Feria Tertia infra Hebdomadam XXI post Octavam Pentecostes

Nocturn 1

Ant. Fight, O Lord, * against those who fight against me.

Psalm 34(1-10)

34:1 O Lord, judge those who harm me, * assail those who attack me.
34:2 Take hold of weapons and a shield: * and rise up in assistance to me.
34:3 Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me: * say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.'
34:4 Let them be confounded and in awe, * who pursue my soul.
34:4 Let them be turned back and be confounded, * who think up evil against me.
34:5 May they become like dust before the face of the wind: * and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.
34:6 May their way become dark and slippery: * and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
34:7 For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction: * over nothing, they have rebuked my soul.
34:8 Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: * and may he fall into that very snare.
34:9 But my soul will exult in the Lord: * and delight over his salvation.
34:10 All my bones will say: * 'Lord, who is like you?'
34:10 He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one: * the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Fight, O Lord, against those who fight against me.

Ant. Rescue my soul * from their evil deeds, O Lord.

Psalm 34(11-17)

34:11 Unfair witnesses have risen up, * interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.
34:12 They repaid me evil for good: * to the deprivation of my soul.
34:13 But as for me, when they were harassing me, * I was clothed with haircloth.
34:13 I humbled my soul with fasting: * and my prayer will become my sinews.
34:14 Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please: * like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.
34:15 And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together: * scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.
34:16 They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn: * they gnashed their teeth over me.
34:17 Lord, when will you look down upon me? * Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Rescue my soul from their evil deeds, O Lord.

Ant. Arise, O Lord, * and attend to my judgment.

Psalm 34(18-28)

34:18 I will confess to you in a great Church, * I will praise you among a weighty people.
34:19 May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: * those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.
34:20 For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me: * and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit.
34:21 And they opened their mouth wide over me: * they said, 'Well, well, our eyes have seen.'
34:22 You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent: * Lord, do not depart from me.
34:23 Rise up and be attentive to my judgment: * my God and my Lord, to my cause.
34:24 Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, * and do not let them be glad over me.
34:25 Do not let them say in their hearts, 'Well, well, to our soul': * neither let them say, 'We have devoured him.'
34:26 Let them blush and be in awe together, * those who congratulate at my misfortunes.
34:26 Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, * who speak great things against me.
34:27 Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice: * and let them ever say, 'The Lord be magnified,' who will the peace of his servant.
34:28 And so my tongue will express your justice, * your praise all day long.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Arise, O Lord, and attend to my judgment.

Ant. Do not vie * with him who prospers and commits iniquity.

Psalm 36(1-15)

36:1 Do not choose to imitate the malicious: * neither should you envy those who work iniquity.
36:2 For they will quickly wither away like dry grass: * and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.
36:3 Hope in the Lord and do good: * and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.
36:4 Delight in the Lord: * and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.
36:5 Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him: * and he will accomplish it.
36:6 And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday: * be subject to the Lord and pray to him.
36:7 Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way: * with the man who does injustices.
36:8 Cease from wrath and leave behind rage: * do not choose to imitate the malicious.
36:9 For those who are malicious will be exterminated: * but those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.
36:10 Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be: * and you will search his place and find nothing.
36:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth: * and they will delight in the multitude of peace.
36:12 The sinner will observe the just: * and he will gnash his teeth over him.
36:13 But the Lord will laugh at him: * for he knows in advance that his day will come.
36:14 The sinners have drawn the sword: * they have bent their bow,
36:14 So as to cast down the poor and the needy: * so as to massacre the upright of heart.
36:15 Let their sword enter into their own hearts: * and let their bow be broken.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Do not vie with him who prospers and commits iniquity.

Ant. The arms of sinners * shall be broken, but the Lord strengthens the just.

Psalm 36(16-29)

36:16 Better is a little to the just, * than the great riches of the wicked.
36:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: * but the Lord strengthens the just.
36:18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless: * and their inheritance shall be for ever.
36:19 They shall not be confounded in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be filled: * for the wicked shall perish.
36:20 But the enemies of the Lord, as soon as they are honored and exalted: * failing, they shall fail like smoke.
36:21 The wicked man borrows and does not repay: * but the just man shows mercy and gives.
36:22 For those who bless him shall inherit the land: * but those who curse him shall perish.
36:23 By the Lord the steps of a man are directed: * and he takes delight in his way.
36:24 When he falls he shall not be cast down: * for the Lord holds his hand beneath him.
36:25 I have been young, and now am old: * yet I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.
36:26 All the day he shows mercy and lends: * and his seed shall be in blessing.
36:27 Turn from evil and do good: * and dwell for ever and ever.
36:28 For the Lord loves judgment, and will not forsake his saints: * they shall be preserved for ever.
36:28 The unjust shall be punished: * and the seed of the wicked shall perish.
36:29 But the just shall inherit the land: * and shall dwell upon it for ever and ever.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. The arms of sinners shall be broken, but the Lord strengthens the just.

Ant. Keep innocence * and behold equity.

Psalm 36(30-40)

36:30 The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, * and his tongue shall speak judgment.
36:31 The law of his God is in his heart, * and his steps shall not stumble.
36:32 The wicked man watches the just: * and seeks to put him to death.
36:33 But the Lord will not abandon him in his hands: * nor condemn him when he is judged.
36:34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt you to inherit the land: * when the wicked have perished you shall see it.
36:35 I have seen the wicked highly exalted, * and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.
36:36 And I passed by, and behold he was no more: * and I sought him, and his place was not found.
36:37 Keep innocence and see righteousness: * for there is a future for the man of peace.
36:38 But the unjust shall perish together: * the remnant of the wicked shall be cut off.
36:39 But the salvation of the just is from the Lord: * and he is their protector in the time of tribulation.
36:40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them: * and he shall rescue them from the wicked, and save them: because they have hoped in him.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Keep innocence and behold equity.

Ant. Do not rebuke me, O Lord, * in your anger.

Psalm 37(2-11)

37:2 O Lord, rebuke me not in your fury, * nor chastise me in your wrath.
37:3 For your arrows are fixed in me: * and you have laid your hand upon me.
37:4 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your anger: * there is no peace in my bones because of my sins.
37:5 For my iniquities have gone over my head: * and like a heavy burden they are weighed down upon me.
37:6 My wounds have putrefied and festered, * because of my foolishness.
37:7 I have become wretched and bowed down to the end: * all the day I walked in sorrow.
37:8 For my loins are filled with delusions: * and there is no soundness in my flesh.
37:9 I am afflicted and greatly humbled: * I groaned with the groan of my heart.
37:10 O Lord, before you is all my desire: * and my groaning is not hidden from you.
37:11 My heart is troubled, my strength has failed me: * and the light of my eyes itself is not with me.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Do not rebuke me, O Lord, in your anger.

Ant. Be intent upon my help, * O Lord, the strength of my salvation.

Psalm 37(12-23)

37:12 My friends and my neighbors * drew near and stood against me.
37:12 And those who were close to me stood afar off: * and those who sought my soul used violence.
37:13 And those who sought evil against me spoke vanities: * and meditated deceits all the day.
37:14 But I, like a deaf man, heard not: * and was as a mute not opening his mouth.
37:15 And I became as a man that hears not: * and who has no reproofs in his mouth.
37:16 For in you, O Lord, have I hoped: * you will hear me, O Lord my God.
37:17 For I said: Lest my enemies ever exult over me: * and when my feet are shaken, they speak great things against me.
37:18 For I am ready for scourges: * and my sorrow is ever before me.
37:19 For I will declare my iniquity: * and I will think upon my sin.
37:20 But my enemies live and are stronger than I: * and those who hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
37:21 Those who return evil for good spoke ill of me: * because I pursued goodness.
37:22 Do not forsake me, O Lord my God: * do not depart from me.
37:23 Make haste to my assistance, * O Lord, God of my salvation.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Be intent upon my help, O Lord, the strength of my salvation.

Ant. Remove, O Lord, * your plagues from me.

Psalm 38

38:2 I said: I will keep my ways: * that I sin not with my tongue.
38:2 I set a guard upon my mouth, * while the wicked stood against me.
38:3 I was dumb and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: * and my sorrow was renewed.
38:4 My heart grew warm within me: * and in my meditation a fire shall blaze forth.
38:5 I spoke with my tongue: * Make me know, O Lord, my end.
38:5 And what is the number of my days: * that I may know what is wanting to me.
38:6 Behold, you have made my days as a handbreadth: * and my substance is as nothing before you.
38:6 Yet surely all is vanity, * every man that lives.
38:7 Surely man passes like an image: * yea, and he is disquieted in vain.
38:7 He lays up treasures: * and knows not for whom he gathers them.
38:8 And now what is my hope? Is it not the Lord? * And my substance is with you.
38:9 Deliver me from all my iniquities: * you have made me a reproach to the foolish.
38:10 I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because you have done it: * remove your scourges from me.
38:12 Through the strength of your hand I have failed under your rebukes: * you have corrected man for iniquity.
38:12 And you have made his soul waste away like a spider: * yet surely every man is disquieted in vain.
38:13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: * give ear to my tears.
38:13 Be not silent: for I am a stranger with you, and a sojourner, * as all my fathers were.
38:14 Spare me, that I may be refreshed before I depart, * and be no more.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. Remove, O Lord, your plagues from me.

℣ O God, do not be silent toward me; forgive me.

℟ For I am a sojourner with you and a pilgrim.

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 also forgive those who trespass against us:

℣ And lead us not into temptation:

℟ But deliver us from evil.

Absolutio. Hear us, Lord Jesus Christ, and have mercy on your servants: You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benedictio. May the eternal Father bless us with his everlasting blessing.

Reading 1

From the Second Book of Maccabees

2 Mac 7:7-12

7 And so, when the first had died in this way, they led in the next one, so as to ridicule him. And when the skin of his head was pulled off with the hair, they asked him if he would eat, instead of being punished throughout the whole body in every limb.
8 But responding in the language of his fathers, he said, 'I will not do it.' Because of this, he also, in the next place, received the torments of the first.
9 And when he had reached his last breath, he spoke in this way: 'You, indeed, O most wicked man, are destroying us in this present life. But the King of the world will raise us up, in eternal life at the resurrection, for we die on behalf of his laws.'
10 After this one, the third was ridiculed, and when he was asked, he quickly offered up his tongue, and he resolutely extended his hands.
11 And he said with confidence, 'I possess these from heaven, but, because of the laws of God, I now despise them, for I hope to receive them again from him.'
12 So then, the king and those who were with him, wondered at the soul of this youth, because he considered the torments as if they were nothing.
From the Second Book of Maccabees

2 Mac 7:24-27

24 But Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and at the same time also despising the voice of the reproacher, when only the youngest was still left, not only exhorted him with words, but also assured him with an oath, that he would make him wealthy and happy, and, if he would convert from the laws of his fathers, he would have him as a friend, and he would provide him with necessary things.
25 But, when the youth was not swayed by these things, the king called the mother and persuaded her to act toward the youth to save him.
26 And so, when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised that she would counsel her son.
27 Then, leaning towards him and mocking the cruel tyrant, she said in the language of the fathers: 'My son, take pity on me, for I carried you for nine months in my womb, and I gave you milk for three years, and I nourished you and led you through to this stage of life.'

℟ This is the lover of his brethren and of the people of Israel:

This is he who prays much for the people and for all the holy city of Jerusalem.

℣ This man appeared most gentle among his people.

℟ This is he who prays much for the people and for all the holy city of Jerusalem.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benedictio. May the Only Begotten Son of God be pleased to bless and assist us.

Reading 2

2 Mac 7:13-19

13 And after he had died in this way, they afflicted the fourth with similar tortures.
14 And when he was about to die, he spoke in this way: 'It is preferable, being put to death by men, to await hope from God, so as to be revived again by him. For you, there shall be no resurrection to life.'
15 And when they had brought the fifth, they afflicted him. But he, gazing at him,
16 said: 'Having power among men, though you are corruptible, you do what you want; but do not think that our nation has been abandoned by God.
17 And so, wait patiently for a while, and you will see his great power, by the manner in which he will torture you and your offspring.'
18 After this one, they brought the sixth, and he, being about to die, spoke in this way: 'Do not go astray in vain. For we suffer these things because of ourselves, having sinned against our God, and things worthy of wonder have come upon us.
19 But do not consider that you will be without punishment, for you have attempted to fight against God.'

2 Mac 7:28-33

28 I ask you, child, gaze upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them, and understand that God made them, and the family of man, out of nothing.
29 So shall it be that you will not fear this executioner, but, becoming a worthy partaker with your brothers, you shall accept death, so that in that mercy I may receive you back together with your brothers.
30 While she was still saying these things, the youth said: 'What are you waiting for? I will not obey the precept of the king, but the precept of the law, which was given to us through Moses.
31 But you, who have been the inventor of all malice against the Hebrews, will not escape the hand of God.
32 For we suffer these things because of our sins;
33 and, if the Lord our God is angry with us for a little while, for the sake of our chastisement and correction, yet still he will be reconciled again to his servants.'

℟ You, O Lord of all, who have need of nothing, willed that your temple be made in us;

Preserve this house spotless for ever, O Lord.

℣ You chose, O Lord, this house for the invocation of your name in it, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for your people.

℟ Preserve this house spotless for ever, O Lord.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benedictio. May the mercy of Christ lead us to the joys of paradise.

Reading 3

2 Mac 7:20-23

20 Now the mother was wonderful beyond measure, and a worthy memorial of the good, for she watched her seven sons perish within the time of one day, and she bore it with a good soul, because of the hope that she had in God.
21 And, with fortitude, she exhorted each of them in the language of their fathers, being filled with wisdom; and, joining masculine courage with feminine thinking,
22 she said to them: 'I do not know how you were formed in my womb. For I did not give you spirit, nor soul, nor life; neither did I construct each of your limbs.
23 But truly, the Creator of the world, who formed the nativity of man, and who founded the origins of all things, will restore both spirit and life to you again, with his mercy, just as you now despise yourselves for the sake of his laws.'

2 Mac 7:34-41

34 But as for you, O wicked and most disgraceful of all men, do not be extolled over nothing, inflamed with vain hopes against his servants;
35 for you have not yet escaped the judgment of Almighty God, who examines all things.
36 For my brothers, having now sustained brief sorrow, have been brought under the covenant of eternal life; but you, by the judgment of God, will pay the just penalty for your arrogance.
37 But I, like my brothers, offer up my soul and my body for the sake of the laws of our fathers, calling upon God to be favorable to our nation sooner, and that you, under torments and lashes, may acknowledge that he alone is God.
38 But in me and in my brothers, the wrath of the Almighty, which has been justly brought upon all our nation, shall cease.
39 Then the king, burning with anger, raged against this one with cruelty beyond all the rest, bearing it indignantly that he himself was derided.
40 And so this one also died in purity, trusting entirely in the Lord.
41 Then, last of all, after the sons, the mother also was consumed.

℟ Open your eyes, O Lord, and behold our affliction: the nations have surrounded us to punish us:

But you, O Lord, stretch out your arm, and deliver our souls.

℣ Afflict those who oppress us and make insult in their pride; and guard your own portion.

℟ But you, O Lord, stretch out your arm, and deliver our souls.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

℟ But you, O Lord, stretch out your arm, and deliver our souls.