Evening 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.
HYMN
O how our Lady’s brightness shines
beyond the jasmine, dark and fair!
In her, divisions melt away,
preparing us for boundless Love.
She is the river, we the thirst,
she is the star and we the rays;
she is the ship and we the net,
we are her servants, she the Queen.
Her eyes she turns to those who weep,
a mother’s love to those in need;
her praying hands a cooling breeze,
in darkened land she is our sun.
When shadows clothe this vale of tears
and voices in the home are stilled,
we praise you, Lord, the Three in One,
whose name is Love that knows no end. Amen.
Tune: EISENACH, 8 8 8 8
Music: Johann Hermann Schein, 1586-1630
or Mode II, melody 30; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Morenez de morena hermosura, unknown author, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 I have consecrated this temple and my name shall dwell within it.
Psalm 122
Holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when I heard them say: *
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city *
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up, *
the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is, *
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment *
of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray: *
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls, *
in your palaces, peace!”
For love of my brethren and friends *
I say: “Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord *
I will ask for your good.”
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.
Psalm Prayer
When you rose from the dead, Lord Jesus, you formed the Church into your new body, and made of it the new Jerusalem, united in your Spirit. Give us peace in our day. Make all nations come to your Church to share in your gifts in fellowship, that they may render you thanks without end and come to your eternal city.
Ant. I have consecrated this temple and my name shall dwell within it.
Ant. 2 Blessed are you, O Mary, from you has come the salvation of the world.
Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9).
If the Lord does not build the house, *
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city, *
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising, *
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat, *
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, *
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth *
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man *
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame *
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
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.
Psalm Prayer
You command the seed to rise, Lord God, though the farmer is unaware. Grant that those who labor for you may trust not in their own work but in your help. Remembering that the land is brought to flower not with human tears but with those of your Son, may the Church rely only upon your gifts.
Ant. Blessed are you, O Mary, from you has come the salvation of the world.
Ant. 3 The Virgin Mary is exalted above all the choirs of angels.
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him *
before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us †
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ, *
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom *
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out in Christ, *
in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on earth.
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. The Virgin Mary is exalted above all the choirs of angels.
READING
Revelation 21:2-3
I, John, saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. God will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.”
RESPONSORY
Her children rose up and they called her blessed.
— Her children rose up and they called her blessed.
She opened her lips with wisdom and her tongue spoke words of love.
— And they called her blessed.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Her children rose up and they called her blessed.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Deep waters cannot quench love, nor floods sweep it away.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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. Deep waters cannot quench love, nor floods sweep it away.
INTERCESSIONS
God sent us the Blessed Virgin Mary to console us in our sorrow and to lead us to himself. Let us confidently pray:
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
You made Mary the gate through which the true Light shone over the earth,
— by the light of her Son may the Church seek justice for the oppressed and peace for all people.
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
The image of the Mother of your Son was imprinted on the garment of the Indian Juan Diego with the features of his race,
— imprint within us Mary’s virtues and her love for the poor and the defenseless.
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
Through Mary you changed barren Tepeyac into a fragrant garden of flowers,
— through her transform us, that we may grow fruitfully as true Christians.
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
In Juan Diego you give us an example of simplicity and humility,
— teach us constancy in suffering and fidelity to the Gospel.
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
You made the Virgin Mary the protector of all who call upon her and trust in her,
— may the light of her consolation shine on those who have departed from this life.
Grant us her love, help, and protection.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Let us make our prayers and praise complete by offering the Lord’s prayer:)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
God of power and mercy,
you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
May her prayers help all men and women
to accept each other as brothers and sisters.
Through your justice present in our hearts
may your peace reign in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, Father of mercies,
who placed your people under the singular protection
of your Son’s most holy Mother,
grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe,
may seek with ever more lively faith
the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
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