Vespers (Evening Prayer)
(First Vespers of tomorrow, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus)
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
O gladsome light, O grace
Of God the Father’s face,
The eternal splendour wearing;
Celestial, holy, blest,
Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Joyful in thine appearing.
Now, ere day fadeth quite,
We see the evening light,
Our wonted hymn outpouring;
Father of might unknown,
Thee, his incarnate Son,
And Holy Ghost adoring.
To thee of right belongs
All praise of holy songs,
O Son of God, Life-giver:
Thee therefore, O most High,
The world doth glorify,
And shall exalt for ever.
Psalm 112 (113)
Praise of the Lord's name
God has loved us with an everlasting love: therefore, when he was raised up from the earth, he showed us his mercy and drew us to love his sacred heart.
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.
God has loved us with an everlasting love: therefore, when he was raised up from the earth, he showed us his mercy and drew us to love his sacred heart.
Psalm 145 (146)
The blessedness of those who hope in the Lord
Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life,
make music to my God as long as I exist.
Do not trust in princes to save you,
they are only sons of men.
One day their breath will leave them, they will return to the ground;
on that day perish all their plans.
Happy the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth and all that is in them,
who keeps faith for ever,
who gives justice to the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners,
he gives light to the blind,
he raises the fallen.
The Lord loves the upright, cares for strangers,
sustains orphans and widows;
but the wicked he sends astray.
The Lord will reign for all ages,
your God, O Zion, from generation to generation.
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.
Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Canticle
Apocalypse 4,5
The song of the redeemed
I am the good shepherd who leads his sheep to good pastures, and I lay down my life for my sheep.
You are worthy, our Lord and our God,
to receive glory and honour and power;
for you made all things,
and it is by your will that they exist and were created.
You are worthy, Lord,
to receive the book and open its seals,
for you were killed,
and with your blood you have ransomed people
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them rulers and priests for God;
and they will rule over the earth.
The Lamb is worthy, who was killed,
to receive power and riches and wisdom,
strength and honour, glory and blessing.
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 am the good shepherd who leads his sheep to good pastures, and I lay down my life for my sheep.
Short Reading
Ephesians 5:25-27
©
Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless.
Short Responsory
Christ loved us and washed away our sins with his blood.
– Christ loved us and washed away our sins with his blood.
He made us a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.
– Christ loved us and washed away our sins with his blood.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ loved us and washed away our sins with his blood.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
I have come to spread fire on earth, and how I wish it were blazing already.
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.
I have come to spread fire on earth, and how I wish it were blazing already.
Prayers and intercessions
We make our prayers to Jesus, in whom we find rest for our souls, and we say to him:
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, your heart was pierced by the lance and from it flowed blood and water so that your bride, the Church, might be born:
keep her in holiness without spot or wrinkle.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, holy temple of God, you were condemned by men and raised up by the Father:
make the Church the tabernacle of the Most High.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, king and centre of all hearts, in your loving mercy you never cease to draw us to yourself:
keep alive your covenant with us all.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, from the cross you forgave your enemies and you bring all men together in peace:
show us how to reach the Father.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our life and resurrection, you lighten our burden and give rest to our souls.
draw all sinners to yourself.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, because of your infinite love you were obedient even unto death on a cross:
bring to life all those who are sleeping in peace.
– Beloved Lord, have mercy on 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.
Let us pray.
Almighty God and Father,
we glory in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, your beloved Son,
as we call to mind the great things his love has done for us.
Fill us with the grace that flows in abundance
from the Heart of Jesus, the source of heaven’s gifts.
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.
