Call to Worship

While making the sign of the cross:

God, come to our assistance.
Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Hymn

Hearts Renewed (1)

Lord, by the light of day
You send us your kindness
Through the night I sing to You,
my God, Lord of my life.

Hearts renewed by your love,            
lives made full, by your Spirit;
Give us the faith to trust in your ways;
Open our eyes to see You in all.

I will walk with the Lord,
His hand in mine
never wander away from Him,
never on my own.

Hearts renewed by your love,
lives made full, by your Spirit;
Give us the faith to trust in your ways;
Open our eyes to see You in all.

Hearts renewed by your love,
lives made full, by your Spirit;
Give us the faith to trust in your ways;
Open our eyes to see You in all.

Open our eyes to see You in all,
to see You in all,
to see You in all.

PSALMODY

Psalm 141:1-9

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, I am calling: hasten to help me.
Listen to me as I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep watch at the gate of my lips.
Let my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No, I will never taste their delights.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

The good may reprove me,
In kindness chastise me,
but the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Every day, I counter their malice with prayer.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

To you, Lord my God, my eyes are turned:
In you I take refuge; do not forsake me.
Keep me safe from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do evil.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all praise to the life giving Spirit.
As it was, is now, and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense, my hands like an evening offering. (2)

Psalm Prayer

Lord,
From the rising of the sun to its setting, your name is worthy of all praise. Let our prayer come like incense before you. May the lifting up of our hands be as an evening sacrifice acceptable to you, Lord, our God.

Psalm 11

Ant. John, the forerunner of the Lord, was born of an old and childless couple.

Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!

May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!

From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens God’s glory.

Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to His throne

yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?

From the dust God lifts up the lowly,
from misery God raises the poor

to set them in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of God’s people.

To the childless wife God gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. John, the forerunner of the Lord, was born of an old and childless couple.

Canticle
Ephesians 1:3-10

Ant. There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.

Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in Him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in God’s sight.

God predestined us to be adopted children
through Jesus Christ,
such was God’s will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
bestowed on us in the Beloved.

In Him and through His blood, we have been redeemed,and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan God was pleased
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out in Christ,
in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in Him,
in the heavens and on earth.

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.

Reading

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
(Acts 13:23-25)

According to the promise, God has brought forth from David’s descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John’s career was coming to an end, he would say, “What you suppose me to be, I am not. Rather, look for the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals on his feet.”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

Responsory

Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me.
Make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

The Magnificat (3)
Luke 1:46-55
Ant. Zechariah entered the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.

While making the sign of the cross:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit sings to God, my saving God,
Who on this day, above all others, favored me
And raised me up, a light for all to see.

Through me, great deeds will God make manifest
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know and praise God’s holy name.

God’s mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.

Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.

All glory be to God, Creator blest,
To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest,
And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
All glory be, both now and evermore.

Ant. Zechariah entered the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.

Intercessions

Let us pray joyfully to God our Father, who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You called John the Baptist from his mother’s womb to prepare the way of your Son; help us to follow in the path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as forerunner of the Christ. Teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death; help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

For the sick who have asked us to accompany them with our prayers, that they may experience your merciful and healing touch today.

Please pray aloud the names of those who are sick or in need of healing.

O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

Remember those who have died, give them a place of light, happiness and peace.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer. (4)

The Lord’s Prayer

And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord asked:
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 forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.

Closing Prayer

All-powerful God,
Help your people to walk the path to salvation. By following the teaching of John the Baptist, may we come to your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Blessing

While making the sign of the cross:

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and
bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Hail Mary (5)

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
and blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist,
Pray for us.
Sant’Angelo,
Pray for us.

Let us spend this evening in peace.
Thanks be to God.

Credits and Permissions
All text and music are in the public domain
or used with permission:
OneLicense A-726188. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all music
is published by OCP or a division of OCP.
Julian Pardo produces all audio.
Michael Aguilar, Jr. produces all videos.

1. Text and lyrics: Tom Kendzia; copyright 1983, North American Liturgy Resources (NALR), a division of Epoch Universal Publications, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona.
   Lead Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark;
   Other vocals: Nick Ritacco, Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Guitar and Bass: Julian Pardo.
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.

2. Text: Based on Psalm 141:1-5,8-9, Doxology; Paul Inwood, b. 1947.
   Music: Paul Inwood; Text and Music copyright, 1984-1985.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

3. Lyrics: Based on Luke 1:68-79;
   Owen Alstott, b. 1947. Copyright 1993.
   Music: Bernadette Farrell, b. 1957.
   Copyright 1993.
   Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark.
   Other Vocals: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm., Alondra Garza, Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Nick Ritacco.
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

4. Response from: “O, God Hear Us.”
   Text and Music: Bob Hurd, b. 1950; Copyright: 1984, Bob Hurd.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

5. Text and Music: written by Carey Landry, arranged by Martha Lesinski, copyrights 1975, 1978.
   Vocals: Mazie Rudolph.