Oremus for Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Óscar Romero
Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez was born in a small village in El Salvador in 1917. Ordained priest, he was known as a quiet and unassuming pastor. By 1977, amidst the political and social turmoil suffered by his country, he was therefore seen as a neutral choice to be its Archbishop. Courageously, however, he began to speak out against violence and his homilies supported the demands of the poor for economic and social justice. He refused to be silenced and continued to preach even under threat of assassination. On this day in 1980, whilst presiding at Mass, Archbishop Romero was assassinated by a gunman. He has since been widely regarded as a martyr for the faith and was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2018. ^EH

Antiphon¹

Ant. You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.
V. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David. Luke 1

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: https://tinyurl.com/ufxekitx

God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

HYMN: Guillermo Cuéllar (Misa Popular Salvadoreño, commissioned by Romero);
tr. Bret Hesla and William Dexheimer Pharris ©
Tune²

Estribillo:
Vamos todos al banquete,
a la mesa de la creación;
cada cual, con su taburete,
tiene un puesto y una misión.

1 Hoy me levanto muy temprano,
ya me espera la comunidad.
Voy subiendo alegre la cuesta,
voy en busca de tu amistad. [Estribillo]

2 Dios invita a todos los pobres
a esta mesa común por la fe,
donde no hay acaparadores,
donde todos puedan comer. [Estribillo]

3 Dios nos manda a hacer de este mundo
una mesa donde haya igualdad;
trabajando y luchando juntos,
compartiendo la propiedad. [Estribillo]

Refrain:
Let us go now to the banquet,
to the feast of the universe.
The table’s set and a place is waiting;
come, ev’ryone, with your gifts to share.

1 I will rise in the early morning.
The community’s waiting for me.
With a spring in my step I’m walking
with my friends and my family. [Refrain]

2 God invites all the poor and hungry
to the banquet of justice and good,
where the harvest will not be hoarded,
so that no one will lack for food. [Refrain]

3 May we build such a place among us
where all people are equal in love.
God has called us to work together
and to share ev’rything we have. [Refrain]

PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk

Psalm 116 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/r9c5ke7)

1  I am well pleased *
that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
2  That he hath inclined his ear unto me *
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3  The snares of death compassed me round about *
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me.
4  I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord *
O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5  Gracious is the Lord, and righteous *
yea, our God is merciful.
6  The Lord preserveth the simple *
I was in misery, and he helped me.
7  Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul *
for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
8  And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death *
mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9  I will walk before the Lord *
in the land of the living.
10  I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore troubled *
I said in my haste, All men are liars.
11  What reward shall I give unto the Lord *
for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
12  I will receive the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
13  I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people *
right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
14  Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant *
I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid;
thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.
15  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and will call upon the Name of the Lord.
16  I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people *
in the courts of the Lord’s house,
even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 117 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rxgv7mn)

1 O praise the Lord, all ye heathen *
praise him, all ye nations.
2 For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us *
and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 118 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tkh65hw)

1  O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
because his mercy endureth for ever.
2  Let Israel now confess, that he is gracious *
and that his mercy endureth for ever.
3  Let the house of Aaron now confess *
that his mercy endureth for ever.
4  Yea, let them now that fear the Lord confess *
that his mercy endureth for ever.
5  I called upon the Lord in trouble *
and the Lord heard me at large.
6  The Lord is on my side *
I will not fear what man doeth unto me.
7  The Lord taketh my part with them that help me *
therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies.
8  It is better to trust in the Lord *
than to put any confidence in man.
9  It is better to trust in the Lord *
than to put any confidence in princes.
10  All nations compassed me round about *
but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11  They kept me in on every side, they kept me in, I say, on every side *
but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.
12  They came about me like bees,
and are extinct even as the fire among the thorns *
for in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13  Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall *
but the Lord was my help.
14  The Lord is my strength, and my song *
and is become my salvation.
15  The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous *
the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.
16  The right hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence *
the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.
17  I shall not die, but live *
and declare the works of the Lord.
18  The Lord hath chastened and corrected me *
but he hath not given me over unto death.
19  Open me the gates of righteousness *
that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord.
20  This is the gate of the Lord *
the righteous shall enter into it.
21  I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me *
and art become my salvation.
22  The same stone which the builders refused *
is become the head-stone in the corner.
23  This is the Lord’s doing *
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24  This is the day which the Lord hath made *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25  Help me now, O Lord *
O Lord, send us now prosperity.
26  Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord *
we have wished you good luck, ye that are of the house of the Lord.
27  God is the Lord who hath shewed us light *
bind the sacrifice with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.
28  Thou art my God, and I will thank thee *
thou art my God, and I will praise thee.
29  O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
and his mercy endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

PRAYER

Holy and mighty God,
your Son’s triumph over sin and death
has opened to us the gate of eternal life.
Purify our hearts
that we may follow him
and share in the radiance of his glory.
We ask this for the sake of our risen Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Haggai 2:1-9, 20-23

In the second year of King Darius,in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall fall, every one by the sword of a comrade. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.

HYMN: Latin; trans. John Mason Neale
Tune: Veni Emmanuel https://tinyurl.com/5xkdvucn

1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

[Refrain:]
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!

2 O come, thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,
free them from Satan’s tyranny
that trust thy mighty power to save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. (Refrain)

3 O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace. (Refrain)

Reading: Hebrews 12:18-29

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.’ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

HYMN: Isaac Watts, alt. Robert Lowry
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/4r4xuzu3

1 Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known.
Join in a song with sweet accord,
join in a song with sweet accord,
and thus surround the throne,
and thus surround the throne.

Refrain:
We’re marching to Zion,
beautiful, beautiful Zion.
We’re marching upward to Zion,
the beautiful city of God.

2 The hill of Zion yields
a thousand sacred sweets,
before we reach the heav’nly fields,
before we reach the heav’nly fields,
or walk the golden streets,
or walk the golden streets. [Refrain]

3 Then let our songs abound,
and ev’ry tear be dry.
We’re marching thro’ Immanuel’s ground,
we’re marching thro’ Immanuel’s ground,
to fairer worlds on high,
to fairer worlds on high. [Refrain]

Reading: Matthew 24:45-51

Jesus continued, ‘Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked slave says to himself, “My master is delayed”, and he begins to beat his fellow-slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

CANTICLE Isaiah 12:2-6
(Uptown Worship Band: https://tinyurl.com/y8q877og)

Refrain:
Surely, it is God who saves;
I will and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my sure defense,
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water
and rejoice from the salvation spring.
On that day you shall say,
give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name. Refrain

Make his deeds known among the people;
they remember his Name on high.
Sing praise to the Lord, for he has done great things,
and this is known in all the world. Refrain

Cry aloud, O Zion, ring out your joy,
for the great one in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

LITANY OF CONFESSION ^CW:TS

We pray to the Lord for courage to give up other things
and to give ourselves to him this Lent.

Give your Church the courage
to give up her preoccupation with herself
and to give more time to your mission in the world.