Vespers (Evening Prayer)
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Sing we triumphant hymns of praise,
New hymns to heaven exulting raise:
Christ, by a road before untrod,
Ascendeth to the throne of God.
The holy Apostolic band
Upon the Mount of Olives stand,
And with the Virgin Mother see
Jesu’s resplendent majesty.
O grant us thitherward to tend,
And with unwearied hearts ascend
Toward thy kingdom’s throne, where thou
(As is our faith) art seated now.
All glory, Lord, to thee we pay,
Ascending o’er the stars to-day;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
Psalm 131 (132)
God's promise to the house of David |
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Your faithful shall ring out their joy as they enter your dwelling-place, Lord.
Lord, remember David
and how he served you.
He swore to the Lord,
vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not go into my tent, my home,
nor go up to my bed of rest;
I will not let my eyes sleep
or my eyelids grow heavy
until I have found a place for the Lord,
a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard that it was in Ephratha,
we found it in the plains of Jaar.
So let us go into his dwelling-place
and let us worship before his footstool.
Rise up, Lord, and come to your place of rest.
Come with the Ark of your power.
Let your priests be robed in your justice,
and let your chosen ones rejoice.
Remember what David did for you,
and do not turn your face from your Anointed.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Your faithful shall ring out their joy as they enter your dwelling-place, Lord.
The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling-place.
The Lord swore David a true oath,
he will not go back on his word:
“The fruit of your body
I will place on your throne.
If your children keep my covenant and the commands I teach them,
their children’s children will occupy your throne for ever.”
For the Lord has chosen Zion,
taken it for his dwelling-place:
“Here will I take my rest for all time:
here will I live, such is my desire.
I will bless its crops with my blessing,
I will fill its poor with bread.
I will clothe its priests with righteousness.
Its chosen ones will exult with joy.
There will I plant the sign of David,
and prepare a lamp for my anointed one.
I will wrap his enemies in confusion,
but over his head my crown will shine.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling-place.
Lord, who is your like, majestic in strength and holiness? Alleluia.
We thank you,
Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign.
The nations were angered,
but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged,
the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants,
and those who feared your name, both great and small.
Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Anointed,
for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down,
who accused them day and night in the sight of God.
But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb
and through their own witness.
They did not cling to life,
even in the face of death.
Therefore rejoice, heavens,
and you who dwell in them.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Lord, who is your like, majestic in strength and holiness? Alleluia.
| Short reading | 1 Peter 3:18,21-22 © |
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Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life. And now you are saved, not by the washing off of physical dirt but by a pledge made to God from a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at God’s right hand, now that he has made the angels and Dominations and Powers his subjects.
The Holy Spirit is the Advocate. Alleluia, alleluia.
– The Holy Spirit is the Advocate. Alleluia, alleluia.
He will teach you everything.
– The Holy Spirit is the Advocate. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Holy Spirit is the Advocate. Alleluia, alleluia.
| My soul rejoices in the Lord |
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When the Spirit of truth comes he will teach you the complete truth and he will tell you of the things to come. Alleluia.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.
He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
When the Spirit of truth comes he will teach you the complete truth and he will tell you of the things to come. Alleluia.
| Prayers and Intercessions | |
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Christ is blessed through all the ages. Let us pray for him to send the Holy Spirit upon all whom he has redeemed:
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
Send the Spirit of unity into the Church,
to wipe out dissension, division and hatred.
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
You freed men from possession by demons:
free the world from the evils that afflict it.
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
Praying through the Spirit started you on your ministry:
grant that priests may be led, by prayer and the Spirit, to make good use of their gifts.
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
May your Spirit guide all rulers
to seek the good of all men.
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
You live in the glory of the Father:
call all the dead to share that glory with you.
– Lord, watch over all whom you have redeemed.
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.
Lord God,
let your Spirit come upon us in power
and fill us with his gifts,
to render our minds pleasing to you
and make us docile to your will.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
AMEN
The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The Universalis downloads do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
