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
Gem of the highest, diadem immortal,
Cherished for ever after sacred struggle,
Thou among many, first in lofty merit,
Benedict, shinest.
Fleeing in secret, thou didst leave thy parents,
All things forsaking; then, a forest-dweller,
Into subjection unto Christ, by torment
Broughtest thy body.
Not long securely couldest thou be hidden,
Good deeds and wonders brought thee to men’s knowledge;
Through the world widely spread the happy rumour
Speedily flying.
Praise to the Father, to the Sole-begotten,
And to thee, always with the Twain co-equal,
Fostering Spirit; one and only Godhead
Through all the ages.
Psalm 71 (72)
The Messiah's royal power
I will make you the light of the nations to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Give the king your judgement, O God,
give the king’s son your righteousness.
Let him judge your people with justice
and your poor ones with wisdom.
Let the mountains bring peace to your people,
let the hills bring righteousness.
He will give his judgement to the poor among the people,
he will rescue the children of the destitute,
he will lay low the false accuser.
He will endure with the sun, beneath the moon,
from generation to generation.
He will come down like rain on the pasture,
like a shower that waters the earth.
In his time, righteousness will flourish
and abundance of peace,
until the moon itself is no more.
He will rule from coast to coast,
from the world’s centre to its farthest edge.
The desert-dwellers will cast themselves down before him;
his enemies will eat dust at his feet.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands will bring tribute,
the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts.
All the kings will worship him,
all nations will serve him.
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 make you the light of the nations to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 71 (72)
The Lord will save the poor; from oppression he will rescue their lives.
Because he has given freedom to the destitute who called to him,
to the poor, whom no-one will hear.
He will spare the poor and the needy,
he will keep their lives safe.
He will rescue their lives from oppression and violence,
their blood will be precious in his sight.
He will live long, and receive gifts of gold from Arabia;
they will pray for him always,
bless him all through the day.
There will be abundance of grain in the land,
it will wave even from the tops of the mountains;
its fruit will be richer than Lebanon.
The people will flourish as easily as grass.
Let his name be blessed for ever,
let his name endure beneath the sun.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed in him,
all nations will acclaim his greatness.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone works wonders.
Let his majesty be blessed for ever;
let it fill all the earth. Amen, amen.
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 will save the poor; from oppression he will rescue their lives.
Canticle
Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
Victory and empire have now been won by our God.
We thank you,
Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign.
The nations were angered,
but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged,
the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants,
and those who feared your name, both great and small.
Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Anointed,
for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down,
who accused them day and night in the sight of God.
But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb
and through their own witness.
They did not cling to life,
even in the face of death.
Therefore rejoice, heavens,
and you who dwell in them.
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.
Victory and empire have now been won by our God.
Short Reading
Romans 8:28-30
©
We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.
Short Responsory
The Lord is good; he loves good deeds.
– The Lord is good; he loves good deeds.
His face is turned towards the upright man.
– The Lord is good; he loves good deeds.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord is good; he loves good deeds.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
He received blessings from the Lord, and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek the Lord.
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.
He received blessings from the Lord, and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek the Lord.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us ask the Father to lead us to holiness through the intercession and example of the saints.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
Father, it was your will that we be called your children, and that is what we are;
may your Church all over the world bear witness to your goodness.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
Father, you have called us to walk in your light and do always the things that please you;
may our lives be rich in every kind of good work.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
Father, through Christ you have reconciled us to yourself;
keep us in your name that we may all be one.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
Father, you have invited us to the festival of eternal life;
make us perfect in your love through the bread that comes from heaven.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
Father, grant all sinners peace and forgiveness;
let the dead live in the light of your presence.
– Make us holy as you are holy.
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.
Lord God, you appointed Saint Benedict
to be a wise master in the school of your service.
Give us grace to put your love before all else,
and so to run with joy in the way of your commandments.
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.
