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
In the beginning God created heaven,
The dark and empty earth;
His Spirit moved across the sombre waters
And stirred them with his breath.
Then God created light, and with its coming
The dark was swept away;
The morning came, and then the quiet evening:
The end of God’s first day.
To God the Father of the world give glory,
With Christ his only Son,
Who with the Spirit govern all creation:
Blest Trinity in One.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The voice of the Father was heard from heaven: ‘This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased: listen to his word.’
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 voice of the Father was heard from heaven: ‘This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased: listen to his word.’
Psalm 111 (112)
How blessed are the just
The Saviour crushed the head of the serpent in the river Jordan; he released all men from its power.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord
and loves his commands above all things.
His seed will be powerful on earth:
the descendants of the just will be blessed.
Glory and riches will fill his house,
and his righteousness will stand firm for ever.
He rises up in the darkness,
a light for the upright,
compassionate, generous, and just.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends,
who directs his affairs with wisdom –
he will never be shaken.
The just man will be remembered for ever,
no slander will he fear.
His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord;
his heart is strong, it will not fear,
until he looks down on his defeated enemies.
He gives alms and helps the poor:
his righteousness will endure for ever,
his future will be glorious.
The transgressor will see, and be enraged:
he will grind his teeth and fade away.
The desires of the wicked will perish.
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 Saviour crushed the head of the serpent in the river Jordan; he released all men from its power.
Canticle
Apocalypse 15
A hymn of adoration
Today a great mystery is revealed to us: the creator of all things released us from the bond of our sins in the river Jordan.
Great and wonderful are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the ages!
Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord?
For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship you,
for your judgements have been revealed.
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.
Today a great mystery is revealed to us: the creator of all things released us from the bond of our sins in the river Jordan.
Short Reading
Acts 10:37-38
©
You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.
Short Responsory
This is he who has come by water and by blood.
– This is he who has come by water and by blood.
This is Jesus Christ, our Lord.
– This is he who has come by water and by blood.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– This is he who has come by water and by blood.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Jesus Christ has loved us and has purified us from our sins in his blood. He has made us a kingdom and priesthood for God and his Father. To him be glory and kingly power for ever.
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.
Jesus Christ has loved us and has purified us from our sins in his blood. He has made us a kingdom and priesthood for God and his Father. To him be glory and kingly power for ever.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to our Redeemer who humbled himself to receive baptism at the hands of John.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
Christ, servant of the Father and pleasing to him,
send forth your Spirit among us.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
Chosen One of God, you did not break the crushed reed nor quench the wavering flame:
let all men know your compassion for our world of weakness.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
You were anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our Saviour;
lead all men to believe in you and so come to eternal life.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
You are God’s light to the nations;
open the eyes of the blind in the baptismal waters of the new covenant.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
You are the hope of all peoples;
receive the faithful departed into your heavenly kingdom.
– Lord, send us your Spirit.
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, ever-living God,
when Christ was baptized in the river Jordan
the Holy Spirit came upon him
and your voice proclaimed from heaven, ‘This is my beloved Son.’
Grant that we,
who by water and the Holy Spirit are your adopted children,
may continue steadfast in your love.
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.
