Sunday 3 May 2020
4th Sunday of Easter
Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
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
The Lamb’s high banquet we await,
In snow-white robes of royal state;
And now, the Red Sea’s channel past,
To Christ our Prince we sing at last.
Upon the altar of the Cross
His body hath redeemed our loss;
And tasting of his scarlet blood,
Our life is hid with him in God.
Now Christ our paschal Lamb is slain,
The Lamb of God that knows no stain,
The true oblation offered here,
Our own unleavened bread sincere.
O thou, from whom hell’s monarch flies,
O great, O very Sacrifice,
Thy captive people are set free,
And endless life restored in thee.
To thee who, dead, again dost live,
All glory, Lord, thy people give:
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
________
Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
“He must be king so that he may put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25).
You must look for the things of heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Alleluia.
The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
‘Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.’
The Lord will wield from Sion
your sceptre of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
‘You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.’
The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
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 must look for the things of heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Alleluia.
Psalm-prayer
Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praise you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.
Or:
Almighty God, bring the kingdom of Christ, your anointed one, to its fullness. May the perfect offering of your Son, eternal priest of the new Jerusalem, be offered in every place to your name and make all nations a holy people for you.
________
Psalm 111 (112)
How blessed are the just
“Be like the children of the light; for the fruits of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth” (Eph 5:8,9).
He has risen as a light in the darkness, for the upright of heart. Alleluia.
Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.
Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.
He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes.
Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.
The wicked man sees and is angry,
grinds his teeth and fades away;
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.
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 has risen as a light in the darkness, for the upright of heart. Alleluia.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, you are the eternal light which illumines the hearts of good people. Help us to love you, to rejoice in your glory, and so to live in this world as to avoid harsh judgement in the next. May we come to see the light of your countenance.
Or:
Lord Jesus, you are the light rising in darkness for the just. To show your love for us you offered yourself in our place as a victim to God. Teach us to love one another as you love us, that our love may bring peace and joy to the world and enable us to find the happiness of your home.
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Canticle
(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
Alleluia. Victory and glory and power to our God! Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
his judgements are true and just.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, small and great.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns,
let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
The marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Alleluia.
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. Victory and glory and power to our God! Alleluia.
________
Short Reading
Hebrews 10:12-14
Christ has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying.
________
Short Responsory
The Lord has truly risen, alleluia, alleluia.
– The Lord has truly risen, alleluia, alleluia.
He has appeared to Simon.
– The Lord has truly risen, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has truly risen, alleluia, alleluia.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
I am the good shepherd. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full. Alleluia. (Year A)
Or: The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; and I, the Lord, know them, alleliua.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons 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.
I am the good shepherd. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full. Alleluia. (Year A)
Or: The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; and I, the Lord, know them, alleliua.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Let us pray to God the Father, who raised Jesus to life and exalted him at his own right hand.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
Father, through the victory of the cross you have lifted up Jesus from the earth;
may he draw all men to himself.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
Through the exaltation of Christ send your Spirit into the Church;
make her the sign of unity for the whole human family.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
You have become the Father of men through water and the Spirit;
keep them faithful to their baptism until they enter eternal life.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
Through the exaltation of your Son raise up the sorrowful, set prisoners free, heal the sick;
may the whole world rejoice in your wonderful gifts.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
You nourished the faithful departed with Christ’s body and blood;
let them share in his glory on the day of resurrection.
– Lord, protect your people through the glory of Christ.
________
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, ever-living God,
bring us to the joy of your heavenly city:
so that we, your little flock,
may follow where Christ, our Good Shepherd,
has gone before us by the power of his resurrection.
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.
Copyright © 1996-2020 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.