Every day, we will post a few brief prayers inspired by the Liturgy of the Hours.
O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall declare your praise.
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, God of hosts. My soul is longing and yearning, is yearning for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my soul ring out their joy to God, the living God. The sparrow herself finds a home and the swallow a nest for her brood; she lays her young by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God. They are happy, who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise. They are happy, whose strength is in you, in whose hearts are the roads to Zion. As they go through the Bitter Valley they make it a place of springs, the autumn rain covers it with blessings. They walk with ever growing strength, they will see the God of gods in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer, give ear, O God of Jacob. Turn your eyes, O God, our shield, look on the face of your anointed. One day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. The threshold of the house of God I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked. For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield; he will give us his favor and glory. The Lord will not refuse any good to those who walk without blame. Lord, God of hosts, happy the man who trusts in you!
Reading: From a treatise on the Lord’s Prayer by St. Cyprian
Above all, he who preaches peace and unity did not want us to pray by ourselves in private or for ourselves alone. We do not say “My Father, who art in heaven,” nor “Give me this day my daily bread.” It is not for himself alone that each person asks to be forgiven, not to be led into temptation or to be delivered from evil. Rather, we pray in public as a community, and not for one individual but for all. For the people of God are all one. God is then the teacher of harmony, peace and unity, and desires each of us to pray for all men, even as he bore all men in himself alone. The three young men shut up in the furnace of fire observed this rule of prayer. United in the bond of the Spirit they uttered together the same prayer. The witness of holy Scripture describes this incident for us, so that we might imitate them in our prayer. Then all three began to sing in unison, blessing God. Even though Christ had not yet taught them to pray, nevertheless, they spoke as with one voice.
The Canticle of Mary
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.
Intercessions
Bring help to the poor and suffering. Hear us, O Lord! Be merciful to sinners. Hear us, O Lord! Give the dying your strength and peace. Hear us, O Lord!
Dear Father, We praise you now and ask that one day we will all praise you forever in Heaven. We ask this through Jesus, your Son, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
