We give you thanks, Lord, and exalt your name

I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
and you comforted me.

Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water
      from the wells of salvation.
And you will say on that day:
Give thanks to the Lord,
call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.

Isaiah 12:1b-4

   

Before the world began, God chose us to be holy

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 his sight.

  

He predestined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,

such was his will and pleasure, 

that all might praise the glorious favor 

    he has bestowed on us in his 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 he 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.

Ephesians 1:3-10

  

Your words, O Lord, my joy and happiness

May your Word, O Lord, be the sole source

of all my desires, thoughts, words, actions.

//Dd

        When I found your words, I devoured them;
        they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
        Because I bore your name,
        O Lord, God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15:16

    

May we, too, go before the Lord to prepare his ways

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
      for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
      to give knowledge of salvation to his people
      by the forgiveness of their sins.

Luke 1: 76-77

     

Canticle of St. Francis of Assisi

Most high, omnipotent, all good Lord,
Yours are all praises, all glory, all honour, and all benedictions.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong.
No one is worthy to mention Your name.

Praise to you, my Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for my Brother Sun,
who brings the day and through whom you give light.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!
He bears the likeness of You, Most High.

Praise to you, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars:
in the heavens have You made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Praise to you, my Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather:
through them You give Your creatures sustenance.

Praise to you, my Lord, for Sister Water:
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Praise to you, my Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light up the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Praise to you, my Lord, through our sister, Mother Earth,
who nourishes us and sustains us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praise to you, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of You,
and for those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy are those who persevere in peace,
for by You, Most High, will they be crowned.

Praise to you, my Lord, through our sister, Bodily Death,
from whose no living person can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin!

Happy are those whom death shall find doing Your most holy will,
for the second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve Him with great humility.

Amen.

~ St. Francis of Assisi  //Dd
  

Peace is the fruit of Wisdom

Wisdom from above is first of all innocent.
It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy
and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere.

The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

James 3:17-18
    

How deep are your designs, O Lord!

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning
and your truth in the watches of the night,
on the ten-stringed lyre and the lute,
with the murmuring sound of the harp.

Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad;
for the work of your hands I shout with joy.
O Lord, how great are your works!
How deep are your designs!

Psalm 92:1-5
    

Reliance

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm,
to give you a future with hope.

Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me,
I will hear you.

When you search for me, you will find me;
if you seek me with all your heart,
I will let you find me, says the Lord,
and I will restore your fortunes
and gather you from all the nations
and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord,
and I will bring you back
      to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 29.11-32

When the Lord brought back the exiles of Sion,
we thought we were dreaming.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter;
on our tongues, songs of joy.
Then the nations themselves said,
“What great deeds  the Lord worked for them!”

What great deeds the Lord worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.

Psalm 126:1-3