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
Apostle of the English, thou
Art comrade of the Angels now:
O help the faithful, Gregory,
Who heardest then the peoples’ cry.
Abundant wealth was naught to thee
Who, seeking princely penury,
Didst spurn the glory of the earth
To follow Jesus in his dearth.
First in his Church from that time forth
Christ set thee, in thy proven worth;
So didst thou rise to Peter’s throne,
Whose life was pattern for thine own.
O Priest and Leader of the flock,
The Church’s glory, light, and rock,
Instructed by thy wise command,
Let not the sheep in peril stand.
Praise to the unbegotten One,
And glory to his only Son;
And thine, O Spirit, Breath of God
Be equal majesty and laud.
Psalm 48 (49)
The uselessness of riches
You cannot serve both God and wealth.
All peoples, listen –
all who live in the world, hear what I have to say:
humble and great together,
rich and poor alike!
My mouth will speak wisdom,
my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel.
I will turn my ears to a mystery,
I will expound a riddle on the lyre.
Why should I be fearful in times of trouble,
when the crimes of usurpers hem me in?
They trust in their own strength
and glory in their great riches.
But, after all, man cannot redeem himself,
he cannot ransom himself before God.
The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it –
the price of eternal death avoided.
He will see that even the wise die;
the foolish and the stupid too will perish,
and their riches will pass to others.
Their tombs will be homes to them for ever,
their dwelling-place for all generations,
even if the lands they owned are named after them.
Though he be full of honour, man will not endure:
he is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that 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.
You cannot serve both God and wealth.
Psalm 48 (49)
Build up treasure for yourselves in heaven, says the Lord.
Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take.
This is the end of those who boast.
Like sheep they go down into the underworld,
and death is their shepherd.
They will fall headlong into the grave:
their faces will be eaten away,
and the underworld will be their dwelling-place.
But God will ransom my life;
truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld.
Do not fear, when a man becomes rich
and the glory of his house increases.
When he dies, he will not take it with him,
his glory will not follow him down to the grave.
Even if he calls himself blessed,
says “see how they praise me for my success,”
still he will join his fathers,
cut off from light, for ever.
Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand.
He is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that 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.
Build up treasure for yourselves in heaven, says the Lord.
Canticle
Apocalypse 4,5
The song of the redeemed
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and honour.
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.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and honour.
Short Reading
James 3:17-18
©
The wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure. It also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
Short Responsory
This man became a teacher in the Church of God.
– This man became a teacher in the Church of God.
The Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
– This man became a teacher in the Church of God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– This man became a teacher in the Church of God.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Gregory fulfilled in deeds what he preached by word, so that he might be an example while speaking about mystical things.
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.
Gregory fulfilled in deeds what he preached by word, so that he might be an example while speaking about mystical things.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to Christ, the high priest, who was appointed to represent men in their relations with God.
– Lord, save your people.
Lord Jesus, in times past you have lighted the way for your people through wise and holy leaders;
may Christians always enjoy this sign of your loving kindness.
– Lord, save your people.
You forgave the sins of your people when holy pastors prayed;
continually cleanse your Church through their powerful intercession.
– Lord, save your people.
In the presence of their brothers, you anointed your holy ones and poured on them your Spirit;
fill with your Holy Spirit all the leaders of your people.
– Lord, save your people.
Nothing could ever separate the holy pastors from your love;
do not lose even one of those whom you redeemed by your passion.
– Lord, save your people.
Through the pastors of your Church you give your sheep eternal life, and no one can steal them from you;
save the faithful departed, for whom you laid down your life.
– Lord, save your people.
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 our Father, your rule is a rule of love,
your providence is full of mercy for your people.
Through the intercession of Saint Gregory
grant the spirit of wisdom to those you have placed in authority,
so that the spiritual growth of the people may bring eternal joy to the pastors.
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.
