O Jerusalem – Morning Prayer in Lent

Kaddish

On the heels of the terrible slaughter of young students in Jerusalem, in our Morning Prayer for Friday, March 7, 2008 (Feast of Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs) we read:

Antiphon 1: Create in me a clean heart and a steadfast spirit renew
Psalm 51

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.

Antiphon 2 – Rejoice, Jerusalem, for through you all men will be gathered to the Lord.

Canticle: Tobit 13:8-11, 13-15

Let all men speak of the Lord’s majesty
and sing his praises in Jerusalem

O Jerusalem, holy city,
he scourged you for the works of your hands,
but will again pity the children of the righteous.

Praise the Lord for his goodness,
and bless the King of the ages,
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.

May he gladden within you all who were captives;
all who were ravaged may he cherish within you
for all generations to come.

A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth;
many nations shall come to you from afar,
and the inhabitants of all the limits of the earth
drawn to you by the name of the Lord God,
bearing in their hands their gifts for the King of
heaven.

Every generation shall give joyful praise in you,
and shall call you the chosen one,
through all ages forever.

Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous,
who shall be gathered together
and shall bless the Lord of the ages.

Happy are those who love you,
and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity.

Happy all the men who shall grieve over you,
over all your chastisements.

for they shall rejoice in you
as they behold all your joy forever.

My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King.

Antiphon 3: Zion, praise your God, who sent his Word to renew the earth

Psalm 147: 12-20

Reading: Isaiah 53:11b-12

Through his sufferings, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.
Therefore I will divide the spoils with the mighty,
because he surrendered himself to death
and was counted among the wicked:
And he shall take away the sins of many,
and win pardon for their offenses.

Responsory:

God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare.
– God himself will set me free, from the hunter’s snare.

From those who would trap me with lying words
– and from the hunter’s snare.

Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
– God himself will set me free from the hunter’s snare

Canticle of Zechariah
Antiphon: Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Intercessions

Our Father

Father, your love gave us
Saints Perpetua and Felicity
courage to suffer a cruel martyrdom.
By their prayers, help us to grow in love of you.
We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.