Opening
Lord, open my lips. And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Hymn
Speak, Lord — the house is quiet still. Your servant waits to hear. Before the day becomes a crowd, Come near, and make us hear. Open the Scripture of our hearts; Let one true word remain. Then send us into what must come, Still listening for your name.
Original – Prayer on Fire
Psalm I
Antiphon
Speak, Lord — your servant is listening in the quiet.
Psalm 72 (71):1–2, 12–13
Catholic Public Domain Version (public domain)
Psalm
Give your judgment, O God, to the king, and your justice to the king’s son, to judge your people with justice and your poor with judgment. For he will free the poor from the powerful, and the poor one who has no helper. He will spare the poor and the indigent, and he will bring salvation to the souls of the poor.
Glory Be
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.
Antiphon
Speak, Lord — your servant is listening in the quiet.
Psalm II
Antiphon
Let your truth steady me before the day grows loud.
Psalm 98 (97):1–3
Catholic Public Domain Version (public domain)
Psalm
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has performed wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have accomplished salvation. The Lord has made known his salvation. He has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Glory Be
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.
Antiphon
Let your truth steady me before the day grows loud.
Silence
Let the last verse rest in you.
First Reading
Jeremiah 20:7–13
Catholic Public Domain Version (public domain)
“You have led me away, O Lord, and I have been led away. You have been stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a derision all day long; everyone mocks me. For I speak now as I have long spoken: crying out against iniquity and proclaiming devastation. And the word of the Lord has been made into a reproach against me and a derision, all day long. Then I said: I will not call him to mind, nor will I speak any longer in his name. And my heart became like a raging fire, enclosed within my bones. And I became weary of continuing to bear it. For I heard the insults of many, and terror all around: ‘Persecute him!’ and, ‘Let us persecute him!’ from all the men who had been at peace with me and who had kept watch by my side. ‘If only there were some way that he might be deceived, and we might prevail against him and obtain vengeance from him!’ But the Lord is with me, like a strong warrior. For this reason, those who persecute me will fall, and they will be ineffective. They will be greatly confounded. For they have not understood the everlasting disgrace that will never be wiped away. And you, O Lord of hosts, the Tester of the just, who sees the temperament and the heart: I beg you to let me see your vengeance upon them. For I have revealed my case to you. Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For he has freed the soul of the poor from the hand of the wicked.
Responsory
In the morning I lift my prayer to you. And I wait upon your word. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Second Reading
From a letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians
public domain
It is better for a man to be silent and be a Christian, than to talk and not to be one. It is good to teach, if he who speaks also acts. There is then one Teacher, who spoke and it was done; while even those things which He did in silence are worthy of the Father. He who possesses the word of Jesus, is truly able to hear even His very silence, that he may be perfect, and may both act as he speaks, and be recognized by his silence. There is nothing which is hid from the Lord, but our very secrets are near to Him. Let us therefore do all things as those who have Him dwelling in us, that we may be His temples, and He may be in us as our God, which indeed He is, and will manifest Himself before our faces. Wherefore we justly love Him. Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two possesses such power, how much more that of the bishop and the whole Church. He, therefore, that does not assemble with the Church, has even by this manifested his pride, and condemned himself. Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God.
Intercessions
Wake us to your presence, not only to our lists.
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the poor who already labor while we pray.
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the dying and the sleepless, that light may find them kindly.
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
For this First Light, that praise may be our first work.
R. Lord, hear our prayer.
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. Amen.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, go with us toward the people we will meet. Let no one leave our presence unblessed. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.