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
Abide with us; the orb of day doth vanish;
Thou Light of Light, the powers of darkness banish:
At evenfall, good Lord, thy people bless;
Shine in our hearts, thou Sun of righteousness.
For this past day let every creature living
Ascribe thee glory, honour and thanksgiving:
Let man, together with the Angel-host
Bless God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Jesu, Good Shepherd, thou who never sleepest,
But o’er thy sheepfold watch and ward who keepest;
The day is spent; it draws to eventide:
With thy disciples, Lord, this night abide.
Psalm 135 (136)
A paschal hymn
Give thanks to the Lord, for his great love is without end.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his love is for ever.
He alone works wonders,
for his love is for ever.
In his wisdom he made the heavens,
for his love is for ever.
He set the Earth upon the waters,
for his love is for ever.
He created the great lights,
for his love is for ever.
The sun, to rule over the day,
for his love is for ever.
The moon and stars, to rule over the night,
for his love is 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.
Give thanks to the Lord, for his great love is without end.
Psalm 135 (136)
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.
He struck down the first-born of Egypt,
for his love is for ever.
He led Israel out from their midst,
for his love is for ever.
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his love is for ever.
He divided the Red Sea in two,
for his love is for ever.
He led Israel out through the sea,
for his love is for ever.
He overthrew Pharaoh and his army,
for his love is for ever.
He led his people through the wilderness,
for his love is for ever.
He struck down great kings,
for his love is for ever.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his love is for ever.
And Og, the king of Bashan,
for his love is for ever.
He gave their land to his people,
for his love is for ever.
A heritage for Israel his servant,
for his love is for ever.
He remembered us in our affliction,
for his love is for ever.
He rescued us from our enemies,
for his love is for ever.
He gives food to all creatures that live,
for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his love is 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.
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.
Canticle
Ephesians 1
God the Saviour
God planned to bring all things together under Christ when the fullness of time had come.
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us, in Christ,
with every spiritual blessing in heaven.
In love, he chose us before the creation of the world,
to be holy and spotless in his sight.
He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ,
simply because it pleased him to do so.
This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace,
of his free gift to us in his Beloved,
in whose blood we have gained redemption,
and the forgiveness of our sins.
This he did according to the riches of his grace,
which he gave us in abundance,
with all wisdom and discernment,
revealing to us the mysteries of his will,
because it pleased him to do so.
In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time,
to bring all things together in Christ,
from the heavens and from the earth.
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 planned to bring all things together under Christ when the fullness of time had come.
Short Reading
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
©
May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
Short Responsory
Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.
– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.
Let it rise in your presence like incense.
– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Let my prayer come before you, O Lord.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Let my soul proclaim your greatness for ever, O my God.
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.
Let my soul proclaim your greatness for ever, O my God.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to God who never deserts those who trust in him.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Pour out your Spirit on the Church;
let men see in her the greatness of your loving kindness.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Be with the priests and ministers of your Church:
what they preach to others, may they practise in their lives.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Teach us to understand one another more deeply:
by your presence, free us from prejudice and fear.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give married couples constancy and mutual understanding:
may their difficulties help to deepen the love they have for each other.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Pardon the sins of all our departed brothers and sisters:
may they enjoy new life in the company of your saints.
– Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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.
Stay with us, Lord Jesus, as evening falls:
be our companion on our way.
In your mercy, inflame our hearts and raise our hope,
so that, in union with our brethren,
we may recognize you in the scriptures
and in the breaking of bread.
Who live and reign with God the Father
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.
