Vespers (Evening Prayer)
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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 suitable hymn may be inserted here.
Psalm 14 (15)
Who is worthy to face the Lord? |
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The parents of Jesus found him in the temple, seated among the learned, listening to them and asking questions.
Lord, who will live in your tent?
Who will dwell on your holy mountain?
Whoever comes there without stain,
acts rightly, speaks truth in his heart.
Whoever does not speak deceitfully,
or do harm to his neighbour, or slander him.
Whoever despises the evil-doer,
but reveres those who fear the Lord.
Whoever swears and keeps his word, come what may
– lends his money without usury –
takes no bribe to condemn the innocent.
Whoever lives like this
will stand firm 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 parents of Jesus found him in the temple, seated among the learned, listening to them and asking questions.
Psalm 111 (112)
How blessed are the just |
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The mother of Jesus said to him: ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.’
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord
and loves his commands above all things.
His seed will be powerful on earth:
the descendants of the just will be blessed.
Glory and riches will fill his house,
and his righteousness will stand firm for ever.
He rises up in the darkness,
a light for the upright,
compassionate, generous, and just.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends,
who directs his affairs with wisdom –
he will never be shaken.
The just man will be remembered for ever,
no slander will he fear.
His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord;
his heart is strong, it will not fear,
until he looks down on his defeated enemies.
He gives alms and helps the poor:
his righteousness will endure for ever,
his future will be glorious.
The transgressor will see, and be enraged:
he will grind his teeth and fade away.
The desires of the wicked will perish.
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 mother of Jesus said to him: ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.’
Jesus went down from Jerusalem with them, and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority.
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty;
just and true are your ways, King of all nations!
Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship in your presence,
for your judgements have been seen by all.
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 went down from Jerusalem with them, and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority.
| Short reading | Colossians 3:23-24 © |
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Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.
The righteous man will grow like the lily.
– The righteous man will grow like the lily.
And bloom for ever before the Lord.
– The righteous man will grow like the lily.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The righteous man will grow like the lily.
| My soul rejoices in the Lord |
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Jesus was now almost thirty, the son, so people thought, of Joseph.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.
He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children 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.
Jesus was now almost thirty, the son, so people thought, of Joseph.
| Prayers and Intercessions | |
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From God the Father all fatherhood takes its name, in heaven and in earth. Let us turn to him in prayer:
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
Holy Father, the mystery of Christ had been hidden since before time began but you revealed it to Joseph:
grant that we may more clearly acknowledge your Son as God and man.
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
Heavenly Father, you feed the birds of the air, you clothe the grass of the field:
give all men the daily gift of the bread of heaven.
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
Creator of all things, you entrusted your work to our care:
give workers a fair share of the fruit of their labours.
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
God of righteousness, it is your will that men should be made righteous:
through the blessed Joseph, grant that we may live lives that are pleasing to you.
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
In your kindness grant this to the dying and the dead: that through your Son, and Mary his mother and the blessed Joseph,
they may receive your mercy.
– Our Father in heaven, hear us.
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 God, at the beginning of your plan to save the human race you entrusted your Son to Joseph’s care.
By his intercession may your Church
be a constant faithful guardian of your saving mysteries.
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.
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
A M E N
The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The downloadable versions of Universalis do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
