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.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord will send a mighty sceptre from Zion, and he will rule for ever. Alleluia.
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.” From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, among the sacred splendours. Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.” The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. 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 will send a mighty sceptre from Zion, and he will rule for ever. Alleluia.

Psalm 113A (114)
Israel set free from Egypt
The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord. Alleluia.
When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob’s people from a land of strangers, Judah became his sanctuary and Israel his domain. The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan flowed backwards at the sight; the mountains leapt like rams; the hills, like yearling sheep. Sea, what was it, what made you flee? And you, Jordan, why did you flow uphill? Mountains, why did you leap like rams? Hills, like yearling sheep? Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord, the presence of the Lord of Jacob, who has turned the rock into a pool of water and made a fountain out of the flint. 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 earth trembled at the presence of the Lord. Alleluia.

Canticle	(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
God reigns: our Lord, the Almighty. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. 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.
God reigns: our Lord, the Almighty. Alleluia.

Short reading	2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ©
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a gentle Father and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our sorrows, so that we can offer others, in their sorrows, the consolation that we have received from God ourselves.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
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.
The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Prayers and Intercessions	?
We worship Christ the Lord: he is our Head and we are his body. In triumph we cry: – Lord, may your kingdom come. Our Saviour, make your Church more and more a sacrament of human unity: and an ever more effective road to salvation. – Lord, may your kingdom come. Stand next to the college of Bishops, and our Pope, and give them the gifts of unity, love, and peace. – Lord, may your kingdom come. May Christians be more closely united with you as their Head; may the way they live proclaim your kingdom. – Lord, may your kingdom come. In your kindness, give peace to the world: make peace and security flower everywhere. – Lord, may your kingdom come. Give the deceased a glorious resurrection at the end of time, and allow us to share their blessedness. – Lord, may your kingdom come.

Prayers and Intercessions

We worship Christ the Lord: he is our Head and we are his body. In triumph we cry: