Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Introduction

O God, come to our aid.

 O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

Hymn

O Strength and Stay upholding all creation, 

Who ever dost thyself unmoved abide, 

Yet day by day the light in due gradation 

From hour to hour in all its changes guide –

Grant to life’s day a calm unclouded ending, 

An eve untouched by shadows of decay, 

The brightness of a holy death-bed blending 

With dawning glories of the eternal day.

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving, 

Through Jesus Christ thy co-eternal Word, 

Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living 

Now and to endless ages art adored.

 

Psalm 19 (20)

Prayer for victory

“Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

Antiphon: The Lord will give victory to his Anointed One.

 May the Lord answer in time of trial;

may the name of Jacob’s God protect you.

 

May he send you help from his shrine

 and give you support from Sion.

May he remember all your offerings

 and receive your sacrifice with favour.

 

May he give you your heart’s desire

 and fulfil every one of your plans.

May we ring out our joy at your victory

and rejoice in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your prayers.

 

I am sure now that the Lord

 will give victory to his anointed,

will reply from his holy heaven

 with the mighty victory of his hand.

 

Some trust in chariots or horses,

 but we in the name of the Lord.

They will collapse and fall,

 but we shall hold and stand firm.

 

Give victory to the king, O Lord,

 give answer on the day we call.

 

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.

 Antiphon : The Lord will give victory to his Anointed One.

 

Psalm 20 (21)

Thanksgiving for victory

“He accepted human life, so that he could rise from the dead and live for ever and ever” (St Irenaeus).

Antiphon :We shall sing and praise your power.

O Lord, your strength gives joy to the king;

 how your saving help makes him glad!

You have granted him his heart’s desire;

 you have not refused the prayer of his lips.

 

You came to meet him with the blessings of success,

 you have set on his head a crown of pure gold.

He asked you for life and this you have given,

 days that will last from age to age.

 

Your saving help has given him glory.

 You have laid upon him majesty and splendour,

you have granted your blessings to him for ever.

 You have made him rejoice with the joy of your presence.

 

The king has put his trust in the Lord:

 through the mercy of the Most High he shall stand firm.

O Lord, arise in your strength;

 we shall sing and praise your power.

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.

Antiphon: We shall sing and praise your power.

Canticle

Apocalypse 4,5

The song of the redeemed

Antiphon: Lord, you made us a kingdom and priests to serve our God.

Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

 to receive glory and honour and power,

for you created all things,

 and by your will they existed and were created.

 

Worthy are you, O Lord,

 to take the scroll and to open its seals,

for you were slain,

 and by your blood you ransomed men for God

 from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

You have made us a kingdom and priests to our God,

 and we shall reign on earth.

 

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

 to receive power and wealth

and wisdom and might

 and honour and glory and blessing.

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.

Antiphon: Lord, you made us a kingdom and priests to serve our God.

Reading

1 John 3:1,2

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,

by letting us be called God’s children;

and that is what we are.

My dear people, we are already the children of God

but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;

all we know is, that when it is revealed

we shall be like him

because we shall see him as he really is.

The Word of the Lord

Short Responsory

 

 

Your word, O Lord, will endure for ever.

– Your word, O Lord, will endure for ever.

Your truth will last from age to age.

– Your word, O Lord, will endure for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Your word, O Lord, will endure for ever

 

Magnificat

Antiphon: My spirit exults in the Lord God, my saviour.

My soul glorifies the Lord,

 my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her lowliness;

 henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

 Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age,

 on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength

 and scatters the proud-hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones

 and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,

 sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant,

 remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers,

 to Abraham and his sons 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.

Antiphon: My spirit exults in the Lord God, my saviour.

 

Prayers and intercessions

Through Christ we are sons of God: in him we see what we shall be when we come to the Father. With confidence we pray:

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide leaders and governments:

 give them wisdom and integrity.

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You are the Lord and source of our freedom:

 bring those in captivity of mind or body to the freedom of the children of God.

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give courage and strength to the young.

 Help them to choose their work, and make the right decisions for their way of life.

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give patient tolerance to all who are no longer young;

 open the hearts of the young to accept from them understanding and love.

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Receive the departed into your eternal kingdom;

 sustain our hope to reign with you for ever.

– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

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. Amen

Concluding Prayer

We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,

 for bringing us safely to the evening of this day;

we humbly ask that the prayer we make with uplifted hands

 may be an offering pleasing in your sight.

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.

The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.