Sunday 29 December 2019
The Holy Family
Compline (Night Prayer)
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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 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High
“Behold, I have given you power to tread under foot both serpents and scorpions” (Lk 10:19).
He will conceal you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.
He who dwélls in the shélter of the Most Hígh *
and abídes in the sháde of the Almíghty
sáys to the Lórd: ‘My réfuge, *
my strónghold, my Gód in whom I trúst!’
It is hé who will frée you from the snáre *
of the fówler who séeks to destróy you;
hé will concéal you with his pínions *
and únder his wíngs you will find réfuge.
You will not féar the térror of the níght *
nor the árrow that flíes by dáy,
nor the plágue that prówls in the dárkness *
nor the scóurge that lays wáste at nóon.
A thóusand may fáll at your síde, *
tén thousand fáll at your ríght,
yóu, it will néver appróach; *
his fáithfulness is búckler and shíeld.
Your éyes have ónly to lóok *
to sée how the wícked are repáid,
yóu who have said: ‘Lórd, my réfuge!’ *
and have máde the Most Hígh your dwélling.
Upon yóu no évil shall fáll, *
no plágue appróach where you dwéll.
For yóu has he commánded his ángels, *
to kéep you in áll your wáys.
They shall béar you upón their hánds *
lest you stríke your fóot against a stóne.
On the líon and the víper you will tréad *
and trámple the young líon and the drágon.
Since he clíngs to me in lóve, I will frée him; *
protéct him for he knóws my náme.
When he cálls I shall ánswer: ‘I am wíth you,’ *
I will sáve him in distréss and give him glóry.
With léngth of lífe I will contént him; *
I shall lét him see my sáving pówer.
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.
He will conceal you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, when tempted by the devil, you remained loyal to your Father whose angels watched over you at his command. Guard your Church and keep us safe from the plague of sin so that we may remain loyal to the day we enjoy your salvation and your glory.
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Short Reading
Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the Lord face to face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign for ever and ever.
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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.
God our Father,
as we have celebrated today the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection,
grant our humble prayer:
free us from all harm
that we may sleep in peace
and rise in joy to sing your praise.
Through Christ our Lord,
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.