Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

TODAY'S DIVINE OFFICE IN CLASS

INVITATORY

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

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. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

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 is risen, alleluia.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

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.

HYMN

Hic est dies verus Dei, Saint Ambrose, 340-397

This is the day, true day of God,
serene with clear and holy light,
on which the sacred blood has washed
both shame and guilt from all the world.

In this the lost regain their faith,
the blind receive the gift of light;
can one remain in anxious fear
who sees forgiveness for the thief?

The angels wonder at this work,
they see the body wracked with pain,
they see a thief draw near to Christ
to pluck the fruit of blessed life.

How wondrous is the mystery:
that flesh should cleanse the sins of flesh,
to take away the guilt of all
and wash the world of foul decay.

What could be more sublime than this:
that guilt should seek the gift of grace,
that charity should cast out fear,
and death should render life renewed?

O Jesus, be for mind and heart
our everlasting paschal joy
and gather us, reborn by grace,
to share your triumphs evermore.

To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
who shine in vict’ry over death,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.

Tune: EISENACH, 8 8 8 8
Music: Johann Hermann Schein, 1586-1630
or Mode III, melody 56; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Hic est dies verus Dei, Saint Ambrose, 340-397, © 2023 ICEL


Ant. 1 Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face, alleluia.

I

We heard with our own ears, O God, *
our fathers have told us the story
of the things you did in their days, *
you yourself, in days long ago.

To plant them you uprooted the nations: *
to let them spread you laid peoples low.
No sword of their own won the land; *
no arm of their own brought them victory.
It was your right hand, your arm *
and the light of your face: for you loved them.

It is you, my king, my God, *
who granted victories to Jacob.
Through you we beat down our foes; *
in your name we trampled our aggressors.

For it was not in my bow that I trusted *
nor yet was I saved by my sword:
it was you who saved us from our foes, *
it was you who put our foes to shame.
All day long our boast was in God *
and we praised your name without ceasing.

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. Their own strength could not save them; it was your strength and the light of your face, alleluia.

Ant. 2 Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face, alleluia.

II

Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us: *
you no longer go forth with our armies.
You make us retreat from the foe *
and our enemies plunder us at will.

You make us like sheep for the slaughter *
and scatter us among the nations.
You sell your own people for nothing *
and make no profit by the sale.

You make us the taunt of our neighbors, *
the laughing stock of all who are near.
Among the nations, you make us a byword, *
among the peoples a thing of derision.

All day long my disgrace is before me: *
my face is covered with shame
at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer, *
at the sight of the foe and avenger.

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. Turn back to the Lord; he will not hide his face, alleluia.

Ant. 3 Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever, alleluia.

III

This befell us though we had not forgotten you; *
though we had not been false to your covenant,
though we had not withdrawn our hearts; *
though our feet had not strayed from your path.
Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows *
and covered us with the shadow of death.

Had we forgotten the name of our God *
or stretched out our hands to another god
would not God have found this out, *
he who knows the secrets of the heart?
It is for you that we face death all day long *
and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep? *
Arise, do not reject us for ever!
Why do you hide your face *
and forget our oppression and misery?

For we are brought down low to the dust; *
our body lies prostrate on the earth.
Stand up and come to our help! *
Redeem us because of your love!

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. Arise, Lord, do not abandon us for ever, alleluia.

God has raised the Lord to life, alleluia.
— Through his power he will also raise us up, alleluia.

READINGS

FIRST READING

From the Book of Revelation
15:5—16:21

The seven bowls of God’s wrath

I, John, had another vision. The heavenly sanctuary which is the tent of witness opened up, and out of it came the seven angels holding the seven plagues. The angels were dressed in pure white linen, each with a sash of gold about his breast. One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of the God who lives forever and ever. Then the sanctuary became so filled with the smoke which arose from God’s glory and might that no one could enter it until the seven plagues of the seven angels had come to an end.

I heard a mighty voice from the sanctuary say to the seven angels, “Go and pour out upon the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath!”

The first angel went out, and when he poured out his bowl on the earth, severe and festering boils broke out on the men who had accepted the mark of the beast or worshiped its image.

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The sea turned to blood like that of a corpse, and every creature living in the sea died.

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs. These also turned to blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters cry out:

  “You are just, O Holy One
  who is and who was,
  in passing this sentence!
  To those who shed the blood of saints and prophets,
  you have given blood to drink;
  they deserve it.”

Then I heard the altar cry out:

  “Yes, Lord God Almighty,
  your judgments are true and just!”

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. He was commissioned to burn men with fire. Those who were scorched by the intense heat blasphemed the name of God who had power to send these plagues, but they did not repent or give him due honor.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness; men bit their tongues in pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their suffering and their boils. But they did not turn away from their wicked deeds.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East. I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet; these spirits were devils who worked prodigies. They went out to assemble all the kings of the earth for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (Be on your guard! I come like a thief. Happy the man who stays wide awake and fully clothed for fear of going naked and exposed for all to see!) The devils then assembled the kings in a place called in Hebrew “Armageddon.”

Finally, the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the empty air. From the throne in the sanctuary came a loud voice which said, “It is finished!” There followed lightning flashes and peals of thunder, then a violent earthquake. Such was its violence that there has never been one like it in all the time men have lived on the earth. The great city was split into three parts, and the other Gentile cities also fell. God remembered Babylon the great, giving her the cup filled with the blazing wine of his wrath. Every island fled and mountains disappeared. Giant hailstones like huge weights came crashing down on mankind from the sky, and men blasphemed God for the plague of hailstones, because this plague was so severe.

RESPONSORY
Matthew 24:43; Revelation 16:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:3

If the head of the household knew when the thief was coming,
surely he would keep watch.
— See, I come like a thief, says the Lord;
blessed is he who keeps watch, alleluia.

Just when people are saying:
Now peace and security are ours,
suddenly ruin will come upon them.
— See, I come like a thief, says the Lord;
blessed is he who keeps watch, alleluia.

SECOND READING

From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
(Tract. 65, 1-3: CCL 36, 490-492)

The new commandment

A new commandment I give you, that you love one another. This commandment that he is giving them is a new one, the Lord Jesus tells his disciples. Yet was it not contained in the Old Law, where it is written: You shall love your neighbor as yourself? Why does the Lord call it new when it is clearly so old? Or is the commandment new because it divests us of our former selves and clothes us with the new man? Love does indeed renew the man who hears, or rather obeys its command; but only that love which Jesus distinguished from a natural love by the qualification: As I have loved you.

This is the kind of love that renews us. When we love as he loved us we become new men, heirs of the new covenant and singers of the new song. My brothers, this was the love that even in bygone days renewed the holy men, the patriarchs and prophets of old. In later times it renewed the blessed apostles, and now it is the turn of the Gentiles. From the entire human race throughout the world this love gathers together into one body a new people, to be the bride of God’s only Son. She is the bride of whom it is asked in the Song of Songs: Who is this who comes clothed in white? White indeed are her garments, for she has been made new; and the source of her renewal is none other than this new commandment.

And so all her members make each other’s welfare their common care. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is glorified all the rest rejoice. They hear and obey the Lord’s words: A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; not as men love one another for their own selfish ends, nor merely on account of their common humanity, but because they are all gods and sons of the Most High. They love one another as God loves them so that they may be brothers of his only Son. He will lead them to the goal that alone will satisfy them, where all their desires will be fulfilled. For when God is all in all, there will be nothing left to desire.

This love is the gift of the Lord who said: As I have loved you, you also must love one another. His object in loving us, then, was to enable us to love each other. By loving us himself, our mighty head has linked us all together as members of his own body, bound to one another by the tender bond of love.

RESPONSORY
John 4:21; Matthew 22:40

God has given us this commandment:
— whoever loves God must also love his brother, alleluia.

On these two commandments rest the whole law and the prophets,
— Whoever loves God must also love his brother, alleluia.

LAUDS

Ant. 1 Be true to your name, O Lord, and preserve my life, alleluia.

Psalm 143:1-11
Prayer in distress

A man is not justified by observance of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16).

Lord, listen to my prayer: *
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer. †
Do not call your servant to judgment *
for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul; *
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness *
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails; *
my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past: *
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought †
and to you I stretch out my hands. *
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer; *
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face *
lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love *
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk: *
to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; *
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will *
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me *
in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life; *
in your justice save my soul from distress.

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, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgment with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice.

Ant. Be true to your name, O Lord, and preserve my life, alleluia.

Ant. 2 I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, alleluia.

Canticle: Isaiah 66:10-14a
Joys of heaven

The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman and our mother (Galatians 4:26).

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, *
all you who love her;
exult, exult with her, *
all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully *
of the milk of her comfort,
That you may nurse with delight *
at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the Lord: †
Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, *
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, *
and fondled in her lap;
as a mother comforts her son, †
so will I comfort you; *
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, *
and your bodies flourish like the grass.

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 will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, alleluia.

Ant. 3 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem and heals the brokenhearted, alleluia.

Psalm 147:1-11
The loving kindness of God who can do all he wills

You are God: we praise you; you are the Lord: we acclaim you.

Praise the Lord for he is good; †
sing to our God for he is loving: *
to him our praise is due.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem *
and brings back Israel’s exiles,
he heals the broken-hearted, *
he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars; *
he calls each one by its name.

Our Lord is great and almighty; *
his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly; *
he humbles the wicked to the dust.
O sing to the Lord, giving thanks; *
sing psalms to our God with the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds; *
he prepares the rain for the earth,
making mountains sprout with grass *
and with plants to serve man’s needs.
He provides the beasts with their food *
and young ravens that call upon him.

His delight is not in horses *
nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength.
The Lord delights in those who revere him, *
in those who wait for his love.

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, great builder of the heavenly Jerusalem, you know the number of the stars and call each of them by name. Heal hearts that are broken, gather together those who have been scattered, and enrich us all from the plenitude of your eternal wisdom.

Ant. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem and heals the brokenhearted, alleluia.

READING
Romans 8:10-11

If Christ is in you the body is dead because of sin, while the spirit is alive because of justice. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

RESPONSORY

The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
— The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

He hung upon the cross for us,
— alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. No disciple is greater than his teacher; he should be glad to become like his master, alleluia.

Canticle of Zechariah
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. No disciple is greater than his teacher; he should be glad to become like his master, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

God the Father has given us his Son for the resurrection of his people. Let us turn with confidence to the Father and say:
May the Lord Jesus be our very life.

As a pillar of fire, you lighted the way for your people in the desert,
— through his resurrection may Christ be today the light of our life.
May the Lord Jesus be our very life.

Through the voice of Moses you taught your people from the mountain,
— through his resurrection may Christ be today the light of our life.
May the Lord Jesus be our very life.

You fed your pilgrim people with your gift of manna,
— through his resurrection may Christ be today the light of our life.
May the Lord Jesus be our very life.

You gave your people water from the rock,
— through his resurrection may Christ be today the light of our life.
May the Lord Jesus be our very life.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

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 restoring human nature
you have given us a greater dignity than we had in the beginning.
Keep us in your love,
and continue to sustain those
who have received new life in baptism.
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.

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TERCE I

PSALMODY

Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 119:153-160

See my affliction and save me *
for I remember your law.
Uphold my cause and defend me; *
by your promise give me life.

Salvation is far from the wicked *
who are heedless of your commands.
Numberless, Lord, are your mercies; *
with your decrees give me life.

Though my foes and oppressors are countless *
I have not swerved from your will.
I look at the faithless with disgust; *
they ignore your promise.

See how I love your precepts; *
in your mercy give me life.
Your word is founded on truth: *
your decrees are eternal.

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 128

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;
your 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.

Psalm 129

“They have pressed me hard from my youth,” *
this is Israel’s song.
“They have pressed me hard from my youth *
but could never destroy me.

They plowed my back like plowmen, *
drawing long furrows.
But the Lord, who is just, has destroyed *
the yoke of the wicked.”

Let them be shamed and routed, *
those who hate Zion!
Let them be like grass on the roof *
that withers before it flowers.

With that no reaper fills his arms, *
no binder makes his sheaves
and those passing by will not say: *
“On you the Lord’s blessing!”

“We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

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. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

MIDMORNING [Terce]

READING
1 Corinthians 12:13

It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized into one body. All of us have been given to drink of the one Spirit.

The Lord is risen, alleluia.
— He has appeared to Simon, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father,

in restoring human nature

you have given us a greater dignity than we had in the beginning.

Keep us in your love,

and continue to sustain those

who have received new life in baptism.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

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SEXT I

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.

Psalm 122
The holy city, Jerusalem

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 judgement *
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. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

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SEXT II

Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 123
The Lord is the hope of his people

Two blind men cried out: “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 20:30).

To you have I lifted up my eyes, *
you who dwell in the heavens:
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves *
on the hand of their lords.

Like the eyes of a servant *
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God *
till he show us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. *
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full is our soul †
with the scorn of the rich, *
with the proud man’s disdain.

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 in heaven, we lift our eyes to you and pray: confound the scorn of the proud and graciously show us your mercy.

Psalm 124
Our help is in the name of the Lord

The Lord said to Paul:  “Fear not. . . . I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10).

“If the Lord had not been on our side,” *
this is Israel’s song.
“If the Lord had not been on our side *
when men rose against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive *
when their anger was kindled.

Then would the waters have engulfed us, *
the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept *
the raging waters.”

Blessed be the Lord who did not give us *
a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped *
from the snare of the fowler.

Indeed the snare has been broken *
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, *
who made heaven and earth.

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 125
The Lord, the guardian of his people

Peace to God’s true Israel (Galatians 6:16).

Those who put their trust in the Lord †
are like Mount Zion, that cannot be shaken, *
that stands for ever.

Jerusalem!  The mountains surround her, †
so the Lord surrounds his people *
both now and for ever.

For the scepter of the wicked shall not rest *
over the land of the just
for fear that the hands of the just *
should turn to evil.

Do good, Lord, to those who are good, *
to the upright of heart;
but the crooked and those who do evil, *
drive them away!

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. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

SEXT - MIDDAY READING

READING
Titus 3:5-7

God saved us through the baptism of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he lavished on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs, in hope, of eternal life.

The disciples rejoiced, alleluia.
— When they saw the risen Lord, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father,

in restoring human nature

you have given us a greater dignity than we had in the beginning.

Keep us in your love,

and continue to sustain those

who have received new life in baptism.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

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