The Office of the Passion
With Franciscan Clarean Commentary
Opening Antiphon
Holy Virgin Mary, among women there is none like you born in the world: daughter and handmaid of the most high King, the heavenly Father; mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ; spouse of the Holy Spirit: pray for us, with Saint Michael the Archangel, all the powers of heaven, and all the saints, to your most holy beloved Son, our Lord and Master. Amen.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis begins not with himself, but with Mary, the angels, and the saints. This is a cosmic chorus — heaven and earth united in intercession. For Clareans today, this reminds us that prayer is never private; it is always communion, always bigger than us.
Psalm I (At Matins)
O most holy Father, King of heaven and earth, we give You thanks for Yourself, for by Your holy will, and through Your only Son, with the Holy Spirit, You created all things, spiritual and corporal, and placed us in Paradise. And we, by our own fault, have fallen away. And we give You thanks because, as by Your Son You created us, so also by the true and holy love with which You have loved us, You caused Him, true God and true man, to be born of the glorious, ever Blessed, holy and glorious Virgin Mary, and through His cross, blood, and death, it was Your will that we should be redeemed from captivity.
Clarean Commentary:
Here Francis re-tells salvation history in miniature: creation, fall, redemption. It’s not abstract theology — it’s thanksgiving. Even our fall becomes a backdrop for God’s overwhelming love. For Clareans today, this teaches us to tell our own story through this pattern: created in love, fallen in sin, redeemed in Christ. Gratitude is the foundation of prayer.
Psalm II (At Prime)
All you nations, clap your hands,
shout unto God with the voice of joy.
For the Lord, the Most High, is terrible,
a great King over all the earth.
For the most holy Father of heaven, our King before the ages,
sent His beloved Son from on high,
and He was born of the Blessed Virgin, holy Mary.
He called me, poor little Francis, and made me His servant.
And I will adore Him in His temple, saying:
“O Lord, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have declared unto us,
the work You did in their days, and in the days of old.
You drove out the nations with Your hand,
You planted them in their place;
You afflicted the peoples,
and cast them out.
For not by their own sword did they possess the land,
but by Your right hand and the light of Your countenance,
because You were pleased with them.”
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.
Clarean Commentary
Universal Praise:
Francis begins by calling all nations to clap their hands. This is not a tribal God, but the King of the cosmos. For Clareans today, this speaks to our global vision: God’s reign embraces every culture, people, and nation. Our worship must be just as wide.
Incarnation at the Center:
Francis quickly anchors everything in the sending of the Son, born of Mary. The grand King is revealed in humility. For Clareans today, this is the heart of our spirituality: God is most high, yet becomes most low for love.
Personal Calling:
In the middle of this psalm, Francis suddenly inserts himself: “He called me, poor little Francis.” This is breathtaking — salvation history is not distant; it’s personal. For Clareans today, this is permission to pray in the same way: to place our names in God’s story, to claim our calling in Christ.
God’s Victory, Not Ours:
Francis recalls the ancient story of Israel conquering not by sword but by God’s hand. For Clareans today, this flips power on its head: our victories do not come by violence or domination but by God’s Spirit. This is why we embrace nonviolence, peace, and justice as marks of God’s true reign.
Psalm III (At Terce)
Shout with joy to God, all the earth,
sing a psalm to His name,
give glory to His praise.
Say unto God: How wonderful are Your works, O Lord,
in the greatness of Your power
shall Your enemies be found liars unto You.
Let all the earth adore You,
and sing to You;
let it sing a psalm to Your name.
Come and see the works of God,
who is terrible in His counsels over the sons of men.
Bless our God, you nations,
and make the voice of His praise to be heard,
who has set my soul to live,
and has not suffered my feet to be moved.
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not turned away my prayer,
nor His mercy from me.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Creation in Chorus:
“All the earth” is summoned to sing. Francis hears creation itself as a choir — rocks, rivers, and creatures lifting praise. For Clareans today, this is the foundation of our eco-spirituality: the earth doesn’t just sustain us, it worships with us. We join creation’s hymn, not dominate it.
Enemies as Liars:
Francis quotes the psalmist: God’s enemies are revealed as liars. The power of God unmasks falsehood. For Clareans today, this reminds us that violence, greed, and oppression cannot last — truth will strip them bare. It is a word of both warning and hope.
Personal Testimony:
“My soul lives… my feet are not moved.” Francis personalizes the psalm, witnessing that God’s mercy has sustained him. For Clareans today, this invites us to make our prayers autobiographical. We don’t just recite psalms — we testify to God’s mercy in our own journey.
Mercy as the Final Word:
The psalm closes with thanksgiving for answered prayer and mercy not withheld. For Clareans today, this is our assurance: whatever trials we face, God’s mercy is steadfast. Every prayer ends in gratitude.
Psalm IV (At Sext)
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth,
serve the Lord with gladness.
Come in before His presence in exultation.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
He made us, and not we ourselves.
But we are His people,
and the sheep of His pasture.
Go into His gates with praise,
into His courts with hymns,
and give glory to Him.
Praise His name, for the Lord is sweet;
His mercy endures forever,
and His truth to generation and generation.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Joyful Service:
Francis highlights Psalm 100: serving the Lord with gladness. For Clareans today, this pushes back against grim religiosity. To serve God is not drudgery but joy. Our witness must look like good news, not heavy chains.
We Belong to God:
“We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” Francis centers identity not in possessions or status but in belonging to God. For Clareans today, this is liberating: our worth is not self-made, but God-given. In a culture obsessed with “making ourselves,” we confess: we are His.
Hospitality of Worship:
The imagery of gates and courts suggests worship as entering God’s home. For Clareans today, this connects to radical hospitality: if we are welcomed by God into His house, how can we not welcome the poor, the stranger, the marginalized into ours?
Mercy and Truth Forever:
Francis closes with the refrain of God’s mercy and truth enduring for all generations. For Clareans today, this is hope. Powers rise and fall, but mercy endures. Lies come and go, but truth abides. Our trust is not in empires, but in God’s everlasting faithfulness.
Psalm V (At None)
Sing to the Lord a new song,
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord and bless His name,
declare His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
For the Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised;
He is terrible above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are devils,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Praise and beauty are before His face,
holiness and majesty in His sanctuary.
Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations,
bring to the Lord glory and honor.
Bring to the Lord glory unto His name.
Bring sacrifices and go into His courts;
adore the Lord in His holy court.
Let all the earth be moved before His face.
Say among the nations: the Lord has reigned.
For He has corrected the world,
which shall not be moved.
He shall judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice,
and let the earth be glad.
Let the sea be moved and the fullness thereof,
the fields and all things that are in them.
Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice
before the face of the Lord, because He comes;
for He comes to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with justice,
and the peoples with His truth.
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.
Clarean Commentary
A New Song for All Creation:
Francis sings Psalm 96 here — it’s not just humans singing, but earth, sea, fields, and trees. For Clareans today, this undergirds our eco-spirituality: creation itself worships, and we join the choir of the cosmos.
Idols Unmasked:
“All the gods of the nations are devils.” Francis is blunt: false gods enslave, only the Creator liberates. For Clareans today, the idols are not statues but money, nationalism, violence, and consumerism. We name them, unmask them, and refuse them.
Judgment as Justice:
The psalm declares God’s coming judgment as good news: He will “judge with equity.” For Clareans today, this reframes judgment not as terror but as hope. The oppressed rejoice because God’s judgment is the end of injustice.
Cosmic Joy:
Francis revels in the image: seas roaring, fields dancing, trees clapping in joy. For Clareans today, this is a vision of the kingdom — not just humans saved, but the whole earth renewed. Worship is ecological. Redemption is cosmic.
Psalm VI (At Vespers I)
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth;
sing a psalm to His name;
give glory to His praise.
Say unto God: How wonderful are Your works, O Lord,
in the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall lie to You.
Let all the earth adore You,
and sing to You;
let it sing a psalm to Your name.
Come and see the works of God,
who is terrible in His counsels over the sons of men.
He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot:
there did we rejoice in Him.
He rules by His power forever:
His eyes behold the nations;
let not those who provoke Him be exalted in themselves.
Bless our God, you nations,
and make the voice of His praise to be heard.
O bless our God, you peoples,
and make the voice of His praise to be heard;
who has set my soul to live,
and has not suffered my feet to be moved.
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not turned away my prayer,
nor His mercy from me.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Universal Call:
Once again, the psalm begins with “all the earth.” Francis never lets us forget: the Gospel is for the whole world, not a select few. For Clareans today, this is why our voice must be public, prophetic, and wide — God’s praise is global, not tribal.
Enemies Reduced to Lies:
“Your enemies shall lie to You.” In God’s power, even opposition collapses into falsehood. For Clareans today, this reassures us that injustice, though loud, has no lasting truth. God unmasks every lie.
Remembering Salvation History:
Francis recalls the Exodus — seas parted, rivers crossed, God’s people free. For Clareans today, this memory pushes us to trust God’s liberating power in our own age: against slavery, exploitation, ecological destruction, and oppression. God has delivered before; He will again.
Personal Testimony of Mercy:
“My soul lives… my feet not moved.” Francis prays with gratitude for preservation. For Clareans today, this is our practice too: to weave thanksgiving into our daily prayer, remembering the mercies that hold us steady. Gratitude is the soil of resilience.
Mercy as the Anchor:
The psalm ends where Francis always lands: mercy. God has not turned away prayer, nor withheld mercy. For Clareans today, this is our assurance: prayer is never wasted, mercy is never absent. Even when God feels hidden, His mercy holds fast.
Psalm VII (At Compline I)
Hear, O God, my prayer,
and despise not my supplication;
attend to me and hear me.
I am grieved in my exercise,
and am troubled at the voice of the enemy,
and at the tribulation of the sinner.
For they have cast iniquities upon me,
and in wrath they were troublesome to me.
My heart is troubled within me,
and the fear of death has fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling are come upon me,
and darkness has covered me.
And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove,
and I will fly and be at rest?
Lo, I have gone far away flying,
and I abode in the wilderness.
I waited for Him who has saved me
from pusillanimity of spirit and from the tempest.
Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues,
for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls,
and in the midst thereof are labor and injustice.
And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
For if my enemy had reviled me,
I would verily have borne with it.
And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me,
I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
But you, a man of one mind,
my guide and my familiar,
who did take sweet food together with me:
in the house of God we walked with consent.
Let death come upon them,
and let them go down alive into hell.
For there is wickedness in their dwellings,
in the midst of them.
But I have cried to God,
and the Lord will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon I will speak and declare,
and He shall hear my voice.
He shall redeem my soul in peace
from those who draw near to me:
for among many they were with me.
God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them.
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.
Clarean Commentary
The Cry of the Afflicted:
This psalm is raw lament — fear, betrayal, longing for escape. Francis doesn’t sanitize his prayer. For Clareans today, this teaches us that lament is holy. To bring our grief, anxiety, and sense of betrayal before God is itself faith.
“Wings like a dove”:
Francis echoes the psalmist’s yearning to flee into solitude. For Clareans today, we know this feeling well — the longing to escape suffering, injustice, or exhaustion. Francis legitimizes that desire, yet points us to wait on God for strength rather than escape.
Betrayal Hurts Most from Friends:
The prayer names the pain of being hurt not by enemies, but by a companion — one who “walked with me in the house of God.” For Clareans today, this speaks to the deep wounds of betrayal in church, community, or family. God receives even this grief.
Justice and Deliverance:
The psalm cries for God to humble the wicked and redeem the soul in peace. For Clareans today, this is both protest and trust: we denounce injustice, and we entrust the outcome to God’s judgment. Justice and peace belong to Him.
Prayer as Rhythm:
“Evening, morning, and noon I cry.” Francis highlights prayer as constant rhythm. For Clareans today, this invites us to make prayer a heartbeat through the day, not just a Sunday ritual. Lament, praise, and petition all belong in the daily cycle.
Psalm VIII (At Matins II)
Save me, O God, by Your name,
and judge me in Your strength.
O God, hear my prayer,
give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers have risen up against me,
and the mighty have sought after my soul.
And they have not set God before their eyes.
For behold, God is my helper,
and the Lord is the protector of my soul.
Turn back the evils upon my enemies,
and cut them off in Your truth.
I will freely sacrifice to You,
and will give praise, O God, to Your name, because it is good.
For You have delivered me out of all tribulation,
and my eye has looked down upon my enemies.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Prayer for Rescue:
Francis cries out: “Save me by Your name.” His hope is not in his own strength, but in God’s. For Clareans today, this is a reminder: our salvation — personal and social — comes not from self-sufficiency, but from reliance on God’s power.
Strangers and the Mighty:
The psalm contrasts Francis’s weakness with the strength of enemies. The “mighty” misuse power to oppress. For Clareans today, this reflects systems of domination in our world — political, economic, or religious. Prayer becomes resistance: naming oppression before God.
God as Helper and Protector:
In the middle of danger, Francis affirms: “God is my helper.” This isn’t denial of trouble but faith in God’s companionship. For Clareans today, this is the core of our vocation: not to escape hardship, but to live it with the assurance of God beside us.
Justice as Truth:
Francis prays for God to “cut off” evil in His truth. This is not vengeance but a longing for truth to triumph. For Clareans today, this challenges us: our work for justice is rooted not in revenge but in aligning with truth — exposing lies, dismantling oppression, and speaking prophetically.
Gratitude After Deliverance:
The psalm closes with thanksgiving. Even in the face of enemies, Francis ends in praise. For Clareans today, this teaches us to always close our prayers with gratitude — a discipline that keeps our eyes on God’s goodness even amid struggle.
Psalm IX (At Prime II)
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your great mercy.
And according to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
blot out my iniquity.
Wash me yet more from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my iniquity,
and my sin is always before me.
To You only have I sinned,
and have done evil before You.
That You may be justified in Your words,
and may overcome when You are judged.
For behold, I was conceived in iniquities,
and in sins did my mother conceive me.
For behold, You have loved truth:
the uncertain and hidden things of Your wisdom
You have made manifest to me.
You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed:
You shall wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
To my hearing You shall give joy and gladness:
and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
Turn away Your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create a clean heart in me, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your face,
and take not Your holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation,
and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
I will teach the unjust Your ways,
and the wicked shall be converted to You.
Deliver me from blood, O God,
the God of my salvation,
and my tongue shall extol Your justice.
O Lord, You will open my lips:
and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
For if You had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it:
with burnt offerings You will not be delighted.
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:
a contrite and humbled heart, O God, You will not despise.
Deal favorably, O Lord, in Your good will with Zion:
that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Then shall You accept the sacrifice of justice,
oblations and whole burnt offerings:
then shall they lay calves upon Your altar.
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.
Clarean Commentary
A Cry for Mercy:
This psalm is Francis praying Psalm 51, the great penitential prayer. For Clareans today, it reminds us that confession is not shame but liberation — mercy flows when we face our truth before God.
Sin as Ever-Present:
“My sin is always before me.” Francis voices the honesty of a soul that knows its need. For Clareans today, this honesty is freedom: we don’t minimize sin, but neither do we despair — we hold it before God’s mercy.
Purity and Joy Together:
“Wash me… give joy and gladness.” Forgiveness is not just cleansing, but restoration of joy. For Clareans today, this tells us penance is not about guilt-trips — it’s about rediscovering joy in God’s salvation.
The True Sacrifice:
“A contrite and humbled heart, O God, You will not despise.” Francis reminds us that God wants no empty rituals but humility and repentance. For Clareans today, this challenges us to make our worship authentic — not performance, but surrender.
Hope for the Community:
The psalm shifts to Zion and Jerusalem. Forgiveness is never just individual; it heals communities. For Clareans today, this broadens our vision: our repentance is for the sake of the Church, the city, the world. Salvation is personal and communal.
Psalm X (At Terce II)
Incline unto my aid, O God;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let them be confounded and ashamed
that seek my soul.
Let them be turned backward and blush for shame
that desire evils to me.
Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame
that say to me: “Tis well, ’tis well.”
Let all that seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
and let such as love Your salvation say always:
“The Lord be magnified.”
But I am needy and poor:
O God, help me.
You are my helper and my deliverer;
O Lord, make no delay.
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.
Clarean Commentary
A Short, Urgent Prayer:
This psalm is brief but intense: “Make haste to help me.” Francis knew prayer doesn’t always need length; sometimes urgency is the holiest form. For Clareans today, this is a gift: we don’t need polished words — a cry for help is prayer enough.
Shame of the Wicked:
Francis prays that those who mock and plot evil be put to shame. For Clareans today, this is not about personal revenge, but longing for injustice to be exposed. Evil thrives in arrogance; shame unmasks it.
Rejoicing in Salvation:
The psalm contrasts the wicked with the faithful: while the oppressors are shamed, those who love God’s salvation rejoice. For Clareans today, this is the rhythm of hope: we lament oppression, but we also sing for joy because God’s reign is breaking through.
The Poor Man’s Prayer:
“I am needy and poor.” Francis embraces poverty not just socially but spiritually — total dependence on God. For Clareans today, this poverty of spirit is our charism: to know our need and to trust God as our only deliverer.
God, Make No Delay:
The psalm closes with urgency again: no theology, just a plea. For Clareans today, this is an honest reminder that waiting is hard. And yet, even in delay, God’s presence sustains us. Our cry hastens us into deeper trust.
Psalm XI (At Sext II)
In You, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded:
deliver me in Your justice.
Bow down Your ear to me:
make haste to deliver me.
Be unto me a God, a protector,
and a house of refuge to save me.
For You are my strength and my refuge:
and for Your name’s sake You will lead me and nourish me.
You will bring me out of this snare,
which they have hidden for me:
for You are my protector.
Into Your hands I commend my spirit:
You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Hope Without Shame:
Francis prays, “Let me never be confounded.” Trust in God brings confidence, even when the world shames us. For Clareans today, this is crucial: our radical way of life — poverty, peace, prophetic witness — may draw scorn, but hope in God steadies us.
God as Refuge:
“Be unto me… a house of refuge.” Francis longs for God not just as a protector, but as a home. For Clareans today, this echoes our vocation to be shelters of mercy: as God is refuge to us, so we become refuge for the vulnerable.
Guidance for God’s Name’s Sake:
Francis trusts that God will guide and nourish him not for his own sake, but for God’s glory. For Clareans today, this realigns our mission: our ministries are not about us, but about God’s name being honored through love, service, and justice.
The Snare of Injustice:
Francis acknowledges hidden traps — snares set by the wicked. For Clareans today, this speaks to systemic sin: racism, greed, exploitation. These snares entangle the poor and marginalized. Our prayer must be both for deliverance and for dismantling the systems that lay such traps.
Into Your Hands:
The psalm culminates in Christ’s own dying words: “Into Your hands I commend my spirit.” Francis, praying this daily, anticipated his final surrender. For Clareans today, this becomes our daily posture — living each moment as an act of trustful surrender to God’s love.
Psalm XII (At None II)
He that dwells in the aid of the Most High
shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven.
He shall say to the Lord: You are my protector,
and my refuge: my God, in Him will I trust.
For He has delivered me from the snare of the hunters,
and from the sharp word.
With His shoulders He will overshadow you:
and under His wings you shall trust.
His truth shall compass you with a shield:
you shall not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Of the arrow flying in the day,
of the business walking in the dark,
of invasion and the noonday devil.
A thousand shall fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand:
but it shall not come near you.
But you shall consider with your eyes:
and shall see the reward of the wicked.
Because You, O Lord, are my hope:
you have made the Most High your refuge.
There shall no evil come to you:
nor shall the scourge come near your dwelling.
For He has given His angels charge over you:
to keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up:
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall walk upon the asp and the basilisk:
and you shall trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Because he hoped in Me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he has known My name.
He shall cry to Me, and I will hear him:
I am with him in tribulation,
I will deliver him and I will glorify him.
I will fill him with length of days:
and I will show him My salvation.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Shelter in God:
Francis prays Psalm 91 here — the great psalm of refuge. God is protector, wings, and shield. For Clareans today, this image steadies us: when fear rises, we recall that God is not only above us but surrounding us.
Freedom from Fear:
“Terror of the night… arrow of the day.” Francis names every anxiety — darkness, violence, sudden attack. For Clareans today, this speaks to our own era of constant crisis. The promise is not that trouble vanishes, but that fear is disarmed by God’s nearness.
The Ministry of Angels:
“He has given His angels charge over you.” Francis treasured this line. For Clareans today, this expands our imagination: God sends unseen helpers. We are not abandoned; heaven itself is enlisted for our protection and guidance.
Power Over Evil:
Asp, basilisk, lion, dragon — symbols of evil and danger. Francis sees the believer trampling them underfoot. For Clareans today, this doesn’t mean we’re spared struggle, but that in Christ we share His victory. Nonviolence is not weakness — it is God’s power over the forces of destruction.
God’s Final Word:
The psalm closes with God speaking: “I am with him in tribulation.” Not “I’ll keep you from it,” but with you in it. For Clareans today, this is central: God’s presence in suffering is our hope. Deliverance comes not by escape but by God’s faithful companionship leading us into life.
Psalm XIII (At Vespers II)
I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains,
from where help shall come to me.
My help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
May He not suffer your foot to be moved:
neither let Him slumber who keeps you.
Behold, He shall neither slumber nor sleep,
who keeps Israel.
The Lord is your keeper,
the Lord is your protection upon your right hand.
The sun shall not burn you by day:
nor the moon by night.
The Lord keeps you from all evil:
may the Lord keep your soul.
May the Lord keep your coming in and your going out,
from henceforth now and forever.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Eyes to the Mountains:
Francis prays Psalm 121, the pilgrim’s psalm. The traveler looks to the hills, vulnerable on the road, and remembers that help comes from the Lord. For Clareans today, this is our pilgrimage prayer: in moments of weakness, we lift our gaze from danger to the Creator who holds heaven and earth.
The God Who Never Sleeps:
The psalm contrasts our frailty with God’s vigilance. We sleep, stumble, and falter — but God neither slumbers nor fails. For Clareans today, this is comfort for the weary: we can rest because God does not.
Keeper of Body and Soul:
Francis emphasizes God’s care over both the external and the internal: “The Lord keeps you from all evil, may He keep your soul.” For Clareans today, this holistic vision of protection matters — God safeguards not just circumstances, but the very depth of who we are.
Coming and Going:
The psalm closes with a blessing over every step, “your coming in and going out.” For Clareans today, this shapes our daily rhythm: every threshold, every beginning and ending, every journey — all of it is encircled in God’s keeping love.
Psalm XIV (At Compline II)
In You, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded:
deliver me in Your justice.
Bow down Your ear to me,
make haste to deliver me.
Be unto me a God, a protector,
and a house of refuge, to save me.
For You are my strength and my refuge;
and for Your name’s sake You will lead me and nourish me.
You will bring me out of this snare,
which they have hidden for me:
for You are my protector.
Into Your hands I commend my spirit:
You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Confidence in God’s Justice:
Francis opens with a plea rooted in trust: deliver me in Your justice. This is not self-righteousness but reliance on God’s fairness. For Clareans today, it reminds us that our hope for justice lies not in courts or empires alone, but in God’s unshakable righteousness.
Protector and Refuge:
Francis prays for God to be both protector and home. God is not only a shield against harm but also a dwelling place of safety. For Clareans today, this deepens our spirituality: the Lord is not just defense in crisis but daily shelter in whom we live and move.
The Snare of the Wicked:
Francis acknowledges the hidden traps of his enemies. For Clareans today, we recognize the snares of systemic sin — exploitation, greed, and violence — that ensnare the poor and marginalized. Prayer becomes protest and plea: Lord, deliver us and dismantle the traps.
Into Your Hands:
The psalm culminates with Christ’s words from the Cross: Into Your hands I commend my spirit. For Clareans today, this is both a prayer of surrender and solidarity. We pray it daily as Francis did, and we remember Jesus who prayed it at His death. Every night becomes a little act of dying into God’s hands, and every morning a rising by His mercy.
Psalm XV (At Lauds II)
Rejoice in God, our helper;
shout unto the God of Jacob with joy.
Take up the psalm, and bring the timbrel,
the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
Sound the trumpet in the new moon,
on the notable day of your solemnity.
For it is a commandment in Israel,
and a judgment to the God of Jacob.
He made it a testimony in Joseph,
when he came out of the land of Egypt:
he heard a tongue which he knew not.
He removed his back from the burdens:
his hands had served in baskets.
You called upon Me in tribulation, and I delivered you:
I heard you in the secret place of tempest;
I proved you at the waters of contradiction.
Hear, O My people, and I will testify to you:
O Israel, if you will hear Me,
there shall be no new god in you,
neither shall you adore a strange god.
For I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.
But My people heard not My voice,
and Israel gave no heed to Me.
So I let them go according to the desires of their heart:
they shall walk in their own inventions.
If My people had heard Me,
if Israel had walked in My ways:
I would have humbled their enemies at once,
and laid My hand upon those that troubled them.
The enemies of the Lord have lied to Him:
and their time shall be forever.
And He fed them with the fat of wheat,
and filled them with honey out of the rock.
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.
Clarean Commentary
Praise with Instruments:
Francis echoes Psalm 81, where worship bursts into music — timbrel, harp, trumpet. For Clareans today, this affirms that joy belongs in prayer. Our worship should be alive, creative, and embodied, not dour and muted.
God Who Liberates:
The psalm recalls the Exodus: God removes burdens, delivers from slavery. For Clareans today, this frames our calling: true worship is bound to liberation. If prayer doesn’t drive us to help lift burdens from the oppressed, it’s incomplete.
A God Who Feeds:
“Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.” God longs to feed His people, with both wheat and honey. For Clareans today, this is Eucharistic imagery: Christ feeds us with His Body, and also with daily bread. Our task is to ensure no neighbor goes hungry while we feast.
The Tragedy of Deafness:
“But My people heard not My voice.” Francis laments Israel’s refusal to listen. For Clareans today, this warns us: injustice flourishes when we stop listening to God’s call. Deafness to God leads to captivity, but openness to God leads to joy.
The Promise of Plenty:
The psalm ends with abundance — wheat and honey. For Clareans today, this is a vision of God’s kingdom: the poor filled, the oppressed freed, the hungry satisfied. This is both hope and mission: to help build communities where no one lacks and all taste sweetness from the Rock of Christ.
Sister Abigail Hester 