses truly I know them; my sin is always before me Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. That you may be justified when you give sentence and be without reproach when you judge. O see, in guilt I was born, a sinner was I conceived. Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom. O purify me, then I shall be clean; O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear rejoicing and gladness, that the bones you have crushed may revive. From my sins turn away your face and blot out all my guilt. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy spirit. Give me again the joy of your help; with a spirit of fervor sustain me, that I may teach transgressors your ways and sinners may return to you. O rescue me, God, my helper, and my tongue shall ring out your goodness. O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise. For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice, a contrite spirit, a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. In your goodness, show favor to Zion: rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar. 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 Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations. Ant. You alone, I have grieved by my sin; have pity on me, O Lord. Ant. 2 Truly we know our offenses, Lord, for we have sinned against you. Canticle – Jeremiah 14:17-21 The lament of the people in war and famine The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the Good News (Mark 1:15). Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest, over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound. If I walk out into the field, look! those slain by the sword; If I enter the city, look! those consumed by hunger. Even the prophet and the priest forage in a land they know not. Have you cast Judah off completely? Is Zion loathsome to you? Why have you struck us a blow that cannot be healed? We wait for peace, to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead. We recognize, O Lord, our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers; that we have sinned against you. For your name’s sake spurn us not, disgrace not the throne of your glory; remember your covenant with us, and break it not. 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. Truly we know our offenses, Lord, for we have sinned against you. Ant. 3 The Lord is God; we are his people, the flock he shepherds. Psalm 100 The joyful song of those entering God’s temple The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius). Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy. Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock. Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful 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, devoted to us as a Father, you created us as a sign of your power and elected us your people to show your goodness, accept the thanks your children offer that all men may enter your courts praising you in song. Ant. The Lord is God; we are his people, the flock he shepherds. READING 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10 I willingly boast of my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong. 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 At daybreak, be merciful to me. — At daybreak, be merciful to me. Make known to me the path that I must walk. — Be merciful to me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — At daybreak, be merciful to me. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH Ant. The Lord has come to his people and set them free. 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. The Lord has come to his people and set them free. INTERCESSIONS Raising our eyes to Christ, who was born and died and rose again for his people, let us cry out: Save those you have redeemed by your blood, Lord. Blessed are you, Jesus, redeemer of mankind; you did not hesitate to undergo your passion and death, — to redeem us by your precious blood. Save those you have redeemed by your blood, Lord. You promised that you would provide living water, the fountain of eternal life, — pour forth your Spirit upon all men. Save those you have redeemed by your blood, Lord. You send disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations, — help them to extend the victory of your cross. Save those you have redeemed by your blood, Lord. You have given the sick and the suffering a share in your cross, — give them patience and strength. Save those you have redeemed by your blood, 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 Father all-powerful, let your radiance dawn in our lives, that we may walk in the light of your law with you as our leader. 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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  October 9th, 2026 – Midmorning Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 7m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1291 (Midmorning) Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1095 (Midmorning) Midmorning Prayer for Friday 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. HYMNWe walk by faith, and not by sight; no gracious words we hear from Him who spoke as none e'er spoke; but we believe Him near. We may not touch His hands and side, nor follow where He trod; but in His promise we rejoice; and cry, "My Lord and God!" Help then, O Lord, our unbelief; and may our faith abound, to call on You when You are near, and seek where You are found: that, when our life of faith is done in realms of clearer light, we may behold You as You are with full and endless sight. 𝄞"We Walk By Faith" by Johanna Montealto • Title: We Walk By Faith; Text: Henry Alford (1810-1871), alt.; Music: St. Botolph; Artist: Johanna Montealto; 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 Romans 1:16b-17 The Gospel is the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation. For in the Gospel is revealed the justice of God, which begins and ends with faith. The Scripture says: “The just man shall live by faith.” 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. God is the joy of our hearts. — We trust in his holy name. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, at this hour you were led out to die on the cross for the salvation of the world. We ask your forgiveness for the sins of our past and your protection from all future evil. Bring us to the peace and joy of that kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  October 9th, 2026 – Midday Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 9m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1092 (Midday) Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 623 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1056 (Midday) Midday Prayer for Friday 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. HYMNAlmighty Ruler, God of Truth, Who guide and master all, The rays with which you gild the dawn With noonday heat now fall. O quench the fires of hatred, Lord, Of anger and of strife, Bring health to every mind and heart That peace may enter life. Most holy Father, grant our prayer Through Christ your only Son That in your Spirit we may live And praise you ever one. 𝄞"Almighty Ruler, God of Truth" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Ralph Wright, 1808; Melody: St. Anne; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Copyright 2016 Surgeworks • Albums that contain this Hymn: The Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 1 PSALMODY Ant. 1 We saw him despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with infirmity. Psalm 22 God hears the suffering cry of his Holy One Jesus cried with a loud voice: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). I My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? You are far from my plea and the cry of my distress. O my God, I call by day and you give no reply; I call by night and I find no peace. Yet you, O God, are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you set them free. When they cried to you, they escaped. In you they trusted and never in vain. But I am a worm and no man, scorned by men, despised by the people. All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads. “He trusted in the Lord, let him save him; let him release him if this is his friend.” Yes, it was you who took me from the womb, entrusted me to my mother’s breast. To you I was committed from my birth, from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not leave me alone in my distress; come close, there is none else to help. 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. We saw him despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with infirmity. Ant. 2 The garments of Jesus they divided among them by casting lots. II Many bulls have surrounded me, fierce bulls of Bashan close me in. Against me they open wide their jaws, like lions, rending and roaring. Like water I am poured out, disjointed are all my bones. My heart has become like wax, it is melted within my breast. Parched as burnt clay is my throat, my tongue cleaves to my jaws. Many dogs have surrounded me, a band of the wicked beset me. They tear holes in my hands and my feet and lay me in the dust of death. I can count every one of my bones. These people stare at me and gloat; they divide my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe. O Lord, do not leave me alone, my strength, make haste to help me! Rescue my soul from the sword, my life from the grip of these dogs. Save my life from the jaws of these lions, my poor soul from the horns of these oxen. I will tell of your name to my brethren and praise you where they are assembled. 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 garments of Jesus they divided among them by casting lots. Ant. 3 The family of nations will worship in the presence of the Lord. III “You who fear the Lord, give him praise; all sons of Jacob, give him glory. Revere him, Israel’s sons. For he has never despised nor scorned the poverty of the poor. From him he has not hidden his face, but he heard the poor man when he cried.” You are my praise in the great assembly. My vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and shall have their fill. They shall praise the Lord, those who seek him. May their hearts live for ever and ever! All the earth shall remember and return to the Lord, all families of the nations worship before him for the kingdom is the Lord’s; he is the ruler of the nations. They shall worship him, all the mighty of the earth; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust. And my soul shall live for him, my children serve him. They shall tell of the Lord to the generations yet to come, declare his faithfulness to peoples yet unborn: “These things the Lord has done.” 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 Father, when your Son was handed over to torture and seemed abandoned by you, he cried out to you from the cross and death was destroyed, life was restored. By his death and resurrection, may we see the day when the poor man is saved, the downtrodden is lifted up and the chains that bind peoples are broken. United to the thanks that Christ gives you, your Church will sing your praises. Ant. The family of nations will worship in the presence of the Lord. READING Romans 3:21-22 But now the justice of God has been manifested apart from the law, even though both law and prophets bear witness to it — that justice of God which works through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 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 judgments of the Lord are true; they gladden the heart. — His precepts are clear; they give light to the mind. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, at noon, when darkness covered all the earth, you mounted the wood of the cross as the innocent victim for our redemption. May your light be always with us to guide us to eternal life in that kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  October 9th, 2026 – Midafternoon Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 11m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 659 Complementary Psalmody: 1295 (Midafternoon) Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1096 (Midafternoon) Midafternoon Prayer for Friday 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. HYMNCome and See, what I have done: I've given My only Son. He lived for you, and He died for you. Come and See. Lamb of God, Lamb of God, have mercy on us, forgive us, Lord. Come and See, what I have done: I've given My only Son. He lived for you, and He died for you. Come and See. Creator of Love, source of all life, have mercy on us, forgive us Lord. Come and See, what I have done: I've given My only Son. He lived for you, and He died for you. Come and See. 𝄞"Pieta" by Melinda Kirigin-Voss • Title: Pieta; Description: The Pieta (pl. same; Italian for pity) is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture; Artist: Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Used with permission. 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; the 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 Ephesians 2:8-9 It is owed to his favor that salvation is yours through faith. This is not your own doing, it is God’s gift; neither is it a reward for anything you have accomplished, so let no one pride himself on it. 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 known your way to us on earth. — May all nations know you their Savior. CONCLUDING PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, you brought the repentant thief from the suffering of the cross to the joy of your kingdom. Lord, when we die, may we who confess our sins be brought to you through the gates of heaven, that we may have eternal joy in that kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. — Amen. ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community) Let us praise the Lord. — And give him thanks.
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  October 9th, 2026 – Evening Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 13m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III: Ordinary: 668 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1097 Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV: Ordinary: 632 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 1061 Christian Prayer: Ordinary: 694 All from the Psalter: Friday, Week III, 911 Evening Prayer for Friday in the 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. HYMNMaker of men, who from thy throne Do order all things, God alone; By whose decree the teeming earth To reptile and to beast gave birth: The mighty forms that fill the land, Instinct with life at thy command, Are given subdued to humankind For service in their rank assigned. From all thy servants drive away Whate'er of thought impure today Has been with open action mixed, Or at the erring heart transfixed. In heaven thine endless joys bestow, And grant thy gifts of grace below; From chains of strife our souls release, Bind fast the gentle bands of peace. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee, Do live and reign eternally. Amen. 𝄞"Maker of Men Who From Thy Throne" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Musical Score • Title: Maker of Men Who From Thy Throne; Text: Plasmator hominis, Deus; Atrr. Gregory the Great, Tr. John David Chambers et al.; Tune: Chant, Mode D; Lumen Christi Hymnal; Artist: Rebecca Hincke; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 4 PSALMODY Ant. 1 Great is the Lord, our God, transcending all other gods. Psalm 135 Praise for the wonderful things God does for us He has won us for himself… and you must proclaim what he has done for you. He has called you out of darkness into his own wonderful light (see 1 Peter 2:9). I Praise the name of the Lord, praise him, servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord for the Lord is good. Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself and Israel for his own possession. For I know the Lord is great, that our Lord is high above all gods. The Lord does whatever he wills, in heaven, on earth, in the seas. He summons clouds from the ends of the earth; makes lightning produce the rain; from his treasuries he sends forth the wind. The first-born of the Egyptians he smote, of man and beast alike. Signs and wonders he worked in the midst of your land, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. Nations in their greatness he struck and kings in their splendor he slew. Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, the king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan. He let Israel inherit their land; on his people their land he bestowed. 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. Great is the Lord, our God, transcending all other gods. Ant. 2 House of Israel, bless the Lord! Sing psalms to him, for he is merciful. II Lord, your name stands for ever, unforgotten from age to age: for the Lord does justice for his people; the Lord takes pity on his servants. Pagan idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but they cannot speak; they have eyes but they cannot see. They have ears but they cannot hear; there is never a breath on their lips. Their makers will become like them and so will all who trust in them! Sons of Israel, bless the Lord! Sons of Aaron, bless the Lord! Sons of Levi, bless the Lord! You who fear him, bless the Lord! From Zion may the Lord be blessed, he who dwells in Jerusalem! 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 Father, your name and your memory last forever. We stand to pray in your house and praise you with psalms of joy. We ask you in your kindness to have mercy on us in our lowliness. Ant. House of Israel, bless the Lord! Sing psalms to him, for he is merciful. Ant. 3 All nations will come and worship before you, O Lord. Canticle – Revelation 15:3-4 Hymn of adoration Mighty and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who would dare refuse you honor, or the glory due your name, O Lord? Since you alone are holy, all nations shall come and worship in your presence. Your mighty deeds are clearly seen. 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. All nations will come and worship before you, O Lord. READING James 1:2-4 My brothers, count it pure joy when you are involved in every sort of trial. Realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance. Let endurance come to its perfection so that you may be fully mature and lacking in nothing. The audio for this hour uses a longer reading taken from the single volume Christian Prayer book, while this abbreviated text is from the 4 volume Liturgy of the Hours. 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 Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood. — Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood. He made us a nation of kings and priests, — in his own blood. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, — Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood. CANTICLE OF MARY Ant. The Lord has come to the help of his servants, for he has remembered his promise of mercy. 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. The Lord has come to the help of his servants, for he has remembered his promise of mercy. INTERCESSIONS Because of our sins the Father gave the Lord Jesus up to death, and for our justification he raised him up again. Let us pray: Have mercy on your people, Lord. Hear our prayers and spare us as we confess our sins, — grant us forgiveness and peace. Have mercy on your people, Lord. Your Apostle said: “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more,” — forgive us our transgressions. Have mercy on your people, Lord. Lord, we have sinned, yet we have also acknowledged your infinite mercy, — bring us to conversion. Have mercy on your people, Lord. Save your people from their sins, Lord, — make them pleasing to you. Have mercy on your people, Lord. You opened Paradise to the thief who believed in you, — do not close the gates of heaven to the faithful departed. Have mercy on 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 Father, in your loving plan Christ your Son became the price of our salvation. May we be united with him in his suffering so that we may experience the power of his resurrection in the kingdom where he 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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  October 9th, 2026 – Night Prayer – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026 10m

  Ribbon Placement: Liturgy of the Hours: Vol I, Page 1185 Vol II, Page 1642 Vol III, Page 1285 Vol IV, Page 1249 Christian Prayer: Page 1052 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 Friday 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 HYMNBeing of Life, Being of Peace, Being of Time and of Eternity. Being of Truth, Being of Hope, Being of Everlasting Love. Chorus: Bless me in my body, Bless me in my soul, Bless me in my coming and my going. Being of Earth, Being of Sky, Being of Seas and of Rivers; Being of Heart, Being of Soul; Being of Everlasting Love. Chorus: Bless me in my body, Bless me in my soul, Bless me in my coming and my going. 𝄞"Being of Life" by Briege O'Hare And Marie Cox • Available on iTunes • Available for Purchase • Title: Being of Life; 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 Day and night I cry to you, my God. Psalm 88 Prayer of a sick person This is your hour when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53). Lord my God, I call for help by day; I cry at night before you. Let my prayer come into your presence. O turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is filled with evils; my life is on the brink of the grave. I am reckoned as one in the tomb; I have reached the end of my strength, Like one alone among the dead, like the slain lying in their graves, like those you remember no more, cut off, as they are, from your hand. You have laid me in the depths of the tomb, in places that are dark, in the depths. Your anger weighs down upon me; I am drowned beneath your waves. You have taken away my friends and made me hateful in their sight. Imprisoned, I cannot escape; my eyes are sunken with grief. I call to you, Lord, all the day long; to you I stretch out my hands. Will you work your wonders for the dead? Will the shades stand and praise you? Will your love be told in the grave or your faithfulness among the dead? Will your wonders be known in the dark or your justice in the land of oblivion? As for me, Lord, I call to you for help; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face? Wretched, close to death from my youth, I have borne your trials; I am numb. Your fury has swept down upon me; your terrors have utterly destroyed me. They surround me all the day like a flood, they assail me all together. Friend and neighbor you have taken away: my one companion is darkness. 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. Day and night I cry to you, my God. READING Jeremiah 14:9a You are in our midst, O Lord, your name we bear: do not forsake us, O Lord, our God! 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 All-powerful God keep us united with your Son in his death and burial so that we may rise to new life with him, who lives and reigns 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, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
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  October 10th, 2026 – This Week: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept – Divine Office: Liturgy of the Hours 08.10.2026

  27th Week in Ordinary Time • Optional Memorials of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Saint Bruno, Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Saint Denis, and Companions, Martyrs, Saint John Leonardi, Saint John Henry Newman • Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary • Liturgical Colours: Green/Red/White Throughout this week, both the First Readings from Saint Paul’s first letter to Timothy and their complementary patristic texts explore aspects of theological integrity: empty talk, cowardly silence, wordy prayer, teaching handed on without distortion, the preacher whose tongue is bound by his own sin. A week-long dialogue on spiritual and worldly duty takes place. On Wednesday we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. This Week in the Liturgy – Highlights Sunday 4 October — 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 1:1–20 Saint Paul begins his letter by telling Timothy to stay in Ephesus and confront people who have “turned to meaningless talk”, guard against false teachers, preserve sound doctrine, and “fight the good fight”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, Pastoral Guide — Delivers a sharp condemnation of cowardly pastors through the words of the prophet: “They are dumb dogs that cannot bark.” Monday 5 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 2:1–15 — “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for all men.”Second reading: Saint Ambrose, On Cain and Abel — Saint Ambrose, commenting on prayer, makes an important distinction: don’t offer “long and wearisome prayers”, but pray “often, and with perseverance. Lengthy prayers are usually filled with empty words, while neglect of prayer results in indifference to prayer.”The Short reading: at both Morning and Evening Prayer stay on the same subject: “Always speak and act as men destined for judgment” (James 2), and “Do not, my brothers, speak ill of one another” (James 4). Tuesday 6 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 3:1–16 — “Whoever wants to be a bishop aspires to a noble task… He should be a good teacher.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, “Letter to the Trallians” — He is teaching ecclesial unity centered on the three-fold hierarchy of the Church: bishop, clergy, and deacons: “whoever acts apart from the bishop and the clergy and the deacons is not pure in his conscience.” Wednesday 7 October — Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 4:1—5:2 — “Train yourself for the life of piety, for while physical training is to some extent valuable, the discipline of religion is incalculably more so.”Second reading: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “We should meditate on the mysteries of salvation” — Saint Bernard reframes Mary’s essential role in making the invisible God visible to humanity. His sermon connects her to deep meditation on Christ and functions as a theological framework for the purpose, structure, and practice of praying the Rosary. Thursday 8 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 5:3–25 — “The real widow, left destitute, is one who has set her hope on God and continues night and day in supplications and prayers.”Second reading: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Philadelphians — “I am deeply impressed by his gentleness, and by his silence he is more effective than the empty talkers.” There is a silence that abandons the flock, and a silence that carries more than speech.Morning Prayer, Short Reading: “The one who speaks is to deliver God’s message.” (1 Peter 4:8–11a) Friday 9 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:1–10 — Saint Paul instructs Timothy on the traits of corrupt teachers: “love of money is the root of all evil” while the true profit of religion is contentment: “we brought nothing into this world, nor have we the power to take anything out.”Second reading: From the first instruction by Saint Vincent of Lérins — His writing fits perfectly into this week’s call to theological integrity and vigilance. True doctrinal growth means the faith becomes “firmer over the years, more ample in the course of time, more exalted as it advances in age”. But it must truly be “development of the faith, not alteration of the faith”. Saturday 10 October Office of Readings, First reading: 1 Timothy 6:11–21 — Saint Paul’s final exhortation is a calls to “Fight the good fight of faith”.Second reading: Saint Gregory the Great, The performance of our ministry — In his homily Saint Gregory admits that shepherds are human and subject to exhaustion, fear or discouragement and asks the people to fuel and protect the voice of their pastors: “Pray for us so that we may have the strength to work on your behalf, that our tongue may not grow weary of exhortation.” This week in focus: My Own Vineyard I Have Not Kept From Saturday, October 10th, Office of Readings, Second Reading: From a homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope (The performance of our ministry) Most busy people are busy with good things. The parent juggling their children’s schedules, the nurse on a double shift, the volunteer who somehow runs half the parish: nearly everything on their calendars is honest work for people they love. And still there is a particular evening feeling of having been present everywhere except before God. Saint Gregory the Great knew that feeling well, and on Saturday he admits it plainly: “There is something else about the life of the shepherds, dearest brothers, which discourages me greatly. But lest what I claim should seem unjust to anyone, I will accuse myself of the very same thing, although I fall into it unwillingly—compelled by the urgency of these barbarous times. I speak of our absorption in external affairs; we accept the duties of office, but by our actions we show that we are attentive to other things.” Saint Gregory was hardly idle. A monk on the Caelian Hill until he was made pope in 590, he took charge of a city weakened by plague and threatened by Lombard armies. His “external affairs” were grain for the hungry and negotiations to keep Rome from being plundered. He names the costs of his busy life this way: “We are wrapped up in worldly concerns, and the more we devote ourselves to external things, the more insensitive we become in spirit. For this reason the Church rightfully says about her own feeble members: They made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” That line from the Song of Songs can just as well describe the life of a caregiver, a pastor or a parent. The Church anticipates our exhaustion and answers it, there is a week-long dialog unfolding: On Wednesday, Saint Paul gives Timothy two commands side by side: “Attend to your duties; let them absorb you, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch yourself and watch your teaching.” Saint Paul fully expects the duties to absorb him. But adds “watch yourself”, like a father would say to his son. On Monday, Saint Ambrose guides us to find our own interior room meant for prayer. When Christ says “Go into your room,” Saint Ambrose hears “the room that is within you, the room where you hide your thoughts, where you keep your affections. This room of prayer is always with you, wherever you are, and it is always a secret room, where only God can see you.” That room comes along through every noise of the day, to the hospital, the office and the school pickup line. Sunday‘s Magnificat antiphon lifts one more weight: “Tell yourselves: We are useless servants, for we did only what we should have done.” The vineyards have an owner. The harvest Saint Gregory worried over has a Lord, and the Church invites us to get back into the inner room, surrender our worries, hand the fields back to the Lord: “So great a harvest and so few to gather it in; pray to the Lord of the harvest,— beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.My people, trust in God at all times; pour out your hearts before him.— Beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.”Responsory after the Second Reading (Luke 10:2; Psalm 62:9) If the Hours give you a room to tend your own vineyard, please consider supporting our work, including our ongoing Spanish Liturgy of the Hours project. divineoffice.org/contribute With gratitude,The Divine Office Team