Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Introduction

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.

Hymn

O blest Creator of the light,

Who mak’st the day with radiance bright,

And o’er the forming world didst call

The light from chaos first of all.

Whose wisdom joined in meet array

The morn and eve, and named them day;

Night comes with all its darkling fears;

Regard thy people’s prayers and tears.

Lest, sunk in sin and ’whelmed with strife

They lose the gift of endless life;

While thinking but the thoughts of time,

They weave new chains of woe and crime.

But grant them grace that they may strain

The heavenly gate and prize to gain;

Each harmful lure aside to cast,

And purge away each error past.

O Father, that we ask be done

Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son,

Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,

Doth live and reign eternally.

Psalm 112 (113) Praise of the Lord's name

From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised.

Praise, servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord.

Let the Lord’s name be blessed,

now and for ever.

From the sun’s rising to its setting,

the Lord’s name is to be praised.

The Lord is high over all peoples,

his glory is above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high,

who bends down to watch over heaven and earth?

He raises the weak from the ground,

the poor from the dunghill,

raises them among the princes,

the princes of his people.

He gives the barren woman a household,

makes her the happy mother of children.

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.

From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised.

Psalm 115 (116B) Thanksgiving in the Temple

I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

Still I trusted, even when I said

“I am greatly afflicted,”

when I said in my terror,

“all men are liars.”

How shall I repay the Lord

for all he has done for me?

I will take up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord

before all his people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

O Lord, I am your servant,

your maidservant’s son.

You have torn apart my chains:

I will make you a sacrifice of praise,

I will call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord

before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

within your walls, Jerusalem.

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.

I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

Canticle	Philippians 2

Christ, God's servant

The Lord Jesus humbled himself: for this, God has raised him to glory.

Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature,

did not try to seize equality with God for himself;

but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave,

and became like a man:

not in appearance only,

for he humbled himself by accepting death,

even death on a cross.

For this, God has raised him high,

and given him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend,

in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,

and every tongue will proclaim

“Jesus Christ is Lord,”

to the glory of God the Father.

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 Jesus humbled himself: for this, God has raised him to glory.

Short reading	Hebrews 13:20-21 ©

I pray that the God of peace, who brought our Lord Jesus back from the dead to become the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant, may make you ready to do his will in any kind of good action; and turn us all into whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

Short Responsory

How great are your works, O Lord.

– How great are your works, O Lord.

In your wisdom you have created them all.

– How great are your works, O Lord.

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

– How great are your works, O Lord.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ 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.

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ Alleluia.

Prayers and Intercessions

Christ has taken pity on his hungry people and has worked wonders of love for them. In gratitude and devotion we pray to him:

– Lord, show us your love.

Lord, we acknowledge that all the good things that came to us today came to us from your kindness.

May that kindness not be wasted on us: may it bear fruit in our hearts.

– Lord, show us your love.

Light and salvation of all peoples, watch over those whom you have sent all over the world to bear witness to you:

kindle the fire of your Spirit within them.

– Lord, show us your love.

Make everyone work together to make the world a more perfect place:

guide them to respond to the most urgent needs of our time.

– Lord, show us your love.

Doctor and healer of both body and soul, soothe the sick and be close to the dying:

in your compassion come to us also, and restore our strength.

– Lord, show us your love.

Deign to add those who have died to the number of your saints,

whose names are written in the book of life.

– Lord, show us your love.

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 and ever-living God, your generosity exceeds what we deserve and even what we ask for in prayer.

Pour out your compassion on us:

forgive whatever is weighing on our consciences,

and grant us gifts that we would not even dare to pray for.

[We make our prayer] 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.

AMEN

Regnum Christi

Heavenly Helpers

INTERNATIONAL | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Saturday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time

October 2, 2010
Feast of the Guardian Angels
Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Matthew 18: 1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Introductory Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for giving me another day to grow in love for you, another day to move ahead in my spiritual life, another day to pray for the souls closest to me. I want only to please you during this brief time of prayer.

Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of childlike simplicity.

1. Turning the Tables The disciples are curious about the Kingdom of Heaven, and their curiosity has a tinge of self-interest. They want to know how to get ahead in the Kingdom. Their very question belies a misunderstanding of Christ. The Kingdom, among other things, is reflected in the Church on earth. And the Church, being universal, is a kind of family that takes in all mankind. If ever we ask, “Who is the greatest in our family?” we can be sure that it is the wrong kind of question. The more appropriate question is: “How can I be a better member of the family? How can I be a better husband? A better wife? A better son or daughter or brother or sister?” That is the question Christ wants us to ask ourselves.

2. Child´s Play We must not think that Christ had a naive notion of children as little angels who never do wrong. So why does Christ hold up children as models for the rest of us? In part, it is their simplicity, their tendency to trust. They might not understand why a parent tells them something, but they likely will accept it because they realize it comes from someone who loves them. The spiritual life requires that same kind of trust. We might not understand completely why God asks us to do something, but if there´s a basic trust and openness to him, it is easier to follow his commands. Many people, unfortunately, squander what should be the most productive years of their lives because they doubt God and his Church. They complicate things, only to find years later the wisdom of what Our Lord was trying to tell them. By then, their faults can be forgiven, but not undone. Once a vase is broken, it can be fixed but it will never be the same as if it had never broken. Am I saying no to God because of a lack of trust?

3. Angelic Aid Prayers to guardian angels used to be popular with Catholics. It is fitting that we pray to them, because each of us has one. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life," writes St. Basil (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 336). Our angel reflects God´s loving providence for our welfare and protection. The world is a moral minefield, waiting for us to make the wrong step. Our angel helps us make it through this valley of tears. Do I ever think to pray to my angel?

Conversation with Christ: The simplicity of children can make me look foolish by comparison. I believe in you and trust you, Lord. Help me to translate that trust into serenity and simplicity. Let me accept the crosses of daily life with calmness, seeing your loving designs behind them.

Resolution: I will say “yes” to the next difficult thing someone asks of me, so long as it is something morally good.