Vespers
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, will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
The great forerunner of the morn,
The herald of the Word, is born;
And faithful hearts shall never fail
With thanks and praise his light to hail.
With heavenly message Gabriel came,
That John should be that herald’s name,
And with prophetic utterance told
His actions great and manifold.
John, still unborn, yet gave aright
His witness to the coming light;
And Christ, the sun of all the earth,
Fulfilled that witness at his birth.
Of woman-born shall never be
A greater prophet than was he,
Whose mighty deeds exalt his fame
To greater than a prophet’s name.
All praise to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
Whom with the Spirit we adore
For ever and for evermore.
Melody: Sedulius L.M.
Music: Nurnbergisches Gesangbuch, 1676
Text: Saint Bede the Venerable, 673-735
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 There was a man sent by God whose name was John.
Psalm 15Who is worthy to stand in God’s presence?
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (Hebrews 12:22).
Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
*and dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
*he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
*he who does not slander with his tongue;
he who do no wrong to his brother,
*who casts no slur on his neighbor,
who holds the godless in disdain,
*but honors those who fear the Lord;
he who keeps his word, come what may;
*who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
*Such a man will stand firm 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.
Psalm Prayer
Make our lives blameless, Lord. Help us to do what is right and to speak what is true, that we may dwell in your tent and find rest on your holy mountain.
Ant. There was a man sent by God whose name was John.
Ant. 2 He came to bear witness to the truth.
Psalm 112The happiness of the just
Live as children born of the light. Light produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9).
Happy the man who fears the Lord,
*who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
*the children of the upright are blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house;
*his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
*he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends,
*he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver:
*he will be remembered for ever.
He has no fear of evil news;
*with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
*he will see the downfall of his foes.
Openhanded, he gives to the poor;
†his justice stands firm for ever.
*His head will be raised in glory.
The wicked man sees and is angry,
†grinds his teeth and fades away;
*the desire of the wicked leads to doom.
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 God, you are the eternal light which illumines the hearts of good people. Help us to love you, to rejoice in your glory, and so to live in this world as to avoid harsh judgment in the next. May we come to see the light of your countenance.
Ant. He came to bear witness to the truth.
Ant. 3 John was like a brilliantly shining light.
Canticle: Revelation 15:3-4
Hymn of adoration
Mighty and wonderful are your works, *
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways, *
O King of the nations!
Who would dare refuse you honor, *
or the glory due your name, O Lord?
Since you alone are holy, *
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence. *
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.
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. John was like a brilliantly shining light.
READING
Acts 13:23-25
According to his promise, God has brought forth from David’s descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John’s career was coming to an end, he would say, “What you suppose me to be I am not. Rather, look for one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.”
RESPONSORY
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
– Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me.
– Make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Zechariah enterd the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
Luke 1:46-55The 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. Zechariah enterd the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray joyfully to God our Father who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist from his mother’s womb to prepare the way of your Son,
– help us to follow in that path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God,
– so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as forerunner of the Christ,
– teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death,
– help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
Remember those who have died,
– give them a place of light, happiness, and peace.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Now let us pray as Christ the Lord has 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 raised up John the Baptist
to prepare a perfect people for Christ the Lord.
Give your Church joy in spirit
and guide those who believe in you
into the way of salvation and peace.
We ask 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, who raised up Saint John the Baptist
to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord,
give your people, we pray,
the grace of spiritual joys
and direct the hearts of all the faithful
into the way of salvation and peace.
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
May the Lord
+ bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.
Compline
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.
Examination of Conscience
A brief examination of conscience may be made. In the communal celebration of the Office, a Penitential Rite using the formulas of the Mass may be inserted here.
[I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
And, striking their breast, they say:
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Then they continue:
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.
]
HYMN
God who made the earth and heaven,
Darkness and light;
You the day for work have giv’n
For rest the night.
May your angel guards defend us,
Slumber sweet your mercy send us,
Holy dreams and hope attend us,
All through the night.
And when morn again shall call us
To run life’s way,
May we still whate’er befall us,
Your will obey.
From the pow’r of evil hide us,
In the narrow pathway guide us,
Never be your smile denied us
All through the day.
Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
And, when we die,
May we in your mighty keeping
All peaceful lie.
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Then O Lord, do not forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With you on high.
Melody: Ar Hyd Y Nos 84.84.88.84Music: Welsh CarolText: st 1 Reginald Heber, 1783-1826; st. 2 William Mercer, 1811-1876; st. 3 Richard Whately, 1787-1863
PSALMODY
Ant. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering care
I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
*and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
*my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”
It is he who will free you from the snare
*of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
*and under his wings you will find refuge.
You will not fear the terror of the night
*nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
*nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side,
*ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
*his faithfulness is buckler and shield.
Your eyes have only to look
*to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
*and have made the Most High your dwelling.
Upon you no evil shall fall,
*no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
*to keep you in all your ways.
They shall bear you upon their hands
*lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
*and trample the young lion and the dragon.
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
*protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
*I will save him in distress and give him glory.
With length of life I will content him;
*I shall let him see my saving power.
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. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
READING
Revelation 22:4-5
They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord,
+ now you let your servant go in peace;
*your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
*which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
*and the glory of your people Israel.
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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Lord,
we have celebrated today
the mystery of the rising of Christ to new life.
May we now rest in your peace,
safe from all that could harm us,
and rise refreshed and joyful,
to praise you throughout another day.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.
BLESSING
May the all-powerful Lord
grant us a restful night
and a peaceful death.
– Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Or:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Or:
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve,
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes occulos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.
Or:
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.