Night Prayer
INTRODUCTION
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 for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
Examination of Conscience
A brief examination of conscience may be made. In the communal celebration of the Office, a Penitential Rite using the formulas of the Mass may be inserted here.
[I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
And, striking their breast, they say:
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Then they continue:
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.]
HYMN
Alternate Hymns
Jesus, Redeemer of the world,
Word from the Father, God most high,
true Light sent forth from unseen Light,
and watchful guardian of your own:
O Maker of the universe,
you order all our days and hours;
restore our bodies, worn by toil,
with peace and silence through the night.
Destroyer of the pit of hell,
release us from our wicked foe,
that he may have no strength to lure
the souls you ransomed by your blood.
As we remain for this brief time,
our weary bodies seeking rest,
Lord, may our flesh so sleep in peace,
that lethargy not dull our minds.
To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
who shine in vict’ry over death
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: DEUS TUORUM MILITUM, 8 8 8 8
Music: from the Grenoble Antiphoner, 1753
or Mode 1I, melody 2; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Iesu, redemptor sæculi, ca. 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 88
Prayer of a very sick person
This is your hour when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).
Lord my God, I call for help by day; *
I cry at night before you.
Let my prayer come into your presence. *
O turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is filled with evils; *
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb: *
I have reached the end of my strength,
like one alone among the dead; *
like the slain lying in their graves;
like those you remember no more, *
cut off, as they are, from your hand.
You have laid me in the depths of the tomb, *
in places that are dark, in the depths.
Your anger weighs down upon me: *
I am drowned beneath your waves.
You have taken away my friends *
and made me hateful in their sight.
Imprisoned, I cannot escape; *
my eyes are sunken with grief.
I call to you, Lord, all the day long; *
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead? *
Will the shades stand and praise you?
Will your love be told in the grave *
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark *
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
As for me, Lord, I call to you for help: *
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me? *
Why do you hide your face?
Wretched, close to death from my youth, *
I have borne your trials; I am numb.
Your fury has swept down upon me; *
your terrors have utterly destroyed me.
They surround me all the day like a flood, *
they assail me all together.
Friend and neighbor you have taken away: *
my one companion is darkness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
READING
Jeremiah 14:9a
You are in our midst, O Lord,
your name we bear:
do not forsake us, O Lord, our God!
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace, alleluia.
Canticle of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, + now you let your servant go in peace; *
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation *
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace, alleluia.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
All-powerful God
keep us united with your Son
in his death and burial
so that we may rise to new life with him,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
— Amen.
BLESSING
May the all-powerful Lord
grant us a restful night
and a peaceful death.
— Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia,
has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia!
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia!
Or:
Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia,
quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia;
ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
Or:
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Or:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Or:
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve,
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes occulos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.
Or:
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
******
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At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from his wounded side;
Praise the Lord, whose love divine
Gives his sacred blood for wine,
Gives his body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.
Where the Paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s host in triumph go
Through the waves that drown the foe.
Christ the Lamb whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, Paschal bread;
Let us with a fervent love
Taste the manna from above.
Mighty Victim from on high,
Pow’rs of hell now vanquished lie;
Sin is conquered in the fight:
You have brought us life and light;
Your resplendent banners wave,
You have risen from the grave;
Christ has opened Paradise,
And in him all men shall rise.
Easter triumph, Easter joy,
Sin alone can this destroy;
Souls from sin and death set free
Glory in their liberty.
Hymns of glory, hymns of praise
Father unto you we raise;
Risen Lord, for joy we sing;
Let our hymns through heaven ring.
Tune: Salzburg 77.77 D
Music: Jacob Hintze, 1622-1702
Text: Ad regias Agni dapes
Translation: Robert Campbell, 1814-1868, adapted by Geoffrey Laycock
Continue with the Psalmody
Or:
God who made the earth and heaven,
Darkness and light;
You the day for work have giv’n
For rest the night.
May your angel guards defend us,
Slumber sweet your mercy send us,
Holy dreams and hope attend us,
All through the night.
And when morn again shall call us
To run life’s way,
May we still whate’er befall us,
Your will obey.
From the pow’r of evil hide us,
In the narrow pathway guide us,
Never be your smile denied us
All through the day.
Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
And, when we die,
May we in your mighty keeping
All peaceful lie.
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Then O Lord, do not forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With you on high.
Tune: Ar Hyd Y Nos 84.84.88.84
Music: Welsh Carol
Text: Stanza 1 Reginald Heber, 1783-1826; stanza 2 William Mercer, 1811-1876; stanza 3 Richard Whately, 1787-1863
Continue with the Psalmody
