31 December 2015

For all the blessings, we sing...

For all the blessings of this year: for for men discerning God's will for their lives, for our faculty and staff, for all the good folks seeking Christ at our Theological Institute, for our benefactors and friends, for Cardinal Seán O'Malley and for everything God has in store for us in the coming year, we sing...

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
     Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
     heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
     Father, of majesty unbounded,
     your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
     and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.

You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V.  Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V.  Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V.  Lord, show us your love and mercy,
R. For we have put our trust in you.
V.  In you, Lord, is our hope:

R. Let us never be put to shame.

“The sense of the joy in anything is the sense of Christ.”   ( Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God ) Is there anything sadder than a miser...