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November 18 — Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul
Invitation to Worship
Behold, on the Earth, the Dwelling Place of God,
Come, let us praise and adore!
O Holy One, + open my lips,
~And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
You are the Praise of all your saints;
~And the Joy of all creation!
BLESSED CITY, HEAVENLY SALEM
Blessed City, heavenly Salem, Vision dear of peace and love,
Who, of living stones upbuilded, Art the joy of heaven above
And with angel cohorts circled, As a bride to earth dost move.
From celestial realms descending, Bridal glory round her shed,
To God’s presence, decked with jewels, By her Love shall she be led:
All her streets, and all her bulwarks, Of pure gold are fashioned.
Bright with pearls her portals glitter, They are open evermore;
And by virtue of Christ’s merits, That’s where faithful hearts may soar,
Who for His dear name in this world Pain and tribulation bore.
Glory be to God and honor In the highest as is meet,
To the Word and to the Abba, And th’ Eternal Paraclete,
Whose is boundless praise and power Through the ages infinite. Amen.
Urbs Jerusalem Beata, Tr. J.M. Neale alt. URBS BEATA, Plainsong Mode IV
MORNING PSALMODY
Antiphon
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Psalm 45/46
The Holy One is for us both refuge and strength,
Our Helper close at hand, whenever we’re in trouble:
So we can stand unshaken, when solid earth is cracked,
when volcanoes slide into the depths of the sea,
when its waters rage and foam
and mountains tremble in the swell.
Adonai Sabbaoth is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
With God dwelling there, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of each day.
Nations rage and empires fall,
God speaks, the earth melts and shrinks away.
Adonai Sabbaoth is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come! Behold the wonders of Adonai
the amazing things God does across the Earth:
Stopping wars all over the globe,
smashing and crushing all the weapons of war.
“Be silent and know that I am God,
supreme over your nations, supreme on Earth.
Adonai Sabbaoth is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore, Amen.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
READING ISAIAH 56:7
I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
Their holocausts and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar,
For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Responsory
R. My house shall be called a house of prayer, says Adonai; *in it anyone who asks receives and all who seek find, and to all who knock it shall be opened.
V. How lovely is your dwelling place, My Love and My God. *in it anyone who asks receives and all who seek find, and to all who knock it shall be opened.
V. Glory to the One and to the Word, and to the Holy Breath of Love.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
O how awesome is this place:
here indeed we have the house of God and the portal of heaven.
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
O how awesome is this place:
here indeed we have the house of God and the portal of heaven.
Litany of Intercession
You built your house upon a rock,
– strengthen your Church with solid and lasting faith.
Blood and water flowed from your side,
– give new life to your people through the sacraments of the new and eternal covenant.
You promised to be in the midst of those who gather in your name,
– hear the prayers of every gathering of your Church.
You prepare a dwelling place in your Abba’s house for all who wish to follow you,
~fill us with your love for all people and all creation.
You never cast out anyone who comes to you, ~ open your Abba’s house to all those who have died.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father…
Closing Prayer & Blessing
O Holy One, you have built for yourself a dwelling place out of living stones from every tribe and language, people and nation. Keep us firmly joined to Jesus, our Cornerstone, whose love unites Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female into a royal priesthood to serve you by serving our neighbors and healing your creation.
Yours is the power and glory of love both now and forever. Amen.
May the blessing of God who is the joy and the glory of all the saints be with us this day and always. ~Amen
Let us bless Adonai. ~Thanks be to God.