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 138 (137)

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul.

All earth’s kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:
“How great is the glory of the Lord!”

The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes.

You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands.

Grail Psalter

Reading of the Day

He must dwell in us; and in us he will ‘dwell’ if the fruits of his Spirit be found in us. And of his fruits the very first is love. And the fruit is as the tree is. For he himself is love, the essential love, and love-knot of the undivided Trinity.

Now to work love, the undoubted both sign and means of his dwelling, that better way, or how sooner wrought, than by the sacrament of love, at the feast of love, upon the feast-day of love; when love descended with both his hands full of gifts for very love, to take up his dwelling with us?

You shall observe: there ever was and will be a near alliance between ‘the gifts he sent’ and the ‘gifts he left us’. He left us the gifts of his body and blood. His body broken, and full of the characters of love all over. His blood shed, every drop whereof is a great drop of love. To those which were sent, these which were left, love, joy, peace, have a special connatural reference, to breed and to maintain each other. His Body the Spirit of strength, his blood the Spirit of comfort; both the Spirit of love.

Lancelot Andrewes – A Whitsunday Sermon 1614

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,
you have given us the great benefit of the Eucharist,
to be for us
a showing forth of your death,
a participation of the Spirit,
the cleansing of stains,
healing of the sickness of the soul,
renewal of the covenant,
provision for the journey of life,
a seal of faith,
fullness of wisdom,
bond of charity,
an armour of endurance,
confidence of prayer,
and a pledge of resurrection.
So deepen our love of this Most Holy Sacrament
and unite your faithful people in One Body,
for your name’s sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. 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