Wednesday 11 December 2019
Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Compline (Night Prayer)
(today)
The Compline after First or Second Vespers of a Sunday may be substituted for the Compline of a weekday.
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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.
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Examination of Conscience
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.
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Hymn
Now that the daylight dies away,
By all thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.
Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,
The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath thine eye,
Pure in our foe’s despite.
This grace on thy redeemed confer,
Father, co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Eternal Three in One.
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Psalm 30 (31)
Trustful prayer in time of adversity
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46).
O God, be my protector and my refuge.
In yóu, O Lórd, I take réfuge. *
Let me néver be pút to sháme.
In your jústice, sét me frée, *
héar me and spéedily réscue me.
Be a róck of réfuge fór me, *
a míghty strónghold to sáve me,
for yóu are my róck, my strónghold. *
For your náme’s sake, léad me and gúide me.
Reléase me from the snáres they have hídden *
for yóu are my réfuge, Lórd.
Into your hánds I comménd my spírit. *
It is yóu who will redéem me, Lórd.
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.
O God, be my protector and my refuge.
Psalm-prayer
Full of trust we run to you, Lord, and put our lives into your hands. You are our strength in times of trouble and our refuge along the way. May you be our joy at the turning points of life and our reward at its end.
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Psalm 129 (130)
Out of the depths
“He will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Out of the dépths I crý to you, O Lórd, *
Lórd, hear my vóice!
O lét your éars be atténtive *
to the vóice of my pléading.
If you, O Lórd, should márk our gúilt, *
Lórd, who would survíve?
But with yóu is fóund forgíveness: *
for thís we revére you.
My sóul is wáiting for the Lórd. *
I cóunt on his wórd.
My sóul is lónging for the Lórd *
more than wátchman for dáybreak.
Let the wátchman cóunt on dáybreak *
and Ísrael on the Lórd.
Becáuse with the Lórd there is mércy *
and fúllness of redémption,
Ísrael indéed he will redéem *
from áll its iníquity.
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.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Psalm-prayer
Listen with compassion to our prayers, Lord. The forgiveness of sins is yours. Do not look on the wrong we have done, but grant us your merciful kindness.
Or:
God of might and compassion, you sent your Word into the world, a watchman to announce to men the dawn of salvation. Do not leave us in the depths of our sins but listen to your Church pleading with you. Respond to her trust, and pour out in her the fullness of your redeeming grace.
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Short Reading
Ephesians 4:26-27
Do not let resentment lead you into sin; the sunset must not find you still angry. Do not give the devil his opportunity.
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Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
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Canticle
Nunc Dimittis
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Save us, Lord, while we are awake; protect us while we sleep; that we may keep watch with Christ and rest with him in peace.
At lást, all-pówerful Máster, †
you give léave to your sérvant *
to go in péace, accórding to your prómise.
For my éyes have séen your sálvation *
which you have prepáred for all nátions,
the líght to enlíghten the Géntiles *
and give glóry to Ísrael, your péople.
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.
Save us, Lord, while we are awake; protect us while we sleep; that we may keep watch with Christ and rest with him in peace.
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Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ,
meek and humble of heart,
you offer to those who follow you
a yoke that is good to bear,
a burden that is light.
Accept, we beg you, our prayer and work of this day,
and grant us the rest we need
that we may be ever more willing to serve you,
who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.
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The Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
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Marian Anthem
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Mother of Christ! Hear thou thy people’s cry,
Star of the deep, and portal of the sky!
Mother of him who thee from nothing made,
Sinking we strive, and call to thee for aid:
Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.
Alma Redemptóris Mater,
quæ pérvia cæli porta manes,
et stella maris,
succúrre cadénti,
súrgere qui curat, pópulo;
tu quæ genuísti, natúra miránte,
tuum sanctum Genitórem,
Virgo prius ac postérius,
Gabriélis ab ore
sumens illud Ave,
peccatórum miserére.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.