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
All hail the power of Jesus’ name;
Let Angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
To crown him Lord of all.
Crown him, ye Martyrs of your God,
Who from his altar call;
Praise him whose way of pain ye trod,
And crown him Lord of all.
Hail him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call;
The God Incarnate, Man Divine,
And crown him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue
To him their hearts enthral,
Lift high the universal song,
And crown him Lord of all.
Psalm 136 (137)
By the rivers of Babylon
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
By the rivers of Babylon
we sat and wept
remembering Zion.
On the willow-trees of Babylon
we hung up our harps.
In that place they asked us,
those who had captured us,
to sing them a song:
“Sing us,” they said,
“a song of Zion.”
They had brought us affliction
and asked us for joy.
How shall we sing the songs of the Lord
in a foreign land?
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
send my right hand to oblivion;
let my tongue stick in my throat
if I do not remember –
if I do not rank Jerusalem
the first of my joys.
Remember, Lord, the Edomites
on the day of Jerusalem:
“Raze it,” they said, “to the ground.”
Babylon’s daughter, destroyer –
blessed be he that takes his revenge,
that smashes your child on a rock.
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.
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
Psalm 137 (138)
Thanksgiving
Before the angels I will bless you, my God.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will make music to you,
worship before your holy temple.
I will praise your name
because of your mercy and faithfulness:
high above all other names is the greatness of your word.
Each day that I call on you, Lord,
listen to me, strengthen my spirit.
All the kings of the earth will proclaim your glory, Lord,
when they hear your word.
They will sing of the paths of the Lord,
so great is his glory.
For the Lord is on high
but he cares for the humble;
and he knows the proud from afar.
If I walk in the midst of troubles, you will give me life.
If my enemies rise up against me,
your right hand will keep me safe.
The Lord does all that I need.
Lord, your kindness lasts for ever:
do not forsake the work of your hands.
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.
Before the angels I will bless you, my God.
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
1 Corinthians 7:32,34
©
An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord. In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit.
Short Responsory
The virgins come before the king. They sing for joy.
– The virgins come before the king. They sing for joy.
They are led into the temple of the king.
– The virgins come before the king. They sing for joy.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The virgins come before the king. They sing for joy.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Such are the saints who seek the Lord, who seek the presence of our God.
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.
Such are the saints who seek the Lord, who seek the presence of our God.
Prayers and intercessions
Christ the Lord praised those who follow the way of virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let us proclaim his love and pray:
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear us.
Christ our Lord, you presented the Church to yourself, as a chaste virgin to her only husband;
make her pure, holy and faultless.
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear us.
Christ Jesus, the holy virgins went to meet you with lamps burning bright;
keep alive the flame of fidelity in the hearts of religious women.
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear us.
Lord, you have always preserved your Church in purity and soundness of faith;
grant to all Christians a faith that is true and complete.
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear us.
You bring joy to the lives of your faithful as they celebrate the feast of your holy virgin N.;
may they also rejoice in her constant intercession.
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear us.
You have welcomed your holy virgins to the wedding feast of heaven;
invite all the dead to the feast of eternal life.
– Jesus, king of virgins, hear 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.
Almighty God, our Father, you sent Saint Teresa of Ávila
to be a witness in the Church to the way of perfection.
Sustain us by her spiritual doctrine,
and kindle in us the longing for true holiness.
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.
