Thursday: For Widows, Orphans, the Hungry and Homeless

[Intention: For widows, orphans, hungry and homeless.]

(fr In the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. I believe.

f. 0 God, come to my assistance. Bj. O Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

Ant. O how sweet, Lord, is Thy Spirit; who, that Thou mayest shew Thy kindness towards Thy children, dost give them sweetest bread from heaven, dost fill the hungry with good things and send away empty the delicate rich.

Ps. xxvi. Dominus Illuminatio.

THE Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh.

My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.

If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear.

If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

That I may see the delight of the Lord, and visit His temple.

For He hath hidden me in His tabernacle: in the day of evils, He hath protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle.

He hath exalted me upon a rock: and now He hath lifted up my head above my enemies.

I have gone round, and have offered up in His tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to Thee: have mercy on me and hear me.

My heart hath said to Thee: My face hath sought Thee: Thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.

Turn not away Thy face from me; decline not in Thy wrath from Thy servant.

Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not Thou despise me, 0 God my Saviour.

For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.

Set me, O Lord, a law in Thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.

Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me; for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and iniquity hath lied to itself.

I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.

Glory be.

Ps. xxii.

Dominus Regit Me.

npHE Lord ruleth me: and I shall want ■■■ nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture.

He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: He hath converted my soul.

He hath led me on the paths of justice, for His own name's sake.

For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for Thou art with me.

Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me.

Thou hast prepared a table before me, against them that afflict me.

Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

And Thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Glory be.

Ant. O how sweet, Lord, is Thy Spirit; who, that Thou mayest shew Thy kindness towards Thy children, dost give them sweetest bread from heaven, dost fill the hungry with good things and send away empty the delicate rich.

The Chapter. St. Johnvi. 3-13; 32-35.

Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.

When Jesus therefore had lifted up His eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to Him, He said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?

And this He said to try him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Philip answered Him: Two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.

One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to Him:

There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?

Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.

And Jesus took th^ loaves: and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were sat down. In like manner also of the fishes as much as they would.

And when they were filled, He said tq His disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.

They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.

Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you: Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.

They said therefore unto Him: Lord, give us always this bread.

And Jesus said to them: I am the Bread of Life, he that cometh to Me shall not hunger; and he that belie veth in Me, shall never thirst.

Itf. Thanks be to God. Lord, have mercy. Christy have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father.

f. Save thy servants.

37. Who hope in Thee, O my God.

f. Be unto them, O Lord, a tower of strength, i^. From the face of the enemy. f. Let not the enemy prevail against them. 37. Nor the son of iniquity approach to hurt them. y. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins. IV. Neither requite us according to our iniquities. y. Let us pray for our Sovereign Pontiff

Benedict. B7. The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon earth; and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. y. Let us pray for our benefactors. Bj. Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name's sake, to reward with eternal life all them that do us good. Amen. T. Let us pray for the faithful departed.

B?. Eternal rest give to them, 0 Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. f. May they rest in peace, ty. Amen.

f. For our absent brethren. Bj. Save thy servants who hope in Thee,

O my God. y. Send them help, O Lord, from the sanctuary. 1^7. And defend them out of Sion. y. 0 Lord, hear my prayer. Rj. And let my cry come unto Thee.

For widows and orphans.

For hungry and home-

Let us pray.

O God, most merciful Father of the fatherless, and comfort of the bereaved; grant to all who sorrow the help of Thy heavenly kindness; that, trusting in Thee alone as their sure defence, they may find Thee swift to console and strong to save.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the empty wilderness, didst feed the multitudes who looked to Thee; have mercy on all who have no help but Thee; give shelter to the homeless, food to the hungry, and rest to the weary; that, protected in their pilgrimage through this vale of sorrows, they may come at last to the City of the saints where all tears are wiped away; and where Thou with the Father and the Holy

Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

Let us pray.

O God, who in a wonderful order dost dispose the services of angels and of men; grant mercifully that by those who minister before Thee always in heaven the lives of Thy servants may be defended on earth.

O God, who didst crown Thy servant Joan with fortitude in battle and victory over death, grant that by the aid of her intercession our armies may obtain a speedy triumph.

Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

f. O Lord, hear my prayer.

Bj. And let my cry come unto Thee.

f. May the Almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us. Bj. Amen. f. And may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of

God rest in peace. Bj. Amen.

For our soldiers and sailors.

For victory.