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
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 144 (145)
The greatness and goodness of God
I will bless you day after day and tell of your wonderful deeds, O Lord.
I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –
I will bless your name for ever and for all time.
I will bless you, O God, day after day –
I will praise your name for ever and all time.
The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –
he is great beyond measuring.
Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,
and tell the wonders you have done.
They will tell of your overwhelming power,
and pass on the tale of your greatness.
They will cry out the story of your great kindness,
they will celebrate your judgements.
The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,
he is patient and endlessly kind.
The Lord is gentle to all –
he shows his kindness to all his creation.
Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,
let your chosen ones bless you.
Let them tell of the glory of your reign,
let them speak of your power –
so that the children of men may know what you can do,
see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.
Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,
your rule lasts for ever and 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 will bless you day after day and tell of your wonderful deeds, O Lord.
Psalm 144 (145)
The eyes of all creatures look to you, Lord; you are close to all who call upon you.
The Lord is faithful in all his words,
the Lord is holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who are falling,
the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed.
All look to you for help,
and you give them their food in due season.
In your goodness you open your hand,
and give every creature its fill.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
the Lord is kind in all that he does.
The Lord is near to those who call on him,
to all those who call on him in truth.
For those that honour him,
he does what they ask,
he hears all their prayers,
and he keeps them safe.
The Lord keeps safe all who love him,
but he dooms all the wicked to destruction.
My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord.
Let all flesh bless his holy name,
for ever and 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 eyes of all creatures look to you, Lord; you are close to all who call upon you.
Canticle
Apocalypse 15
A hymn of adoration
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.
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.
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.
Short Reading
Romans 8:1-2
©
The reason why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Short Responsory
Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
In the body he was put to death; in the spirit he was raised to life.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Remember your mercy, O Lord; according to the promise you made to our fathers.
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.
Remember your mercy, O Lord; according to the promise you made to our fathers.
Prayers and intercessions
God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we might have life through him. We are able to love God because he loved us first. And so we pray:
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
Jesus forgave the penitent woman her sins because she had loved much:
may we too know his healing touch and love you with all our hearts.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
You look with compassion on the humble and contrite of heart:
in your goodness, turn our hearts to you and help us to do what we know to be right.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
We acknowledge the suffering we have caused to others:
we ask forgiveness for our neglect and indifference.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
We ask you to remember tonight those who are in great difficulty:
give new heart to those who have lost their faith in man and in God, to those who seek the truth but cannot find it.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
Remember all those who put their hope in you while they lived:
through the passion and death of your Son, grant them the remission of all their sins.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
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.
God of power and mercy,
who willed that Christ your Son should suffer for the salvation of all the world,
grant that your people may strive to offer themselves to you as a living sacrifice,
and may be filled with the fullness of 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.
