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
Lawrence the deacon spent himself in service,
Aiding the needy, wealth of earth despising,
Then as a martyr for the name of Jesus,
Joyfully triumphed.
Fire’s bitter torment he endured serenely,
Even to jesting as the flame grew fiercer,
Nothing could conquer love so bent on teaching
Joys everlasting.
Welcoming angels bore his happy spirit,
Swiftly to heaven to be crowned for ever,
Where he would always intercede for sinners,
With the Almighty.
Most holy martyr, humbly we implore you,
Pray for us daily, winning us forgiveness,
Make us more fervent, by our faith and morals
Bearing full witness.
Praise to the Father let us sing with gladness,
Praise to our Savior, God the Son, Incarnate,
Reigning for ever with the Holy Spirit,
God and Creator. Amen.
Tune: Christe Sanctorum 11.11.11.5
Music: Paris Antiphoner, 1681
Text: Martyris Christi
Translation: © the Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK, used with permission
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 By his martyrdom Lawrence gave witness to our Lord Jesus Christ and gained the reward of heaven.
Psalm 116:1-9
Thanksgiving
We must endure many trials before entering God’s kingdom (Acts 14:21).
I love the Lord for he has heard *
the cry of my appeal;
for he turned his ear to me *
in the day when I called him.
They surrounded me, the snares of death, *
with the anguish of the tomb;
they caught me, sorrow and distress. *
I called on the Lord’s name.
O Lord, my God, deliver me!
How gracious is the Lord, and just; *
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts; *
I was helpless so he saved me.
Turn back, my soul, to your rest *
for the Lord has been good;
he has kept my soul from death, †
my eyes from tears *
and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord *
in the land of the living.
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
God of power and mercy, through your Son’s passion and resurrection you have freed us from the bonds of death and the anguish of separation from you. Be ever with us on our pilgrimage; then we shall sing rather than weep. Keep our feet from stumbling, so that we may be able to follow you until we come to eternal rest.
Ant. By his martyrdom Lawrence gave witness to our Lord Jesus Christ and gained the reward of heaven.
Ant. 2 Blessed Lawrence cried out: I rejoice greatly because I have been considered worthy to be a sacrificial victim for Christ.
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 it 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. Blessed Lawrence cried out: I rejoice greatly because I have been considered worthy to be a sacrificial victim for Christ.
Ant. 3 I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for permitting me to enter the gates of your kingdom.
Canticle: Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn
O Lord our God, you are worthy *
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you have created all things; *
by your will they came to be and were made.
Worthy are you, O Lord, *
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.
For you were slain; *
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue, *
of every people and nation.
You made of them a kingdom, †
and priests to serve our God, *
and they shall reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain *
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength, *
honor and glory and praise.
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. I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for permitting me to enter the gates of your kingdom.
READING
1 Peter 4:13-14
Rejoice, beloved, in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.
RESPONSORY
You have tried us by fire, O God,
then led us to a place of refreshment.
– You have tried us by fire, O God,
then led us to a place of refreshment.
You refined us as silver in the furnace,
– then led us to a place of refreshment.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– You have tried us by fire, O God,
then led us to a place of refreshment.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Blessed Lawrence said: The night is not dark for me; all things shine as in the noonday light.
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. Blessed Lawrence said: The night is not dark for me; all things shine as in the noonday light.
INTERCESSIONS
This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:
We praise you, O Lord.
We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for loving us to the end:
We praise you, O Lord.
For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:
We praise you, O Lord.
For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured out for the remission of sin:
We praise you, O Lord.
For our perseverance in your grace today:
We praise you, O Lord.
For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into your own death today:
We praise you, O Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)
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,
you called Saint Lawrence to serve you by love
and crowned his life with glorious martyrdom.
Help us to be like him
in loving you and doing your work.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
Or:
O God, giver of that ardor of love for you
by which Saint Lawrence was outstandingly faithful in service
and glorious in martyrdom,
grant that we may love what he loved
and put into practice what he taught.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
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.
For Feasts, Night Prayer is taken from the weekday (below). For Solemnities, Night Prayer is taken from Night Prayer II found in Night Prayer for Solemnities, found in the Prayers section of the iBreviary.
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