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INTRODUCTION

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

At Midday [Sext]

Come, servants, join in humble prayer
with psalms and hymns of worthy praise;
let mind and heart and lips extol
the blest and holy name of God.

For this is that dread time and hour,
in which the Judge of ages stood
condemned to death by false decree,
unjustly judged by mortal foes.

And we with all the love we owe,
compelled by just and humble fear,
seek help against our wicked foe
and all his sly and fierce assaults.

Let us implore the one true God,
the Father and the Son, our King,
the Holy Spirit, Paraclete,
in Trinity, our God and Lord. Amen.

Tune: DEUS TUORUM MILITUM, 8 8 8 8
Music: from the Grenoble Antiphoner, 1753
or Mode I, melody 2; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Venite, servi, supplices, 5-6th c., © 2023 ICEL

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 Prayer

Lord Jesus, you foretold that your disciples would be despised on account of your name, but that not a hair of their heads is ever forgotten. In times of persecution, defend and revive us by the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be freed from our enemies and praise your saving help.

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.

Psalm Prayer

Surround your people, Lord, within the safety of your Church, which you preserve on its rock foundation. Do not let us stretch out our hands to evil deeds, nor be destroyed by the insidious snares of the enemy, but bring us to share the lot of the saints in light.

Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

MIDDAY 

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READING
1 Peter 3:21-22a

You are now saved by a baptismal bath. This baptism is no removal of physical stain, but the pledge to God of an irreproachable conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He went to heaven and is at God’s right hand.

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

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God, who restore us to eternal life

in the Resurrection of Christ,

grant your people constancy in faith and hope,

that we may never doubt the promises

of which we have learned from you.

Through Christ our Lord.

— Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.