Introduction:
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
– Amen.
God, come to my assistance:
– 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.
Hymn: Just a Closer Walk With Thee
I am weak but Thou art strong. Jesus, keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk dear Lord, close to Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toils and snares. If I falter Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
When my feeble life is o’er, and time for me will be no more.
Guide me gently, safely o’er to Thy kingdom, dear Lord, to Thy shore.
Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
On Presence:
Antiphon 1: Lord, help me, as I live and pray, to be present to you as you are always present to me.
Good and Gracious God, you knew me in the void, at the time before time,
in the place where there was only you and chaos.
You stood apart from the chaos, considered it, brought the power of your Love to bear upon it, and ordered it into Creation.
The sun rises and sets, the moon goes through its phases,
winds blow, clouds gather, rains fall to nourish the land,
all at your direction.
Earth and sky, mountain and valley, forest and meadow,
lake, stream, river, and ocean,
animal, bird, and insect.
All these are the Creation of your Love.
So too is it with me. I am also the Creation of your Love,
brought into being for the express purpose of expanding and returning that Love,
given free will to enable my ability to love.
Your Creation is your gift to men.
Anything in Creation that helps me to love you, I am to embrace.
Anything that hinders me, I am to reject.
In your wisdom, you neither expect nor force me to discern the difference.
Instead, you are present to me always, always available to teach me to love as you Love,
if only I will let you.
You know my thoughts before I think them,
My words before I speak them,
My steps before I take them.
There is no place so deep and dark I can retreat to where you are not present,
for darkness is as light to you.
Good and glorious God, help me, as I live and pray,
to be present to you as you are always present to me. Amen.
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.
Psalm Prayer:
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Hear me; Come quickly to my rescue.
You are my rock, a strong fortress to save me. Be my aid and my refuge.
Lead me, guide me. Reveal your Will to me. Conform me to your Love.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Deliver me, my faithful God.
Antiphon 1: Lord, help me, as I live and pray, to be present to you as you are always present to me.
On Discernment:
Antiphon 2: Lord, make known to me your Will, that I might conform myself to it.
Father,
You sent your Son Jesus to be our inspiration,
and Jesus taught us if we ask, we shall receive.
In His Name I ask the gift of your Grace.
Please, make known to me your Will for my individual life.
Please, make known to me my role in your Kingdom.
Lord Jesus.
You are the Grace I seek embodied.
You are the Truth that walked upright upon the land.
You are the Word of God, spoken in flesh.
You are the Way, the path that leads to love and salvation.
You are the Light, the beacon that lights the path in times of trouble.
Lord Jesus.
Increase in me my desire to know you.
Strengthen in me my need to love you.
Embolden in me the courage to follow you, completely.
Send me your Spirit with the gift of patience.
Patience as I pray, that I might sit still, quietly, and know the revelation of God.
Patience as I live, that I might embrace God as my continual Creator.
Send me your Spirit with the gift of awareness.
Awareness as I pray, that I might experience the revelation of God.
Awareness as I live, that I might see the Hand of God at work in every moment of every day.
Send me your Spirit with the gift of humility.
Humility as I pray, that I might come before God without preconceptions.
Humility as I live, that I might acknowledge my overwhelming dependency on my Creator.
Father, Son and Spirit, make known to me your Will, that I might conform myself to it.
For I know that in the act of conforming, I will find peace,
the peace of an active life, well lived, with the affirmation of your Glory at its core.
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 2: Lord, make known to me your Will, that I might conform myself to it.
On Discipline:
Antiphon 3: Lord, lend me your Strength! Drench me in your Mercy and Grace!
All my life, Lord, I have avoided the discipline necessary to properly and completely return the Love you shower upon me despite my inadequacy and unworthiness. I preferred to live for myself, neglecting my obligations to you without a second thought.
On the rare occasion I attempted to achieve that discipline, I relied solely on my own strength and found it completely inadequate to the task. I failed immediately, inevitably falling back into the ease of old habits and patterns.
Help me to accept and embrace this truth:
I do not possess the power or the wisdom needed to achieve the discipline I require.
The wherewithal I lack lies only in you.
Therefore, my discipline depends entirely on my proximity to you.
Only in your presence and only with your assistance can I hope to master my will and return to you the selfless love I undoubtedly owe you.
Please, Lord, hear my pleas!
Turn my face toward you!
Lead me to the mountain!
Envelop me, draw me close!
Convince me to dwell always with you!
Hold me near and never let me stray!
Make me resolute in pursuit of your aid!
Lend me your Strength!
Drench me in your Mercy and Grace!
Free me from the bonds of sin that I might abide joyfully and permanently in you!
Send your Spirit to increase and deepen my poverty and humility,
enabling me to embrace and treasure my dependence on you,
allowing me to finally live a discipline that glorifies you impeccably!
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, Amen!
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.
Psalm Prayer:
Here I am, Lord.
Heart, soul, and mind completely for you, Lord.
What would you have me do?
Possess me. Uphold me as I struggle and strive to embrace your example in the garden.
Not my will, Lord, but yours be done!
Antiphon 3: Lord, lend me your Strength! Drench me in your Mercy and Grace!
Reading: (Phillipians 4: 4-9)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Responsorial:
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Chant a psalm in His Name, give glory to His praise!
-Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone does great wonders!
Come, listen and I will tell you, all you who fear God, how much He has done for my soul!
-Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel!
From His holy temple, He heard my voice! My cry reached His ears!
-This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!
Blessed forever be the name of His Majesty!
-Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!!!
Canticle of Mary: (The Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55)
Antiphon: My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble estate of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
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: My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Intercessions:
Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.
-Lord, guide me to charity and wisdom.
Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor disturbance.
-Lord, fill me with patience and humility.
Where there is poverty with joy, there is neither greed nor avarice.
-Lord, grant me poverty with joy.
Where there is rest and meditation and mindfulness, there is neither anxiety nor restlessness.
-Lord, teach me to rest, meditate and be mindful.
Where there is fear of the Lord to guard an entrance, there the enemy cannot enter.
-Lord, help me to fear you, fearlessly.
Our Father:
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.
Concluding Prayer:
Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God,
give us miserable ones the grace to do for you alone what we know you want us to do.
May we always desire what pleases you.
Inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened and inflamed by the Holy Spirit,
may we follow in the footprints of your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
By your Grace alone may we make our way to you, Most High,
Who live and rule in perfect Trinity and simple Unity,
and are glorified God almighty, forever and ever.
Amen.
Dismissal:
May the Lord bless me, protect me from all evil, and bring me to everlasting life.
-Amen.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
OFS Ongoing 