Virtual Discernment Retreat Divine Office Prayer Aid Prayers taken from Sunday Sept. 20, 2020

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord, Your grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Your Son, The was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through - And she conceived by the Holy Spirit. the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. , full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, . Glory be to the Father and the Son… as it was in the beginning, is - Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and now, and ever shall be world without end, Amen. at the hour of our death. Amen. Behold the handmaid of the Lord - Be it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail Mary... Holy Mary, Mother of God…. Morning Offering And the Word was made Flesh: O Eternal God… - And dwelt among us. Behold me now prostrate before your immense majesty in Hail Mary... Holy Mary, Mother of God…. humblest adoration. I offer You all my thoughts, words, actions, joys, sufferings and Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God intentions of this day. I intend to do all for your love and your - that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. glory; to fulfill Your Divine Will, to serve You, to praise You, to bless You; to be enlightened in the mysteries of the holy faith, to secure my salvation, to hope in your mercy, to satisfy your divine Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy justice for my sins so many and so grievous; to give suffrage to Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. the holy souls in purgatory, and to obtain the grace of true conversion for all sinners.

I intend to do everything this day in union with those most pure intentions which Jesus and Mary had in life, and with those of all the saints who are in Heaven and of all the just who are on the Invitatory earth; and I would wish to be able to subscribe with the blood of martyrdom this my intention, and to renew it throughout all the Lord, + open my lips. moments of eternity. – And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Accept, O my beloved God, this my good desire. Give me your Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he holy benediction with an efficacious grace not to commit a shepherds, alleluia. mortal sin throughout the whole course of my life, but particularly on this day on which I desire and intend to obtain all Psalm 95: A call to praise God the indulgences which I can gain; and to unite my intentions with Scripture to think about: Encourage each other daily while it is all the Masses which shall be celebrated this day throughout the still today (Hebrews 3:13). whole world, applying for myself unworthy and in suffrage for the holy souls in purgatory. 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. O Sacred Banquet (Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas to the Holy Eucharist; prayed before Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he the Divine Office) shepherds, alleluia. O Sacred banquet, in Christ is received, the memory of his passion is recalled, the soul is filled with grace and the pledge of The Lord is God, the mighty God, the great king over all the future glory is given us. You have given them bread from gods. heaven… Containing all manner of sweetness. 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 Let us pray: O God, who has left us in this wonderful sacrament a land, too, for it was formed by his hands. perpetual memorial of your Passion. Grant us, we beseech you, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he we may always experience in our souls the fruits of your shepherds, alleluia. redemption. 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 In your sure mercy ever kind, people, the flock he shepherds. May we our strong protection find.

Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he Ant. 1 Who can climb the Lord’s mountain, or stand in his holy shepherds, alleluia. place?

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, as Psalm 24 The Lord’s entry into his temple your fathers did in the wilderness, when at Meriba and Saint Quote to think about: Christ opened heaven for us in the Massah they challenged me and provoked me, Although they manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus). had seen all of my works. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, * Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he the world and all its peoples. shepherds, alleluia. It is he who set it on the seas; * on the waters he made it firm. Forty years I endured that generation. I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways.” Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? * So I swore in my anger, “They shall not enter into my rest.” Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, † Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he who desires not worthless things, * shepherds, alleluia. who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: He shall receive blessings from the Lord * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, * Come, worship the Lord, for we are his people, the flock he seek the face of the God of Jacob. shepherds, alleluia. O gates, lift high your heads; † grow higher, ancient doors. * Office of Readings Let him enter, the king of glory! Hymn: 1 All hail, adored Trinity; Who is the king of glory? † All praise, eternal Unity: The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, * O God the Father, God the Son, the Lord, the valiant in war. And God the Spirit, ever one. 2 Three Persons praise we evermore, O gates, lift high your heads; † One only God our hearts adore: grow higher, ancient doors. * Let him enter, the king of glory! let rebels not rise against him.

Who is he, the king of glory? † O peoples, bless our God, * He, the Lord of armies, * let the voice of his praise resound, he is the king of glory. of the God who gave life to our souls * and kept our feet from stumbling. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit: For you, O God, have tested us, * as it was in the beginning, is now, * you have tried us as silver is tried: and will be for ever. Amen. you led us, God, into the snare; * you laid a heavy burden on our backs. Ant. 2 Bless our God, you nations of the world; he has given us life, alleluia. You let men ride over our heads; † we went through fire and through water * Psalm 66: Eucharistic hymn but then you brought us relief. The Lord is risen and all people have been brought by him to the Father (Hesychius). Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth, * as it was in the beginning, is now, * O sing to the glory of his name. and will be for ever. Amen. O render him glorious praise. * Say to God: “How tremendous your deeds! Ant. 3 Listen to me, all you who revere God, let me tell you what great things he has done for me, alleluia. Because of the greatness of your strength * Psalm 66, Continued your enemies cringe before you. Burnt offering I bring to your house; * Before you all the earth shall bow; * to you I will pay my vows, shall sing to you, sing to your name!” the vows which my lips have uttered, * which my mouth spoke in my distress. Come and see the works of God, * tremendous his deeds among men. I will offer burnt offerings of fatlings † He turned the sea into dry land, * with the smoke of burning rams. * they passed through the river dry-shod. I will offer bullocks and goats.

Let our joy then be in him; * Come and hear, all who fear God. * he rules for ever by his might. I will tell what he did for my soul: His eyes keep watch over the nations; * to him I cried aloud, * with high praise ready on my tongue. Now thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways! If there had been evil in my heart, * You have sown much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, the Lord would not have listened. but have not been satisfied; But truly God has listened; * You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed he has heeded the voice of my prayer. yourselves, but not been warmed; And he who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer * it. nor withhold his love from me. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and to the Holy Spirit: and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my as it was in the beginning, is now, * glory, says the Lord. You expected much, but it came to and will be for ever. Amen. little; and what you brought home, I blew away. For what cause? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while each God’s word is alive; it strikes to the heart. of you hurries to his own house. Therefore the heavens withheld – It pierces more surely than a two-edged sword. from you their dew, and the earth her crops. And I called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountains; Upon the grain, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, and upon all that the : ground brings forth; Upon men and upon beasts, and upon all Readings that is produced by hand.

FIRST READING: From the beginning of the book of the Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and the high priest Joshua, son prophet Haggai (1:1-2:9) of Jehozadak, and all the remnant of the people listened to the Exhortation to rebuild the temple and its future glory voice of the Lord, their God, and to the words of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord, their God, had sent him, and the people On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King feared because of the Lord. And the Lord’s messenger, Haggai, Darius, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to proclaimed to the people as the message of the Lord: I am with the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the you, says the Lord. high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak: Then the Lord stirred up the spirit of the governor of Judah, Thus says the Lord of hosts: This people says: “Not now has the Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and the spirit of the high priest time come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” Then this word of Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the the Lord came through Haggai, the prophet: Is it time for you to people, so that they came and set to work on the house of the dwell in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth ruins? month. SECOND READING From a commentary on Haggai by Saint In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the Cyril of Alexandria, bishop seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet My name is great among the nations Haggai: Tell this to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and to When our Savior came, he appeared as a divine temple, glorious the remnant of the people: beyond any comparison, far more splendid and excellent than the older temple. He exceeded the old as much as worship in Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? Christ and the gospels exceeds the cult of the laws, as much as And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in truth exceeds its shadows. your eyes? Furthermore, I might point out that originally there was just one But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the Lord, and take temple at Jerusalem, in which one people, the Israelites, offered courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak, And take courage, their sacrifices. Since the only-begotten Son became like us, and all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work! For I am with as Scripture says, though he was Lord and God, he has shone you, says the Lord of hosts. This is the pact that I made with upon us, the rest of the world has been filled with places of you when you came out of Egypt, And my spirit continues in your worship. Now there are countless worshipers who honor the midst; do not fear! universal God with spiritual offerings and fragrant sacrifices. This surely, is what Malachi foretold, speaking, as if in the person For thus says the Lord of hosts: of God: I am a great king, says the Lord; my name is honored One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and among the nations, and everywhere there is offered to my name the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the the fragrance of a pure sacrifice. nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in, And I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. With justice, therefore, do we say that the final temple, the Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the Lord of hosts. Church, will be more glorious. To those who are so solicitous for Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, the Church and labor for its construction, Haggai declares that a says the Lord of hosts; And in this place I will give you gift will be made, a gift from heaven given by the Savior. That gift peace, says the Lord of hosts! is Christ himself, the peace of all men: through him we have access in the one Spirit to the Father. The prophet goes on to say: Responsory (Haggai 1:8; Isaiah 56:7) I will give peace to this place and peace of soul to save all who lay the foundation to rebuild the temple. Christ too says somewhere: Go up into the hill country and build a house; My peace I give you. Paul will teach how profitable this is for – and I will take pleasure in it, says the Lord. those who love: The peace of Christ, he says, which surpasses all understanding will keep your minds and hearts. Isaiah, the seer, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. made the same prayer: O Lord our God, give us peace, for you – And I will take pleasure in it, says the Lord. have given us everything. Once a man has been found worthy of Christ’s peace, he can easily save his soul and guide his mind to carry out exactingly the demands of virtue. Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, Haggai, therefore, declares that peace will be given to all who and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. build. One builds the Church either as a teacher of the sacred mysteries, as one set over the house of God, or as one who works You, Christ, are the king of glory, for his own good by setting himself forth as a living and spiritual the eternal Son of the Father. stone in the holy temple, God’s dwelling place in the Spirit. The results of these efforts will profit such men so that each will be When you became man to set us free able to gain his own salvation without difficulty. you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

RESPONSORY (Psalm 84:5; Zechariah 2:11) You overcame the sting of death, Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord; and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. – they will praise you for ever. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come, and be our judge. Many nations will join the Lord on that day, and they will be his people. Come then, Lord, and help your people, – They will praise you for ever. bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; Morning Prayer You are the eternal Father: Ant. 1 Praise the Lord, for his loving kindness will never fail, All creation worships you. alleluia.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Psalm 118: Song of joy for salvation Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Scripture to think about: This Jesus is the stone which, rejected by Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, you builders, has become the chief stone supporting all the rest heaven and earth are full of your glory. (Acts 4:11).

The glorious company of apostles praise you. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, * The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. for his love endures forever. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Let the sons of Israel say: * Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you: “His love endures for ever.” Let the sons of Aaron say: * and recount his deeds. “His love endures for ever.” I was punished, I was punished by the Lord, * Let those who fear the Lord say: * but not doomed to die. “His love endures for ever.” Open to me the gates of holiness: * I called to the Lord in my distress; * I will enter and give thanks. he answered and freed me. This is the Lord’s own gate * The Lord is at my side; I do not fear. * where the just may enter. what can man do against me? I will thank you for you have answered * The Lord is at my side as my helper:* and you are my savior. I shall look down on my foes. The stone which the builders rejected * It is better to take refuge in the Lord * has become the corner stone. than to trust in men; This is the work of the Lord, * it is better to take refuge in the Lord * a marvel in our eyes. than to trust in princes. This day was made by the Lord; * we rejoice and are glad. The nations all encompassed me; * in the Lord’s name I crushed them. O Lord, grant us salvation; * They compassed me, compassed me about; * O Lord, grant success. in the Lord’s name I crushed them. Blessed in the name of the Lord * They compassed me about like bees; † is he who comes. they blazed like a fire among thorns. * We bless you from the house of the Lord; * In the Lord’s name I crushed them. the Lord God is our light.

I was hard-pressed and was falling, * Go forward in procession with branches * but the Lord came to help me. even to the altar. The Lord is my strength and my song; * You are my God, I thank you. * he is my savior. My God, I praise you. There are shouts of joy and victory * Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; * in the tents of the just. for his love endures for ever.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; * Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * his right hand raised me. and to the Holy Spirit: The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; † as it was in the beginning, is now,* I shall not die, I shall live * and will be forever. Amen. Ant. 3 Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia. Ant. 2 Alleluia! Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, alleluia! Psalm 150: Praise the Lord Canticle: Daniel 3:52-57: Let all creatures praise the Lord Let mind and heart be in your song: this is to glorify God with your Scripture to think about: The Creator . . . is blessed for ever whole self (Hesychius). (Romans 1:25). Praise God in his holy place, * Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, * praise him in his mighty heavens. praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; Praise him for his powerful deeds, * praise his surpassing greatness. And blessed is your holy and glorious name, * praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. O praise him with sound of trumpet, * praise him with lute and harp. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, * Praise him with timbrel and dance, * praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. praise him with strings and pipes.

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, * O praise him with resounding cymbals, * praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. praise him with clashing of cymbals. Let everything that lives and that breathes * Blessed are you who look into the depths † give praise to the Lord. from your throne upon the cherubim, * praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit: Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, * as it was in the beginning, is now,* praiseworthy and glorious forever. and will be forever. Amen.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, * READING (2 Timothy 2:8, 11-13) praise and exalt him above all forever. Remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, was raised Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * from the dead. You can depend on this: If we have died with and to the Holy Spirit: him, we shall also live with him; as it was in the beginning, is now,* If we hold out to the end, we shall also reign with him. and will be forever. Amen. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he will still remain faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Responsory free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name. – We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, We cry aloud how marvelous you are, to give his people knowledge of salvation * – as we call upon your name. by the forgiveness of their sins.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. In the tender compassion of our God * – We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon your name. 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. Gospel Canticle Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * Ant. You have left everything to follow me; you will have it all and to the Holy Spirit: returned a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. as it was in the beginning, is now, * and will be for ever. Amen. Canticle of Zechariah: Luke 1:68-79 (The Messiah and his forerunner) Ant. You have left everything to follow me; you will have it all returned a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free. INTERCESSIONS

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * Open your hearts to praise the God of power and goodness, for born of the house of his servant David. he loves us and knows our needs: We praise you, Lord, and trust in you. Through his holy prophets he promised of old † that he would save us from our enemies, * We bless you, almighty God, King of the universe, because you from the hands of all who hate us. called us while we were yet sinners, to acknowledge your truth and to serve your majesty. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * We praise you, Lord, and trust in you. and to remember his holy covenant. O God, you opened the gates of mercy for us, let us never turn This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: * aside from the path of life. to set us free from the hands of our enemies, We praise you, Lord, and trust in you. – Amen. As we celebrate the resurrection of your beloved Son, help us to spend this day in the spirit of joy. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace, Amen. We praise you, Lord, and trust in you.

Give to your faithful, O Lord, a prayerful spirit of gratitude, that we may thank you for all your gifts. After Morning Prayer: Marian Consecration We praise you, Lord, and trust in you. I, (name) a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism. I renounce Now let us pray as Christ the Lord taught us: forever Satan, his pomps and works, and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him Our Father, who art in heaven, all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have hallowed be thy name; ever been before. thy kingdom come; thy will be done In the presence of all the heavenly court, I choose thee this day on earth as it is in heaven. for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as Give us this day our daily bread; they slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and and forgive us our trespasses exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present as we forgive those who trespass against us; and future, leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of and lead us not into temptation, me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to but deliver us from evil. thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen. Concluding Prayer

Lord, our help and guide, After : Private Thanksgiving and Prayer for Vocations make your love the foundation of our lives. May our love for you express itself in our eagerness to do good Lord Jesus Christ, shepherd of souls, who called the apostles to for others. be fishers of men, raise up apostles in your holy Church, Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, particularly to our Dominican institute. Teach them that to serve who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for you is to reign: to possess you is to possess all things. Kindle in ever and ever. the young hearts of our people a fire of zeal for souls. Make them – Amen. eager to spread your Kingdom upon the earth. Grant them courage to follow you, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life; DISMISSAL who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen. May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.