In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help 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. Alleluia.
(A suitable hymn may be chosen for the season or feast)
The Office of Readings includes three psalms or portions of psalms, each followed by a short response and prayer. The psalms are chosen according to the day of the week and the liturgical season.
Psalm 42 — Longing for God
As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God?
My tears have become my bread day and night, as they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I went with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and praise.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 46 — God, Our Refuge
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
(A passage from Sacred Scripture is read, followed by a period of silent reflection)
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet. and a light for my path.
(A reading from the Church Fathers or a Church document is proclaimed)
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." — St. Augustine
Lord, open our hearts to receive Your word. May the Scriptures we have read and the prayers we have offered deepen our faith and draw us closer to You. Grant that we may live according to Your will and bear witness to Your truth. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
— The Office of Readings is part of the Liturgy of the Hours. The client may update the text as needed. —