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

Flos Carmeli (1)

Flos carmeli,
Vitis florigera,
Splendor caeli,
Virgo puerpera
Singularis.

Mater mitis,
Sed viri nescia,
Carmelitis
Esto propitia,
Stella maris.

Radix Jesse
Germinans flosculum,
Nos adesse
Tecum in saeculum
Patiaris.

Inter spinas
Quae crescis lilium
Serva puras
Mentes fragilium
Tutelaris!

Armatura
Fortis pugnantium
Furunt bella
Tende praesidium
Scapularis.

Per incerta
Prudens consilium
Per adversa
Juge solatium
Largiaris.

Mater dulcis
Carmeli Domina,
Plebem tuam
Reple laetitia
Qua bearis.

Paradisi
Clavis et janua
Fac nos duci
Quo, Mater, gloria
Coronaris.

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 121

Ant. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: let it be done to me according to your word.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May the Lord never allow you to stumble!
Let God sleep not, your guard.
No, God sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side God stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
and will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.

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. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: let it be done to me according to your word.

Canticle
Ephesians 1:3-10

Ant. The apostles persevered in prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

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. The apostles persevered in prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Reading

A Reading from the Book of Judith
(Judith 13:23, 25)

May you be blessed, my daughter, by God Most High, beyond all women on earth. The trust you have shown shall not pass from the peoples’ memory, but shall ever remind them of the power of God. God grant you to be always held in honor, and rewarded with blessings, since you did not consider your own life when our nation was brought to its knees, but warded off our ruin walking undeterred before our God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

Responsory

I exalt for joy in the Lord; my soul rejoices in God.
I exalt for joy in the Lord; my soul rejoices in God.
For God has clothed me in the garments of salvation and has wrapped me in the cloak of justice.
My soul rejoices in God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I exalt for joy in the Lord; my soul rejoices in God.

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

The Magnificat (3)
Luke 1:46-55
Ant. Today, we rejoice in the Virgin Mary, Mother, and Beauty of Carmel. Today her children commemorate her faithful love. Today, the Star of the Sea shines on her people as their sure hope and comfort. Alleluia!

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. Today, we rejoice in the Virgin Mary, Mother, and Beauty of Carmel. Today her children commemorate her faithful love. Today, the Star of the Sea shines on her people as their sure hope and comfort. Alleluia!

Intercessions

As we honor the holy Mother of God, under whose name and patronage we live, let us pray with confidence to Christ our Lord and say:
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" may we stand with Mary among the poor and humble of the Lord, so that you may be our only wealth.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You said, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe;" with Mary at our side, may we never cease to trust in the love you have for us as we journey in this night of faith.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You said, "You ought to pray always and never lose heart;" teach us to pray like Mary, treasuring your word in our hearts and proclaiming it in our lives.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You said, "A new commandment I give you: love one another as I have loved you;" united in heart and mind, may we be ready to spend our lives for our brothers and sisters and share with Mary in your work of redemption.
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.

You said, "I want those you have given me to be with me where I am." May all those who trusted in your everlasting mercy rejoice one day with you and Mary in our Father's house.
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

Lord God,
you willed that the Order of Carmel
should be named in honor of the
Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of your Son.
Through her prayers,
as we honor her today,
bring us to your holy Mountain,
Christ our Lord,
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.

Salve Regina (5)

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
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 Music: Traditional Carmelite Hymn
   Vocals and Arrangement: Fr. Matthew Gummess, O.Carm.
   Click for English Text.

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. Text: “Intercessions.” James A. Wilde, copyright 1996.
   Music: Michael Joncas, copyright 1996.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

5. Text: Latin, attr. to Hermannus Contractus, 1013-1054; English, Paul F. Ford, b. 1947, © 1995, Paul F. Ford.
   Music: Chant, Mode V; guitar acc.© 1993, OCP.
   Vocals: The Carmelites, including Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Carl Markelz, O.Carm., Ryan J. Resurreccion, O. Carm., Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.