MONDAY 26 PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

psalm 27

Come, let us worship the newborn Christ who has given the glorious crown to Saint Stephen

It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to the ministry of the word. The proposal was acceptable to all. Acts 6:2b-5

Ant. 1 My soul held fast to you, my God; for your sake I suffered death by stoning

Psalm 63:2-9 A soul thirsting for God

O God, you are my God; at dawn I seek you, for you my soul is thirsting.

For you my flesh is pining, like a dry, weary land without water.

I have come before you in the holy place, to behold your strength and your glory.

Your loving mercy is better than life, my lips will speak your praise.

I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hand.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet; with joyful my mouth shall praise you.

When I remember you upon my bed, I muse on you through the watches of the night.

For you have been my strength, in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings fast to you; your right hand upholds me.

Ant. 2 Stephen saw heavens open; he saw and entered in.

Happy the man to whom the heavens opened

Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

Heavens, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

All waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

All powers of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

Sun and moon, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

Stars of heaven, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him for ever……

Ant. 3 Behold I see the heavens open, and Jesus standing

the right hand of the almighty God

Psalm 149

Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

CHRISTMAS DRESS MADE BY JANEF

Let Israel rejoice in its Maker, let Zion’s children exult in their king.

Let them praise his name with dancing, and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people, he crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in glory, shout with joy on their couches.

Let the praise of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand.

Chantez pour le Seigneur un chant nouveau: chantez sa louange dans l’assemblée des fidèles

Qu’Israël se réjouisse de son Auteur, que les fils de Sion fêtent leur roi.

Qu’ils louent son nom par la danse, qu’ils jouent pour lui du tambour et de la cithare

Car le Seigneur favorise son peuple, il pare de victoire les humbles.

Que les fidèles exultent en rendant gloire, que sur leurs nattes ils cirent de joie.

Exaltant Dieu a pleine gosier, tenant en main l’épée a deux tranchants.

Tirer vengeance des nations et châtier les peuples, enchainer leur rois,

exécuter contre eux la sentence écrite, c’est l’honneur de tous ses fidèles !

PRAYER

Lord, today we celebrate the entrance of Saint Stephen into eternal glory. He died praying for those who killed

him. Help us to maintain his goodness and to love our enemies. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your

Son, who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit one God for ever and ever

TRUST GOD, TRUST IN ME

Fifth Sunday of Easter 'I am going now to prepare a place for you' First Reading Acts 6:1-7 They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid th...

THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN

Tuesday week 3 of Eastertide - ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ First Reading 7:51-8,1 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’ They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they ...

YOU MUST NOT KILL

First Reading Ezekiel 18:21-28 I prefer to see the wicked man renounce his wickedness and live Thus says the Lord: ‘If the wicked man renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and honest, he will certainly live; he will not die. All the sins he committed will be forgotten from then on; he shall live because of the integrity he has practised. What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man – it is the Lord who speaks – and not prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live? ‘But if the upright man renounces his integrity, commits sin, copies the wicked man and practises every kind of filth, is he to live? All the integrity he has practised shall be forgotten from then on; but this is because he himself has broken faith and committed sin, and for this he shall die. But you object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright ma...

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