Evening Prayer
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25) an additional petition for this intention may be added during the Intercessions. Other prayers for Christian Unity can be found in the Prayers section of the iBreviary.
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
The Church concelebrates today
The great Saint Paul who was her foe,
Becoming an Apostle true
When once his Lord he came to know.
The fire and heat with which he fought
The name of Christ when he was young,
Were turned to everlasting love
For him who on the cross had hung.
O wondrous merit of Saint Paul
Enraptured to third heaven’s height,
To hear such mysteries sublime
That words could not convey aright.
His sowing of the seeds of truth
Brought forth a harvest rich and sound,
That heaven’s granaries above
With fruit of good works should abound.
As shining lamp that can dispel
The darkest shadows of the night,
He strove to spread the reign of truth
While forcing error to take flight.
All glory be to Jesus Christ,
The Father and the Spirit too,
Who chose Saint Paul as instrument
Of light to many nations new. Amen.
Tune: Eisenach L.M.
Music: Johann Herman Schein, 1586-1630
Text: Excelsam Pauli gloriam, Saint Peter Damian, 1007-1072
Translation: © the Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK, used with permission
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Willingly I glory in my infirmities, that the healing power of Christ may dwell in me.
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. Willingly I glory in my infirmities, that the healing power of Christ may dwell in me.
Ant. 2 I planted the seed; Apollos watered it, but it was God who gave the increase.
Psalm 126
Joyful hope in God
Just as you share in sufferings, so you will share in the divine glory (2 Corinthians 1:7).
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, *
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
on our lips there were songs.
The heathens themselves said: “What marvels *
the Lord worked for them!”
What marvels the Lord worked for us! *
Indeed we were glad.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage *
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears *
will sing when they reap.
They go out, they go out, full of tears, *
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song, *
carrying their sheaves.
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, you have raised us from the earth; may you let the seeds of justice, which we have sown in tears, grow and increase in your sight. May we reap in joy the harvest we hope for patiently.
Ant. I planted the seed; Apollos watered it, but it was God who gave the increase.
Ant. 3 For me life is Christ, and death is gain. God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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. For me life is Christ, and death is gain. God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
READING
1 Corinthians 15:9-10
I am the least of the apostles; in fact, because I persecuted the church of God, I do not even deserve the name. But by God’s favor, I am what I am. This favor of his to me has not proved fruitless. Indeed, I have worked harder than all the others, not on my own but through the favor of God.
RESPONSORY
I will sing your praise, O Lord, with all my heart.
– I will sing your praise, O Lord, with all my heart.
I will glorify your name among all nations,
– with all my heart.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– I will sing your praise, O Lord, with all my heart.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Holy apostle Paul, preacher of truth and teacher of the Gentiles, intercede for us with God, who chose you.
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. Holy apostle Paul, preacher of truth and teacher of the Gentiles, intercede for us with God, who chose you.
INTERCESSIONS
My brothers and sisters, we build on the foundation of the apostles. Let us pray to our almighty Father for his holy people and say:
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
Father, you wanted your Son to be seen first by the apostles after the resurrection from the dead,
– we ask you to make us his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to preach your good news to the poor,
– help us to preach this Gospel to every creature.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to sow the seed of unending life,
– grant that we who work at sowing the seed may share the joy of the harvest.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
You sent your Son to reconcile all to you through his blood,
– help us all to work toward achieving this reconciliation.
Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.
Your Son sits at your right hand in heaven,
– let the dead enter your kingdom of joy.
Be mindful of your Church, 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
God our Father,
you taught the gospel to all the world
through the preaching of Paul your apostle.
May we who celebrate his conversion to the faith
follow him in bearing witness to your truth.
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, who taught the whole world
through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul,
draw us, we pray, nearer to you
through the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today,
and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world.
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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