The Litany of St. John the Baptist
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us.*
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,*
God the Holy Ghost,*
Holy Trinity, one God,*
Holy Mary,
Pray for us.** Queen of Prophets,**
Queen of Martyrs,**
St. John the Baptist,**
St. John the Baptist, glorious forerunner of the Son of justice,**
St. John the Baptist, minister of baptism to Jesus,**
St. John the Baptist, burning and shining lamp of the world,**
St. John the Baptist, angel of purity, before thy birth,**
St. John the Baptist, special friend and favorite of Christ,**
St. John the Baptist, heavenly contemplative, whose element was prayer,**
St. John the Baptist, intrepid preacher of truth,**
St. John the Baptist, miracle of mortification and penance,**
St. John the Baptist, example of profound humility,**
St. John the Baptist, glorious martyr of zeal for God's holy law,**
St. John the Baptist, glorious patron of this State,**
Lamb of God, Who Takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God! Who takest away the sins of the world,
Hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God! Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us;
Christ, graciously hear us.
V. Pray for us, O glorious St. John the Baptist,
R. That we may be made worth of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, Who hast honored this world by the birth of St. John the Baptist, grant that Thy faithful people may rejoice in the way of eternal salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Hymn in honor of St. John the BaptistSt. John Baptist, the forerunner or precursor of our Lord, was chosen by God to be the herald and harbinger of the world's Redeemer, the voice to proclaim to men the Eternal Word, the Angel of the New Testament (Malach iii. 1); a doctor, a virgin, a martyr; a prophet, nay, more than a prophet; a model of unparalleled innocence, charity, penance, humility, and zeal. He was beheaded by order of Herod Antipas, in the year 31 of our Lord.
Praise to St. John Baptist. "Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist."
O Blessed Saint, of snow-white purity
Dweller in wastes forlorn!
O mightiest of the Martyr host on high,
Greatest of Prophets born!
Of all the diadems that on the brows
Of saints celestial shine,
Not one with brighter, purer halo glows
In heaven's high court than thine.
Oh then on us a tender, pitying gaze
Cast from thy glory's throne!
Straighten our crooked, smooth our rugged, ways,
And break our hearts of stone.
So may the world's Redeemer find us meet
To offer Him a place,
Where He may deign to set His sacred feet,
Coming with gifts of grace,
Praise in the heavens to Thee, O First and Last,
The Trine eternal God!
Spare, Jesu, spare Thy people, whom Thou hast
Redeemed with Thine own Blood.
Hymn: Deus, tuorum militum
O God, of those that fought Thy fight,
Portion, and prize, and crown of light,
Break every bond of sin and shame
As now we praise Thy Martyr's name.
He recked not of the world's allure,
But sin and pomp of sin forswore:
Knew all their gall, and passed them by,
And reached the throne prepared on high.
Bravely the course of pain he ran,
And bare his torments as a man:
For love of Thee his blood outpoured,
And thus obtained the great reward.
With humble voice and suppliant word
We pray Thee therefore, holy Lord,
While we thy Martyr's feast-day keep,
Forgive Thy loved and erring sheep.
All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee,
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete. Amen
(Roman Breviary)
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