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
Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
Jesus, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear your servants when they call.
Now, grieving that the ancient curse
Should doom to death a universe,
You heal all those who need your grace
To save and heal a ruined race.
At whose great name, majestic now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things in heaven and earth adore,
And own thee King for evermore,
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally. Amen.
Tune: Conditor Alme Siderum L.M.
Music: Sarum plainsong, Mode IV, around the ninth century
Text: Anonymous, seventh century
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, and others, alt.
Go to the Psalmody
Or:
Jerusalem, lift up thy voice!
Daughter of Zion, now rejoice!
Thy King is come, whose mighty hand
Henceforth shall reign o’er every land.
He comes to every tribe and race,
A Messenger of truth and grace:
With peace He comes from Heaven above
On earth to found His realm of love.
In God’s eternal covenant,
He comes for our salvation sent.
The star of hope moves on before,
And hosts assemble to adore.
Let all the world with one accord
Now hail the coming of the Lord:
Praise to the Prince of heavenly birth
Who brings God’s peace to all the earth.
Tune: Von Himmel Hoch L.M.
Music: Geistliche Lieder, Leipzig, 1539
Text: Johan O. Wallin, 1814
Translation: Ernst W. Olsen, 1870-1958
Go to the Psalmody
Or:
O come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, thou wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, thou rod of Jesse’s stem,
From ev’ry foe deliver them
That trust thy mighty power to save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, thou key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home,
Make safe the way that leads on high,
That we no more have cause to sigh.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadow put to flight.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of humankind;
Bid every strife and quarrel cease
And fill the world with heaven’s peace.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! O Israel
To thee shall come Emmanuel!
Tune: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel 88.88 with Refrain
Music: Thomas Helmore, 1811-1890, adapted from a first Mode Responsory in a fifteenth century French Processional
Text: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, a paraphrase of the Latin twelfth-thirteenth century “Great O” antiphons in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum
Translation: Thomas Helmore, 1811-1890, John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, and others
Go to the Psalmody
Or:
Refrain:
Rorate cœli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum.
Ne irascaris, Domine, ne ultra memineris iniquitatis:
Ecce civitas sancti facta est deserta:
Sion deserta facta est: Ierusalem desolata est:
Domus sanctificationis tuæ et gloriæ tuæ,
Ubi laudaværunt te patres nostri.
Refrain:
Rorate cœli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum.
Peccavimus, et facti sumus tamquam immundus nos,
Et cicidimus quasi folium universi:
Et iniquitatis nostræ quasi ventus abstulerunt nos:
Abscondisti faciem tuam a nobis,
Et allisisti nos in manu iniquitatis nostræ.
Refrain:
Rorate cœli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum.
Vide, Domine, afflictionem populi tui,
Et mitte quam missurus es:
Emitte Agnum dominatorem terræ,
De petra deserti ad montem filiæ Sion:
Ut auferat ipse iugum captivitatis nostræ.
Refrain:
Rorate cœli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum.
Consolamini, consolamini, popule meus:
Cito veniet salus tua:
Quare mœrore consumeris, quia innovavit dolor?
Salvabo, te, noli timere, ego enim sum Dominus Deus tuus,
Sanctus Israel, Redemptor tuus.
Refrain:
Rorate cœli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum.
Tune: Rorate Coeli, Irregular
Music: P. Bourget?, 1634
Text: Paris, 1634
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord will come on the clouds of heaven with great power and might, alleluia.
Psalm 110:1-5, 7
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: †
“Sit on my right: *
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”
The Lord will wield from Zion †
your scepter of power: *
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth †
on the holy mountains; *
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.†
“You are a priest for ever, *
a priest like Melchizedeck of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand *
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside *
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
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
Almighty God, bring the kingdom of Christ, your anointed one, to its fullness. May the perfect offering of your Son, eternal priest of the new Jerusalem, be offered in every place to your name and make all nations a holy people for you.
Ant. The Lord will come on the clouds of heaven with great power and might, alleluia.
Ant. 2 The Lord will come; he is true to his word. If he seems to delay, keep watch for him, for he will surely come, alleluia.
Psalm 115
Praise of the true God
You have renounced idol worship to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
Not to us, Lord, not to us, *
but to your name give the glory
for the sake of your love and your truth, *
lest the heathen say: “Where is their God?”
But our God is in the heavens; *
he does whatever he wills.
Their idols are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak; *
they have eyes but they cannot see;
they have ears but they cannot hear; *
they have nostrils but they cannot smell.
With their hands they cannot feel; †
with their feet they cannot walk. *
No sound comes from their throats.
Their makers will come to be like them *
and so will all who trust in them.
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.
Sons of Aaron, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.
You who fear him, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.
He remembers us, and he will bless us; †
he will bless the sons of Israel. *
He will bless the sons of Aaron.
The Lord will bless those who fear him, *
the little no less than the great:
to you may the Lord grant increase, *
to you and all your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord *
but the earth he has given to men.
The dead shall not praise the Lord, *
nor those who go down into the silence.
But we who live bless the Lord *
now and for ever. Amen.
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, creator and ruler of heaven and earth, you made man in your likeness to subdue the earth and master it, and to recognize the work of your hands in created beauty. Grant that your children, thus surrounded on all sides by signs of your presence, may live continually in Christ, praising you through him and with him.
Ant. The Lord will come; he is true to his word. If he seems to delay, keep watch for him, for he will surely come, alleluia.
Ant. 3 The Lord our king and lawgiver will come to save us.
Canticle: See Revelation 19:1-7
The wedding of the Lamb
The following canticle is said with the Alleluia when Evening Prayer is sung; when the Office if recited, the Alleluia may be said at the beginning and end of each strophe.
Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God: *
(Alleluia.)
his judgments are honest and true. *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants, *
(Alleluia.)
all who worship him reverently, great and small. *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King; *
(Alleluia.)
Let us rejoice, sing praise, and give him glory. *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun, *
(Alleluia.)
and his bride is prepared to welcome him. *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
(Alleluia.)
and to the Holy Spirit: *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Alleluia.
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
(Alleluia.)
and will be for ever. Amen. *
Alleluia (alleluia).
Ant. The Lord our king and lawgiver will come to save us.
READING
Philippians 4:4-5
Rejoice in the Lord always! I say it again. Rejoice! Everyone should see how unselfish you are. The Lord is near.
RESPONSORY
Lord, show us your mercy and love.
– Lord, show us your mercy and love.
And grant us your salvation,
– your mercy and love.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Lord, show us your mercy and love.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, for your great faith; all that the Lord promised you will come to pass through you, alleluia.
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 are you, O Virgin Mary, for your great faith; all that the Lord promised you will come to pass through you, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
To Christ the Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, let us pray with joyful hearts:
Come, Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, in the mystery of your incarnation you revealed your glory to the world,
– give us new life by your coming.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You have taken our weakness upon yourself,
– grant us your mercy.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You redeemed the world from sin by your first coming in humility,
– free us from all guilt when you come again in glory.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You live and rule over all,
– in your goodness bring us to our eternal inheritance.
Come, Lord Jesus!
You sit at the right hand of the Father,
– gladden the souls of the dead with your light.
Come, Lord Jesus!
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 of power and mercy,
open our hearts in welcome.
Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy,
so that we may share his wisdom
and become one with him
when he comes in glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
Or:
Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance into his company.
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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