The Office

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

Psalm 47 (46)

All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth.

He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
Our inheritance, our glory, is from him,
given to Jacob out of love.

God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise.

God is king of all the earth,
sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne.

The princes of the people are assembled
with the people of Abraham’s God.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,
to God who reigns over all.

Grail Psalter

Reading of the Day

There they bore me, the men, on their shoulders, then on a hill they stood me;
there many foes fastened me. Then I saw the Lord of all mankind
come quickly and eagerly, for his will was to climb me.
There, I dared not break or bow down
against the Lord’s words, when I saw the earth quake.
I could have felled all the enemies, but still I stood fast.
He stripped himself then, the young hero (that was God Almighty!),
steadfast and strong. He mounted my high gallows,
and many there saw his valour: his desire was
to set mankind free.
I trembled at the hero’s embrace, but still I dared not bow down to the earth,
or fall to the ground, but I had to stand fast.
I was raised as a Cross: I held high the mighty King,
Lord of the heavens.

From the Dream of the Rood, 8th century Anglo-Saxon manuscript
Anonymous translation

Silent reflection

The Lord’s Prayer

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 them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Collect of the Day in the Novena

Lord Jesus Christ, our hero and King,
who embraced the Cross
to set all mankind free;
give us grace to share your suffering with courage;
keep us rooted in your love
and steadfast in our faith,
that we may proclaim your kingdom to the world,
Lord or the heavens and all creation,
who live and reign with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect for the Novena

O God, who taught the hearts of your faithful people
by the sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit;
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things,
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of that same Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Conclusion

May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen