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 here.
Psalm 109 (110) The Messiah, king and priest |
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.
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.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.
Psalm 129 (130) Out of the depths |
With the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption.
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord:
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears listen out
for the voice of my pleading.
If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord
Lord, who would be left?
But with you is forgiveness,
and for this we revere you.
I rely on you, Lord,
my spirit relies on your promise;
my soul hopes in the Lord,
more than the watchman for daybreak.
More than the watchman for daybreak,
let Israel hope in the Lord:
for with the Lord there is kindness
and abundant redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all its transgressions.
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.
With the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption.
Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead |
In the beginning, before all time, God was the Word: he has been born today, the Saviour of the world.
Let us give thanks to God the Father,
who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints inheritance.
He has rescued us from the power of the shadows
and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption
and the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creation,
for in him all things were created,
in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible,
thrones and dominations,
principalities and powers.
All things were created through him and for him:
he is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the Church.
He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead,
and so he is pre-eminent above all.
For it was the Fathers will that the fullness of God should dwell in him,
and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.
Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things,
both on Earth and in the heavens.
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.
In the beginning, before all time, God was the Word: he has been born today, the Saviour of the world.
Short reading |
(2 Peter 1:3-4) © |
By his divine power, Christ has given us all the things that we need for life and for true devotion, bringing us to know God himself, who has called us by his own glory and goodness. In making these gifts, he has given us the guarantee of something very great and wonderful to come: through them you will be able to share the divine nature and to escape corruption in a world that is sunk in vice.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
And dwelt amongst us. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The Word was made flesh. Alleluia, alleluia.
My soul rejoices in the Lord |
We give you glory, Mother of God, because Christ was born to you. Keep in safety all who give you glory.
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.
We give you glory, Mother of God, because Christ was born to you. Keep in safety all who give you glory.
Prayers and Intercessions |
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Out of Bethlehem in Judaea came a leader, Jesus Christ, to guide his holy people. Let us acclaim him with joy:
Lord, may your grace be with us.
Christ our Saviour, all peoples yearn for you. Spread your good news to every place that has not yet received the word of life,
and draw all men to yourself.
Lord, may your grace be with us.
Christ our Lord, extend your church, spread out its tents
to cover every nation and every tongue.
Lord, may your grace be with us.
King of kings, guide the hearts and souls of rulers:
seeking justice, may they bring peace and freedom to all peoples.
Lord, may your grace be with us.
Omnipotent ruler, strengthener of those who are vulnerable: when people are tempted, keep them strong; when they fall, raise them up; when they go into danger, protect them.
Console the broken and despairing and give faith to those who doubt.
Lord, may your grace be with us.
Consoler of the sad, comfort the dying
and lead them to the springs of your living water.
Lord, may your grace be with 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.
Almighty God, may the new birth of your only-begotten Son bring us freedom
and liberate us from the age-old burden of sin.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
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.
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