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
Abroad the regal banners fly,
now shines the Cross’s mystery:
upon it Life did death endure,
and yet by death did life procure.
Who, wounded with a direful spear,
did purposely to wash us clear
from stain of sin, pour out a flood
of precious water mixed with blood.
That which the prophet-king of old
hath in mysterious verse foretold,
is now accomplished, whilst we see
God ruling the nations from a Tree.
O lovely and refulgent Tree,
adorned with purpled majesty;
culled from a worthy stock, to bear
those limbs which sanctifièd were.
Blest Tree, whose happy branches bore
the wealth that did the world restore;
the beam that did that Body weigh
which raised up Hell’s expected prey.
Hail Cross, of hopes the most sublime!
At this thy most triumphant time
grant to the just increase of grace,
and every sinner’s crimes efface.
Blest Trinity, salvation’s spring
may every soul Thy praises sing;
to those Thou grantest conquest by
the Holy Cross, rewards supply.
Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
This was Love’s great deed, that death should die when Life itself was slain upon the tree.
The Lord has said to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand
while I make your enemies your footstool.”
From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,
and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,
among the sacred splendours.
Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.
The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”
The Lord is at your right hand,
and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.
He will drink from the stream as he goes –
he will hold his head high.
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.
This was Love’s great deed, that death should die when Life itself was slain upon the tree.
Psalm 115 (116B)
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Lord, we venerate your cross as we recall your blessed passion. You suffered for our sake, have mercy on us.
Still I trusted, even when I said
“I am greatly afflicted,”
when I said in my terror,
“all men are liars.”
How shall I repay the Lord
for all he has done for me?
I will take up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord
before all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
O Lord, I am your servant,
your maidservant’s son.
You have torn apart my chains:
I will make you a sacrifice of praise,
I will call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
within your walls, Jerusalem.
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.
Lord, we venerate your cross as we recall your blessed passion. You suffered for our sake, have mercy on us.
Canticle
Apocalypse 4,5
The song of the redeemed
We worship you, Christ, and bless you. By your cross you have redeemed the world.
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.
We worship you, Christ, and bless you. By your cross you have redeemed the world.
Short Reading
1 Corinthians 1:23-24
©
We preach a crucified Christ; to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over, to the pagans madness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God.
Short Responsory
The King of angels held his triumph on the cross of glory.
– The King of angels held his triumph on the cross of glory.
He washed our wounds clean with his blood.
– The King of angels held his triumph on the cross of glory.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The King of angels held his triumph on the cross of glory.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Hail holy cross, standard of victory. Lead us to the triumph of Christ Jesus in the kingdom of heaven.
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.
Hail holy cross, standard of victory. Lead us to the triumph of Christ Jesus in the kingdom of heaven.
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to our Redeemer, who went to the cross for our sakes.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
Lord Jesus, you took the form of a slave and became like us:
grant us a share in your humility.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
Lord Jesus, you humbled yourself becoming obedient even unto the death of the cross:
let us share your obedience in suffering.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
Lord Jesus, you were raised on high by God, and given a name above every other name:
grant us perseverance, and a share in your glory.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
Let every knee bow at the name of Jesus:
fire the hearts of all men with your love.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
Son of God, grant salvation to those who have called you their Lord:
take our deceased brothers and sisters into your kingdom.
– Lead us into your kingdom through the cross.
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,
in obedience to your will
your Only-Begotten Son endured the cross for our salvation.
Grant that as we have come to know the mystery of the cross here on earth,
we may receive its rewards in heaven.
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.
