Thursday 20 January 2022
Thursday of week 2 in Ordinary Time
or Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr
or Saint Sebastian, Martyr
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
Blest are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ’s abode.
The Lord, who left the heavens,
Our life and peace to bring,
To dwell in lowliness with men,
Their pattern and their King:
Still to the lowly soul
He does himself impart,
And for his dwelling and his throne
Chooses the pure in heart.
Lord, we thy presence seek;
May ours this blessing be;
Give us a pure and lowly heart,
A temple fit for thee.
________
Psalm 71 (72):1-11
The Messiah's royal power
“They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11).
I will make you the light of the nations to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and save the children of the needy
and crush the oppressor.
He shall endure like the sun and the moon
from age to age.
He shall descend like rain on the meadow,
like raindrops on the earth.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Before him his enemies shall fall,
his foes lick the dust.
The kings of Tharsis and the sea coasts
shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him.
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 will make you the light of the nations to bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
________
Psalm 71 (72):12-19
The Lord will save the poor; from oppression he will rescue their lives.
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.
May corn be abundant in the land
to the peaks of the mountains.
May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;
may men flourish in the cities
like grass on the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.
Amen! Amen!
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.
The Lord will save the poor; from oppression he will rescue their lives.
Psalm-prayer
We call upon your name, Father, and pronounce it blessed above the earth. Give your people the fullness of peace and justice in your kingdom.
Or:
Almighty God, you gave the kingdom of justice and peace to David and his descendant, our Lord Jesus Christ. Extend this kingdom to every family of nations so that through your Son all men may obtain true peace, the poor receive justice, the destitute relief, and the people of earth find a blessing in his name.
________
Canticle
Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
Victory and empire have now been won by our God.
We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
that you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great.
Now the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
And they have conquered him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Rejoice, then, O heaven,
and you that dwell therein.
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.
Victory and empire have now been won by our God.
________
Short Reading
1 Peter 1:22-23
You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart – your new birth was not from any mortal seed but from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God.
________
Short Responsory
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
The Lord has satisfied and filled with good things those who hungered for justice.
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.
The Lord has satisfied and filled with good things those who hungered for justice.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Let us lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God our Father, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual gift.
– Lord, bless your people.
Father, look on the Pope, our bishops, and all Christian leaders:
sustain their faith, their love, and their courage.
– Lord, bless your people.
Almighty God, we pray for our country:
may it promote justice and brotherhood in the world.
– Lord, bless your people.
We pray for all who live the Christian life:
Father, look on them with kindness, and see in them the face of your beloved Son.
– Lord, bless your people.
Remember those who have consecrated themselves to serve you in the religious life:
enrich them in their poverty, love them in their chastity, lighten their hearts in obedience to you.
– Lord, bless your people.
Give rest to those who have died in Christ:
for with you there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
– Lord, bless your people.
________
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.
________
We beseech your mercy, Lord,
as we offer you this evening praise.
Keep our hearts always engaged in meditating on your law,
and grant us the light and reward of eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2022 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.