Holy Thursday - Tenebrae

Tenebrae

Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. (Isaiah 60.2)

The ministers enter the church in silence and proceed to their places. The office began immediately with the Antiphon on the first Psalm.

All Stand

First Nocturn

Antiphon 1 

Zeal for Your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn You has fallen upon me.

Psalm 69: 1-23 Save Me

 1 Save me, O God,
    for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
    I can’t find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
    and the floods overwhelm me.
3 I am exhausted from crying for help;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
    waiting for my God to help me.
4 Those who hate me without cause
    outnumber the hairs on my head.
Many enemies try to destroy me with lies,
    demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.

5 O God, you know how foolish I am;
    my sins cannot be hidden from you.
6 Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
    O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
    O God of Israel.
7 For I endure insults for your sake;
    humiliation is written all over my face.
8 Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me;
    they treat me like a stranger.

9 Passion for your house has consumed me,
    and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
10 When I weep and fast,
    they scoff at me.
11 When I dress in burlap to show sorrow,
    they make fun of me.
12 I am the favorite topic of town gossip,
    and all the drunks sing about me.

13 But I keep praying to you, Lord,
    hoping this time you will show me favor.
In your unfailing love, O God,
    answer my prayer with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mud;
    don’t let me sink any deeper!
Save me from those who hate me,
    and pull me from these deep waters.
15 Don’t let the floods overwhelm me,
    or the deep waters swallow me,
    or the pit of death devour me.

16 Answer my prayers, O Lord,
    for your unfailing love is wonderful.
Take care of me,
    for your mercy is so plentiful.
17 Don’t hide from your servant;
    answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble!
18 Come and redeem me;
    free me from my enemies.

19 You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
    You see all that my enemies are doing.
20 Their insults have broken my heart,
    and I am in despair.
If only one person would show some pity;
    if only one would turn and comfort me.
21 But instead, they give me poison for food;
    they offer me sour wine for my thirst.

22 Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare
    and their prosperity become a trap.
23 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
    and make their bodies shake continually.

Antiphon: Zeal of Your house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached You are fallen upon me.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 2

Let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 

Psalm 70 God, Rescue Me!  (Stand)

1 Please, God, rescue me!
    Come quickly, Lord, and help me.
2 May those who try to kill me
    be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
    be turned back in disgrace.
3 Let them be horrified by their shame,
    for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”
4 But may all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “God is great!”
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    please hurry to my aid, O God.
You are my helper and my savior;
    O Lord, do not delay.

Antiphon: Let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 3 (Stand)

Arise, O God, plead Your own cause

Psalm 74 Why, God?

1 O God, why have you rejected us so long?
    Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?
2 Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
    the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
    And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
3 Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
    see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.

4 There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;
    there they set up their battle standards.
5 They swung their axes
    like woodcutters in a forest.
6 With axes and picks,
    they smashed the carved paneling.
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground.
    They defiled the place that bears your name.
8 Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!”
    So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.

9 We no longer see your miraculous signs.
    All the prophets are gone,
    and no one can tell us when it will end.
10 How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you?
    Will you let them dishonor your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your strong right hand?
    Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them.

12 You, O God, are my king from ages past,
    bringing salvation to the earth.
13 You split the sea by your strength
    and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan
    and let the desert animals eat him.
15 You caused the springs and streams to gush forth,
    and you dried up rivers that never run dry.
16 Both day and night belong to you;
    you made the starlight and the sun.
17 You set the boundaries of the earth,
    and you made both summer and winter.

18 See how these enemies insult you, Lord.
    A foolish nation has dishonored your name.
19 Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves.
    Don’t forget your suffering people forever.

20 Remember your covenant promises,
    for the land is full of darkness and violence!
21 Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again.
    Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, and defend your cause.
    Remember how these fools insult you all day long.
23 Don’t overlook what your enemies have said
    or their growing uproar.

Antiphon: Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.

V. Deliver me, my god, from the hand of the wicked.

R. From the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.

People sit

Lesson 1 (Sit)

The Reading from the Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet 1:1-14

1 Jerusalem, once so full of people,
    is now deserted.
She who was once great among the nations
    now sits alone like a widow.
Once the queen of all the earth,
    she is now a slave.

2 She sobs through the night;
    tears stream down her cheeks.
Among all her lovers,
    there is no one left to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her
    and become her enemies.

3 Judah has been led away into captivity,
    oppressed with cruel slavery.
She lives among foreign nations
    and has no place of rest.
Her enemies have chased her down,
    and she has nowhere to turn.

4 The roads to Jerusalem are in mourning,
    for crowds no longer come to celebrate the festivals.
The city gates are silent,
    her priests groan,
her young women are crying—
    how bitter is her fate!

5 Her oppressors have become her masters,
    and her enemies prosper,
for the Lord has punished Jerusalem
    for her many sins.
Her children have been captured
    and taken away to distant lands.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord Your God!

Responsory 1 On the Mount of Olives

On the mount of Olives Jesus prayed to the Father:

Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Watch and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Lesson 2 (Sit)
6 All the majesty of beautiful Jerusalem
    has been stripped away.
Her princes are like starving deer
    searching for pasture.
They are too weak to run
    from the pursuing enemy.

7 In the midst of her sadness and wandering,
    Jerusalem remembers her ancient splendor.
But now she has fallen to her enemy,
    and there is no one to help her.
Her enemy struck her down
    and laughed as she fell.

8 Jerusalem has sinned greatly,
    so she has been tossed away like a filthy rag.
All who once honored her now despise her,
    for they have seen her stripped naked and humiliated.
All she can do is groan
    and hide her face.

9 She defiled herself with immorality
    and gave no thought to her future.
Now she lies in the gutter
    with no one to lift her out.
“Lord, see my misery,” she cries.
    “The enemy has triumphed.”

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord Your God!

Responsory 2 My Soul Is Sorrowful

My soul is very sorrowful, even unto death;

Remain here and watch with me.

Now You shall see the crowd which will surround me;

You will flee, and I will go to be offered up for you.

Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

You will flee, and I will go to be offered up for you.

Lesson 3 (Sit)
10 The enemy has plundered her completely,
    taking every precious thing she owns.
She has seen foreigners violate her sacred Temple,
    the place the Lord had forbidden them to enter.

11 Her people groan as they search for bread.
    They have sold their treasures for food to stay alive.
“O Lord, look,” she mourns,
    “and see how I am despised.

12 “Does it mean nothing to you, all you who pass by?
    Look around and see if there is any suffering like mine,
which the Lord brought on me
    when he erupted in fierce anger.

13 “He has sent fire from heaven that burns in my bones.
    He has placed a trap in my path and turned me back.
He has left me devastated,
    racked with sickness all day long.

14 “He wove my sins into ropes
    to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.
The Lord sapped my strength and turned me over to my enemies;
    I am helpless in their hands.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord Your God!

Responsory 3 We Have Seen Him

Lo, we have seen him without beauty or majesty,

With no looks to attract our eyes.

He bore our sins and grieved for us,

He was wounded for our transgressions,

And by his scourging we are healed.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

And by his stripes we are healed.

[snuff one candle]

Second Nocturn

Antiphon 4 (Stand)

The kings of the earth rise up in revolt, and the princes plot together, against the Lord and against his Anointed.

Psalm 2 

 1 Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.
6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
    in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”

7 The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:
“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.
    Today I have become your Father.
8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
    the whole earth as your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron rod
    and smash them like clay pots.’”

10 Now then, you kings, act wisely!
    Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,
    and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—
for his anger flares up in an instant.
    But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Antiphon: The kings of the earth rise up in revolt, and the princes plot together, against the Lord and against his Anointed.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 5 (Stand)

They divided my garments amongst them; they gambled for my clothing.

Psalm 22:1-22 My God, My God 

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
    Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

3 Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you,
    and you rescued them.
5 They cried out to you and were saved.
    They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

6 But I am a worm and not a man.
    I am scorned and despised by all!
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.
    They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
    Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much,
    let the Lord rescue him!”

9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
    and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
    You have been my God from the moment I was born.

11 Do not stay so far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and no one else can help me.
12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;
    fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!
13 Like lions they open their jaws against me,
    roaring and tearing into their prey.
14 My life is poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
    melting within me.
15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
    My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
    You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
    an evil gang closes in on me.
    They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
    My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
    and throw dice for my clothing.

19 O Lord, do not stay far away!
    You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
20 Save me from the sword;
    spare my precious life from these dogs.
21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
    and from the horns of these wild oxen.

22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
    I will praise you among your assembled people.

 Antiphon: They divided my garments among them; they gambled for my clothing.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 6

False witnesses have risen up against me, and also those that speak malice.

Psalm 27 The Lord is My Light   (Stand)

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—

    so why should I be afraid?

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,

    so why should I tremble?

2 When evil people come to devour me,

    when my enemies and foes attack me,

    they will stumble and fall.

3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,

    my heart will not be afraid.

Even if I am attacked,

    I will remain confident.

4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.
5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
    he will hide me in his sanctuary.
    He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high
    above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
    singing and praising the Lord with music.

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
    Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
    And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
9 Do not turn your back on me.
    Do not reject your servant in anger.
    You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
    O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
    the Lord will hold me close.

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path,
    for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
    For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
    with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

V. They divide my garments among them;

R. They cast lots for my clothing

Antiphon: False witnesses have risen up against me, and also those that speak malice.

Lesson 4 (Sit)

A Reading from the Exposition of St. Augustine on Psalm 55:1, 2, 10c (54 Vul.).

“Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!”. Of one earnest, anxious, of one set in tribulation, are these words. He is praying, suffering many things, from evil yearning to be delivered: it remains that we hear in what evil situation he is, and when he begins to speak, let us acknowledge ourselves to be in the same situation; in order that the tribulation being shared, we may join in prayer. “I am overwhelmed by my troubles”

Where made sad, where troubled? “In my trials of living,” he says. Of evil men, whom he suffers, he has made mention, and the same suffering of evil men he has called his “trial.” Think not that without profit there are evil men in this world, and that no good God makes of them. Every evil man either on this account lives that he may be corrected, or on this account lives that through him a good man may be tried.

Responsory 4 As Against a Thief

Have you come out as against a robber,

With swords and clubs to capture me?

Day after day I sat in the Temple teaching,

And you did not seize me;

But now, behold, you scourge me,

And lead me away to be crucified.

When they had laid hands on Jesus and were holding him, he said:

Day after day I sat in the Temple teaching,

And you did not seize me;

But now, behold, You scourge me,

And lead me away to be crucified.

Lesson 5 (Sit)

O that therefore they that do now test us would be converted, and together with us be tried! Nevertheless, so long as they are such as to test, let us not hate them: because in that even though any one of them is evil, whether unto the end he is to persevere, we know not; and often times when to yourself you seem to have been hating an enemy, you have been hating a brother, and know it not. The devil and his angels in the holy Scriptures have been manifested to us, that for fire everlasting they have been destined. Of them only must amendment be despaired of.…Therefore since this rule of Love for you is fixed, that imitating the Father you should love an enemy: for, He says, “love your enemies:” in this precept how would you be exercised, if you had no enemy to suffer? You see then that he profits you somewhat: and let God sparing evil men profit you, so that you show mercy: because perchance you too, if you are a good man, out of an evil man have been made a good man: and if God spared not evil men, not even you would be found to return thanks. May He who has spared you therefore spare others. For it were not right, when you had passed through, to close up the way of godliness.

Responsory 5 Darkness Covers the Earth

Darkness covered the whole land

When Jesus had been crucified;

And about the nineth hour he cried with a loud voice:

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?

And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said:

Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.

And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Lesson 6 (Sit)

“I see violence and conflict in the city.” With reason this man was seeking the desert, for he saw sinful violence and conflict in the city. There is a certain city turbulent: the same it was that was building a tower, the same was confounded and called Babylon, the same through innumerable nations dispersed: thence is gathered the Church into the desert of a good conscience. For he saw contradiction in the city: “Christ comes.”—“What Christ?” You contradict.—“Son of God.”—“And has God a Son?” You contradict.—“He was born of a virgin, suffered, rose again.”—“And how is it possible for this to be done?” You contradict.—Give heed at least to the glory of the Cross itself. Now on the brow of kings that Cross hath been fixed, over which enemies insulted. The effect has proved the virtue. It has subdued the world, not with steel, but with wood. The wood of the Cross has seemed to its enemies as deserving of insults, and before the wood itself standing they were wagging the head, and saying, “If Son of God He is, let Him come down from the Cross.” He was stretching forth His hands to a people unbelieving and contradicting. For if justified he is that of faith lives, unjustified he is that has not faith. By that which here he says “iniquity,” I understand unbelief. The Lord therefore was seeing in the city iniquity and contradiction, and was stretching forth His hands to a people unbelieving and contradicting: and nevertheless waiting for these same, He was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Responsory 6 Behold How Dies the Righteous

See how the righteous one perishes,

And no one takes it to heart.

The righteous are taken away, and no one understands.

From the face of evil the righteous one is taken away,

And his memory shall be in peace.

Like a sheep before its shearers is mute, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away:

And his memory shall be in peace.

[snuff one candle]

Third Nocturn

Antiphon 7 (Stand)

Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. 

Psalm 54 God My Helper

1 Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
    Defend me with your might.
2 Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Pay attention to my plea.
3 For strangers are attacking me;
    violent people are trying to kill me.
    They care nothing for God. Interlude

4 But God is my helper.
    The Lord keeps me alive!
5 May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them.
    Do as you promised and put an end to them.

6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
    I will praise your name, O Lord,
    for it is good.
7 For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies.

Antiphon: Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 8 (Stand)

In Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

Psalm 76 Honored in Judea

1 God is honored in Judah;
    his name is great in Israel.
2 Jerusalem is where he lives;
    Mount Zion is his home.
3 There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy,
    the shields and swords and weapons of war. 

4 You are glorious and more majestic
    than the everlasting mountains.
5 Our boldest enemies have been plundered.
    They lie before us in the sleep of death.
    No warrior could lift a hand against us.
6 At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob,
    their horses and chariots lay still.

7 No wonder you are greatly feared!
    Who can stand before you when your anger explodes?
8 From heaven you sentenced your enemies;
    the earth trembled and stood silent before you.
9 You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God,
    and to rescue the oppressed of the earth.
10 Human defiance only enhances your glory,
    for you use it as a weapon.

11 Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them.
    Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.
12 For he breaks the pride of princes,
    and the kings of the earth fear him.

Antiphon: In Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 9 (Stand)

I have become as one who has no strength, lost amongst the dead.

Psalm 88 O Lord God

1 O Lord, God of my salvation,
    I cry out to you by day.
    I come to you at night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
    listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
    and death draws near.
4 I am as good as dead,
    like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have left me among the dead,
    and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I am forgotten,
    cut off from your care.
6 You have thrown me into the lowest pit,
    into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger weighs me down;
    with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude

8 You have driven my friends away
    by making me repulsive to them.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9     My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O Lord;
    I lift my hands to you for mercy.
10 Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead?
    Do the dead rise up and praise you?

11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
    Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds?
    Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O Lord, I cry out to you.
    I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O Lord, why do you reject me?
    Why do you turn your face from me?

15 I have been sick and close to death since my youth.
    I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
    Your terrors have paralyzed me.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
    They have engulfed me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones.
    Darkness is my closest friend.

Antiphon: I have become as one who has no strength, lost amongst the dead.

Lesson 7 (Sit)

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (4:15-5:10, 9:11-15a). This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

Responsory 7 I Was Like A Lamb

I was like a trusting lamb led to the slaughter.

I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living.

All my enemies whispered together against me, and devised evil against me, saying:

Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living.

Lesson 8 (Sit)

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,

“You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Responsory 8 Temple Veil

The veil of the temple was torn in two,

And the earth shook, and the thief from the cross cried out, Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

The rocks were split, the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who slept were raised:

And the earth shook, and the thief from the cross cried out, Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

Lesson 9 (Sit)

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them.

Responsory 9 The Lord Was Buried

When the Lord was buried, they sealed the tomb,

Rolling a great stone to the door of the tomb; and they stationed soldiers to guard him.

The chief priests gathered before Pilate, and petitioned him:

And they stationed soldiers to guard him.

[snuff one candle]

Lauds

Antiphon 10 (Stand)

God did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.

Psalm 63 God, My God.

 1 O God, you are my God;
    I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
    my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
    where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
    and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,
    meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
    They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword
    and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God.
    All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,
    while liars will be silenced.

Antiphon: God did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 11 (Stand)

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and he opened not his mouth.

Psalm 90 Lord Our Refuge

1 Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
    “Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
    as brief as a few night hours.
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
    They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger;
    we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you—
    our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
    ending our years with a groan.

10 Seventy years are given to us!
    Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
    soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
    so that we may grow in wisdom.

13 O Lord, come back to us!
    How long will you delay?
    Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful!

Antiphon: He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and he opened not his mouth.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 12 (Stand)

They shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child; for the Lord, who is without sin, is slain.

Psalm 143 Lord, Here My Prayer

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    listen to my plea!
    Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don’t put your servant on trial,
    for no one is innocent before you.
3 My enemy has chased me.
    He has knocked me to the ground
    and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope;
    I am paralyzed with fear.
5 I remember the days of old.
    I ponder all your great works
    and think about what you have done.
6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.
    I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.

7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
    for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
    or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
    I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
    on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
    Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
    and destroy all my foes,
    for I am your servant.

Antiphon: They shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child; for the Lord, who is without sin, is slain.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 13 (Sit)

From the gates of hell, O Lord, deliver my soul.

Isaiah 38:10-20 The Song of Hezekiah.

10 I said, “In the prime of my life,

    must I now enter the place of the dead?

    Am I to be robbed of the rest of my years?”

11 I said, “Never again will I see the Lord God

    while still in the land of the living.

Never again will I see my friends

    or be with those who live in this world.

12 My life has been blown away

    like a shepherd’s tent in a storm.

It has been cut short,

    as when a weaver cuts cloth from a loom.

    Suddenly, my life was over.

13 I waited patiently all night,

    but I was torn apart as though by lions.

    Suddenly, my life was over.

14 Delirious, I chattered like a swallow or a crane,

    and then I moaned like a mourning dove.

My eyes grew tired of looking to heaven for help.

    I am in trouble, Lord. Help me!”

15 But what could I say?
    For he himself sent this sickness.
Now I will walk humbly throughout my years
    because of this anguish I have felt.
16 Lord, your discipline is good,
    for it leads to life and health.
You restore my health
    and allow me to live!
17 Yes, this anguish was good for me,
    for you have rescued me from death
    and forgiven all my sins.
18 For the dead cannot praise you;
    they cannot raise their voices in praise.
Those who go down to the grave
    can no longer hope in your faithfulness.
19 Only the living can praise you as I do today.
    Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next.
20 Think of it—the Lord is ready to heal me!
    I will sing his praises with instruments
every day of my life
    in the Temple of the Lord.

Antiphon: From the gates of hell, O Lord, deliver my soul.

[snuff one candle]

Antiphon 14 (Stand)

O Death, I will be the death of you; O Grave, I will be the destruction of you.

Psalm 150 Praise the Lord
1 Praise the Lord! 

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works;
    praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
    praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
    praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
    praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Antiphon: O Death, I will be the death of you; O Grave, I will be the destruction of you.

My flesh also shall rest in hope:

You wilt not let your Holy One see decay.

During the following Canticle, the candles on the Altar, and all other lights in the church (except the one at the top of the menorah) are extinguished.

Antiphon: Now the women sitting at the tomb made lamentation, weeping for the Lord. 

Luke 1:68-79 The Song of Zechariah, Praise the Lord God.

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,

    because he has visited and redeemed his people.

69 He has sent us a mighty Savior

    from the royal line of his servant David,

70 just as he promised

    through his holy prophets long ago.

71 Now we will be saved from our enemies

    and from all who hate us.

72 He has been merciful to our ancestors

    by remembering his sacred covenant—

73 the covenant he swore with an oath

    to our ancestor Abraham.

74 We have been rescued from our enemies

    so we can serve God without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness

    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Antiphon: Now the women sitting at the tomb made lamentation, weeping for the Lord. 

During the repetition of the Antiphon, the remaining candle is taken from the stand and hidden.

Christ For Us (Kneel)

Christ for us became obedient unto death, even death on a cross; therefore God hast highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the Name which is above every name.

Brief silence

Psalm 51 Have Mercy on Me O God
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
    teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
    that my mouth may praise you.

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
18 Look with favor on Zion and help her;
    rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
    with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
    Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Priest: Let us pray.

Almighty God, we pray for You to graciously behold this Your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross.

[snuff one candle]

Nothing further is said. Silence. A noise is made and the remaining candle is brought out and by its light the minsters, followed by the people, depart in silence.