Friday 4 February 2022
Friday of week 4 in Ordinary Time
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
Day is done, but Love unfailing
Dwells ever here;
Shadows fall, but hope, prevailing,
Calms every fear.
Loving Father, none forsaking,
Take our hearts, of Love’s own making,
Watch our sleeping, guard our waking,
Be always near!
Dark descends, but Light unending
Shines through our night;
You are with us, ever lending
New strength to sight;
One in love, your truth confessing,
One in hope of heaven’s blessing,
May we see, in love’s possessing,
Love’s endless light!
James Quinn SJ
________
Psalm 144 (145):1-13
The greatness and goodness of God
“You, O Lord, are the One who was and who is, the Just One” (Rev 16:5)
I will bless you day after day and tell of your wonderful deeds, O Lord.
I will give you glory, O God my King,
I will bless your name for ever.
I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.
Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendour and glory,
tell the tale of your wonderful works.
They will speak of your terrible deeds,
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness;
age to age shall ring out your justice.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendour of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule lasts from age to age.
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 bless you day after day and tell of your wonderful deeds, O Lord.
________
Psalm 144 (145):13-21
The eyes of all creatures look to you, Lord; you are close to all who call upon you.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall
and raises all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
grant the desires of all who live.
The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts.
He grants the desires of those who fear him,
he hears their cry and he saves them.
The Lord protects all who love him;
but the wicked he will utterly destroy.
Let me speak the praise of the Lord,
let all mankind bless his holy name
for ever, for ages unending.
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 eyes of all creatures look to you, Lord; you are close to all who call upon you.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, be near to all who call upon you in truth and increase the dedication of those who revere you. Hear their prayers and save them, that they may always love you and praise your holy name.
Or:
Lord Jesus Christ, you have revealed to the sons of men the wonders of your love and your Father’s faithfulness from all time. Listen to our hymn of joy: we praise you for all the things you have done; give all men bread at the right season, give them food for this life, and the mystery of eternal life.
________
Canticle
Apocalypse 15
A hymn of adoration
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.
Great and wonderful are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the ages!
Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord?
For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship you,
for your judgements have been revealed.
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.
Your ways are just and true, King of all the ages.
________
Short Reading
Romans 8:1-2
The reason why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
________
Short Responsory
Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
In the body he was put to death; in the spirit he was raised to life.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ died for our sins, that he might offer us to God.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
Remember your mercy, O Lord; according to the promise you made to our fathers.
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.
Remember your mercy, O Lord; according to the promise you made to our fathers.
________
Prayers and intercessions
God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we might have life through him. We are able to love God because he loved us first. And so we pray:
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
Jesus forgave the penitent woman her sins because she had loved much:
may we too know his healing touch and love you with all our hearts.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
You look with compassion on the humble and contrite of heart:
in your goodness, turn our hearts to you and help us to do what we know to be right.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
We acknowledge the suffering we have caused to others:
we ask forgiveness for our neglect and indifference.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
We ask you to remember tonight those who are in great difficulty:
give new heart to those who have lost their faith in man and in God, to those who seek the truth but cannot find it.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
Remember all those who put their hope in you while they lived:
through the passion and death of your Son, grant them the remission of all their sins.
– Lord, help us to love you and to love one another.
________
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.
________
God of power and mercy,
who willed that Christ your Son should suffer for the salvation of all the world,
grant that your people may strive to offer themselves to you as a living sacrifice,
and may be filled with the fullness of your love.
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.