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Vespers (Evening Prayer)

INTRODUCTION

Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.

Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen. Allelúia.

INTRODUCTION

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.

Hymnus

Angelum pacis Míchael ad istam,

Christe, demítti rogitámus aulam,

cuncta quo crebro veniénte crescant

próspera nobis.

Angelus fortis Gábriel, ut hostem

pellat antíquum, vólitet supérne,

sǽpius templum cúpiens favéndo

vísere nostrum.

Angelum nobis médicum salútis

mitte de cælis Ráphael, ut omnes

sanet ægrótos paritérque nostros

dírigat actus.

Christe, sanctórum decus angelórum,

adsit illórum chorus usque nobis,

ut simul tandem Tríadi per ævum

cármina demus. Amen.

Hymn

Thee, O Christ, the Father’s splendour,

Life and virtue of the heart,

In the presence of the Angels

Sing we now with tuneful art;

Fitly in alternate chorus

Bearing our responsive part.

Thus we praise with veneration

All the armies of the sky;

Chiefly him, the warrior Primate

Of celestial chivalry,

Michael, who in princely virtue

Cast Abaddon from on high.

By whose watchful care repelling,

King of everlasting grace,

Every ghostly adversary,

All things evil, all things base,

Grant us of thine only goodness

In thy Paradise a place.

Glory to the Father sing we

With resounding voices sweet,

Glory unto Christ our Saviour,

Glory to the Paraclete:

Standing forth, One God and Trinal,

Ere the ages; as is meet.

Ps 8:2-10
Maiestas Domini et dignitas hominis

“Omnia subiecit sub pedibus eius, et ipsum dedit caput supra omnia Ecclesiæ” (Eph 1, 22).

Eleváta est magnificéntia tua super cælos, Rex angelórum.

2Dómine, Dóminus noster,*

quam admirábile est nomen tuum in univérsa terra,

quóniam eleváta est magnificéntia tua*

super cælos.

3Ex ore infántium et lactántium†

perfecísti laudem propter inimícos tuos,*

ut déstruas inimícum et ultórem.

4Quando vídeo cælos tuos, ópera digitórum tuórum,*

lunam et stellas, quæ tu fundásti,

5quid est homo, quod memor es eius,*

aut fílius hóminis quóniam vísitas eum?

6Minuísti eum paulo minus ab ángelis,†

glória et honóre coronásti eum*

7et constituísti eum super ópera mánuum tuárum.

Omnia subiecísti sub pédibus eius,†

8oves et boves univérsas,*

ínsuper et pécora campi,

9vólucres cæli et pisces maris,*

quæcúmque perámbulant sémitas maris.

10Dómine, Dóminus noster,*

quam admirábile est nomen tuum in univérsa terra!

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Eleváta est magnificéntia tua super cælos, Rex angelórum.

Psalm 8
The greatness of God, the dignity of man

King of the angels, your splendour surpasses that of the heavens.

How wonderful is your name over all the earth,

O Lord, our Lord!

How exalted is your glory

above the sky!

Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise,

to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and stars, which you set in their place –

what is man, that you should take thought for him?

what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels;

you have crowned him with glory and honour;

you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet,

cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,

the birds in the air and the fish in the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth,

O Lord, our Lord!

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.

King of the angels, your splendour surpasses that of the heavens.

Ps 137:1-8
Gratiarum actio

“Reges terrae afferent gloriam suam et honorem in civitatem sanctam” (Cf. Ap 21, 24).

In conspéctu angelórum psallam tibi, Deus meus.

1Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo,*

quóniam audísti verba oris mei.

In conspéctu angelórum psallam tibi,*

2adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum;

et confitébor nómini tuo†

propter misericórdiam tuam et veritátem tuam,*

quóniam magnificásti super omne nomen elóquium tuum.

3In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me;*

multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.

4Confitebúntur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ,*

quia audiérunt elóquia oris tui.

5Et cantábunt vias Dómini,*

quóniam magna est glória Dómini;

6quóniam excélsus Dóminus,†

et húmilem réspicit,*

et supérbum a longe cognóscit.

7Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me;†

et contra iram inimicórum meórum exténdes manum tuam,*

et salvum me fáciet déxtera tua.

8Dóminus perfíciet pro me;†

Dómine, misericórdia tua in sǽculum:*

ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

In conspéctu angelórum psallam tibi, Deus meus.

Psalm 137 (138)
Thanksgiving

Before the angels I will bless you, my God.

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart,

for you have heard the words of my mouth.

In the presence of the angels I will make music to you,

worship before your holy temple.

I will praise your name

because of your mercy and faithfulness:

high above all other names is the greatness of your word.

Each day that I call on you, Lord,

listen to me, strengthen my spirit.

All the kings of the earth will proclaim your glory, Lord,

when they hear your word.

They will sing of the paths of the Lord,

so great is his glory.

For the Lord is on high

but he cares for the humble;

and he knows the proud from afar.

If I walk in the midst of troubles, you will give me life.

If my enemies rise up against me,

your right hand will keep me safe.

The Lord does all that I need.

Lord, your kindness lasts for ever:

do not forsake the work of your hands.

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.

Before the angels I will bless you, my God.

Canticum	cf. Col 1:12-20

Christus primogenitus omnis creaturæ et primogenitus ex mortuis

Vidi in médio throni Agnum stantem tamquam occísum et audívi vocem angelórum multórum in circúitu throni.

12Grátias agámus Deo Patri,*

qui idóneos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine;

13qui erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum*

et tránstulit in regnum Fílii dilectiónis suæ,

14in quo habémus redemptiónem,*

remissiónem peccatórum;

15qui est imágo Dei invisíbilis,*

primogénitus omnis creatúræ,

16quia in ipso cóndita sunt univérsa†

in cælis et in terra,*

visibília et invisibília,

sive throni sive dominatiónes*

sive principátus sive potestátes.

Omnia per ipsum et in ipsum creáta sunt,†

17et ipse est ante ómnia,*

et ómnia in ipso constant.

18Et ipse est caput córporis ecclésiæ;†

qui est princípium, primogénitus ex mórtuis,*

ut sit in ómnibus ipse primátum tenens,

19quia in ipso complácuit omnem plenitúdinem habitáre*

20et per eum reconciliáre ómnia in ipsum,

pacíficans per sánguinem crucis eius,*

sive quæ in terris sive quæ in cælis sunt.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Vidi in médio throni Agnum stantem tamquam occísum et audívi vocem angelórum multórum in circúitu throni.

Canticle	(Colossians 1)

Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

I saw the Lamb standing, as it were, slain, and occupying the throne; all around arose the sound of angel choirs.

Let us give thanks to God the Father,

who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance.

He has rescued us from the power of the shadows

and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption

and the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the first-born of all creation,

for in him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

thrones and dominations,

principalities and powers.

All things were created through him and for him:

he is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the Church.

He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead,

and so he is pre-eminent above all.

For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him,

and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.

Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things,

both on Earth and in the heavens.

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 saw the Lamb standing, as it were, slain, and occupying the throne; all around arose the sound of angel choirs.

Lectio brevis	Ap 1:4-5,6

Grátia vobis et pax ab eo, qui est et qui erat et qui ventúrus est, et a septem spirítibus, qui in conspéctu throni eius sunt, et ab Iesu Christo, qui est testis fidélis, primogénitus mortuórum et princeps regum terræ. Ei qui díligit nos et solvit nos a peccátis nostris in sánguine suo, glória et impérium.

Scripture Reading
Apocalypse 1:4-5,6 ©

Grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits in his presence before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, who is the First-Born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood. To him, then, be glory and power.

Responsorium breve

℣. Ascéndit fumus arómatum* In conspéctu Dómini. Ascéndit.

℟. De manu ángeli.* In conspéctu Dómini. Glória Patri. Ascéndit.

Short Responsory

Sweet-scented smoke went up in the Lord’s presence.

– Sweet-scented smoke went up in the Lord’s presence.

From an angel’s hand.

– Sweet-scented smoke went up in the Lord’s presence.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Sweet-scented smoke went up in the Lord’s presence.

Canticum

Exsultatio animæ in Domino

Gábriel ángelus locútus est Maríæ dicens: Ecce concípies in útero et páries fílium et vocábis nomen eius Iesum.

Magníficat*

ánima mea Dóminum,

et exsultávit spíritus meus*

in Deo salvatóre meo,

quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ.*

Ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes,

quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,*

et sanctum nomen eius,

et misericórdia eius in progénies et progénies*

timéntibus eum.

Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,*

dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;

depósuit poténtes de sede*

et exaltávit húmiles;

esuriéntes implévit bonis*

et dívites dimísit inánes.

Suscépit Israel púerum suum,*

recordátus misericórdiæ,

sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,*

Abraham et sémini eius in sǽcula.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Gábriel ángelus locútus est Maríæ dicens: Ecce concípies in útero et páries fílium et vocábis nomen eius Iesum.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: ‘You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.’

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.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: ‘You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.’

Preces

Dóminum deprecémur, ut cum ángelis, qui fáciunt voluntátem eius, ad audiéndam vocem sermónum ipsíus promptióres reddámur. Ideóque orémus dicéntes:

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Ut per manus angelórum sicut fumus arómatum

oratiónes nostræ coram te ascéndant.

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Ut per manus ángeli tui in sublíme altáre tuum

oblatiónes nostræ deferántur.

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Ut cum multitúdine cæléstis milítiæ glóriam in altíssimis Deo

et in terra pacem homínibus annuntiáre valeámus.

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Ut in fine vitæ nostræ nos ángeli suscípiant

et ad pátriam paradísi perdúcant.

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Ut sígnifer sanctus Míchael ánimas fidélium defunctórum

in lucem sanctam repræséntet.

– Te rogámus, audi nos.

Prayers and intercessions

The powers of heaven stand at God’s throne to serve him. Let us ask our Father to make us ready to do his will on earth.