Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer is said only by those who do not participate in the celebration of the Lord’s Passion.
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.
HYMN
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ my God,
The vain delights that charm me most:
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See from his head, his hands, his feet
What grief and love flow mingling down;
Did e’er such Love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were all the realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Tune: Rockingham L.M.
Music: Adapted by Edward Miller, 1731-1807, from A. William’s A Second Supplement to Psalmody in Miniature, Oxford 1780
Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, slightly adapted
Go to the Psalmody
Or:
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Tune: Were you there
Music: Afro-American Spiritual, Irregular
Text: Traditional, anonymous
Go to the Psalmody
Or:
Audi, benigne Conditor,
nostras preces cum fletibus,
sacrata in abstinentia
fusas quadragenaria.
Scrutator alme cordium,
infirma tu scis virium;
ad te reversis exhibe
remissionis gratiam.
Multum quidem peccavimus,
ad parce confitentibus,
tuique laude nominis
confer medelam languidis.
Sic corpus extra conteri
dona per abstinentiam
ieiunet ut mens sobria
a labe prorsus criminum.
Praesta, beata Trinitas,
concede, simplex Unitas,
ut fructuosa sint tuis
haec parcitatis munera. Amen.
Tune: L.M.
Text: Saint Gregory the Great, 540-609
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Look well, all you peoples, and see my suffering.
Psalm 116:10-19
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Through Christ let us offer God a continual sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I trusted, even when I said: *
“I am sorely afflicted,”
and when I said in my alarm: *
“No man can be trusted.”
How can I repay the Lord *
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise; *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord *
is the death of his faithful.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I; *
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make: *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, *
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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
Father, precious in your sight is the death of the saints, but precious above all is the love with which Christ suffered to redeem us. In this life we fill up in our own flesh what is still lacking in the sufferings of Christ; accept this as our sacrifice of praise, and we shall even now taste the joy of the new Jerusalem.
Ant. Look well, all you peoples, and see my suffering.
Ant. 2 My soul is in anguish, my heart is in torment.
Psalm 143:1-11
Prayer in distress
A man is not justified by observance of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16).
Lord, listen to my prayer: *
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer. †
Do not call your servant to judgment *
for no one is just in your sight.
The enemy pursues my soul; *
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness *
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails; *
my heart is numb within me.
I remember the days that are past: *
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought †
and to you I stretch out my hands. *
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.
Lord, make haste and answer; *
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face *
lest I become like those in the grave.
In the morning let me know your love *
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk: *
to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; *
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will *
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me *
in ways that are level and smooth.
For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life; *
in your justice save my soul from distress.
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
Lord Jesus, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgment with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice.
Ant. My soul is in anguish, my heart is in torment.
Ant. 3 When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said: “It is accomplished.” Then he bowed his head and died.
Canticle: Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant
Though he was in the form of God, †
Jesus did not deem equality with God *
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself †
and took the form of a slave, *
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate, *
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death, *
death on a cross!
Because of this, *
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name *
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name *
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth, *
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim †
to the glory of God the Father: *
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
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. When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said: “It is accomplished.” Then he bowed his head and died.
READING
1 Peter 2:21-24
Christ suffered for you and left you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was insulted, he returned no insult. When he was made to suffer, he did not counter with threats. Instead, he delivered himself up to the One who judges justly. In his own body he brought your sins to the cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God’s will. By his wounds you were healed.
In place of the responsory the following is said:
Ant. For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. When we were his enemies, God reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son.
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. When we were his enemies, God reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son.
INTERCESSIONS
Today we lovingly remember the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, from which was born new life for the whole world. Let us turn to God the Father, and say:
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Give unity to your Church.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Protect Francis, our Pope.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Sanctify your people, both clergy and faithful, by your Spirit.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Increase faith and understanding in those under instruction.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Gather all Christians in unity.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Lead the Jewish people to the fullness of redemption.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Enlighten with your glory those who do not yet believe in Christ.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Show the marks of your love in creation to those who deny them.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Guide the minds and hearts of those who govern us.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Console all who are troubled.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
Have pity on those who have died.
By the merits of your Son’s death, hear us, Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Remember us, Lord, when you come to your kingdom and teach us how to pray:
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
Father,
look with love upon your people,
the love which our Lord Jesus Christ showed us
when he delivered himself to evil men
and suffered the agony of the cross,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
Or:
Look, we pray, O Lord, on this your family,
for whom our Lord Jesus Christ
did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of the wicked
and submit to the agony of the Cross.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one 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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