Thursday 6 August 2020
The Transfiguration of the Lord - Feast
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.
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Hymn
A single moment holds
Eternity’s vast span
As wondering earth beholds
God’s heaven revealed in man.
Both sun and moon grow dim
And lesser stars yield place
As Light from Light they hymn
In Christ’s transfigured face.
Now Law and Prophets speak
Of what must soon befall
The one who dares to seek
Salvation for us all.
Here Peter, James and John
Stand awed by this strange sight
As whom they gaze upon
Shines whiter than the light.
The Father’s voice is heard
Bright cloud hides all around
His Son, the listening Word,
Alone, alone is found.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
________
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).
Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone; and in their presence he was transfigured.
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.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone; and in their presence he was transfigured.
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 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
“They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor the scorching wind will ever plague them” (Rev 7:16).
A bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard a voice from the cloud saying ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’
I lift up my eyes to the mountains:
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.
The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and 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.
A bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard a voice from the cloud saying ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared a quiet place for us in your Father’s eternal home. Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey, shade us from the burning heat of day, and keep our lives free of evil until the end.
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Canticle
(1 Timothy 3)
The mystery and glory of Christ
As they were coming down from the mountain Jesus said to them, ‘Tell no man about this vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’ Alleluia.
℟. O praise the Lord, all you nations!
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the Spirit.
℟. O praise the Lord, all you nations!
He was seen by angels,
preached among the nations.
℟. O praise the Lord, all you nations!
He was believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
℟. O praise the Lord, all you nations!
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.
As they were coming down from the mountain Jesus said to them, ‘Tell no man about this vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’ Alleluia.
________
Short Reading
Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
________
Short Responsory
Majesty and power are his, alleluia, alleluia.
– Majesty and power are his, alleluia, alleluia.
State and splendour are in his holy place.
– Majesty and power are his, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Majesty and power are his, alleluia, alleluia.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
When the disciples heard they fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up and do not be afraid,’ alleluia.
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.
When the disciples heard they fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up and do not be afraid,’ alleluia.
________
Prayers and intercessions
On this day we pray to the Son of God, who revealed himself to his friends in the fullness of his glory, and we say:
– Lord, that we may see.
Bless the Church ever more with your risen life:
so that the world may see in her the integrity of your mission.
– Lord, that we may see.
You appeared with Elijah and Moses, accepting their homage:
may the world accept your word, and live by your law of love.
– Lord, that we may see.
Even before your passion your disciples saw your risen glory:
give us the vision to accept both suffering and joy.
– Lord, that we may see.
Emptied of glory, you preached the kingdom of God, and your own people did not accept you:
help us to find you in the poor and deprived, and to love them in your name.
– Lord, that we may see.
You showed to your friends the splendour of the living God:
take to yourself those who have died and make them glorious.
– Lord, that we may see.
________
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.
________
Father,
at the Transfiguration in glory of your Only-Begotten Son,
you confirmed the mysteries of faith
by the witness to Jesus of the prophets Moses and Elijah.
You foreshadowed there what we shall be
when you bring our sonship to its perfection.
Grant that by listening to the voice of Jesus
we may become heirs with him,
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.