INTRODUCTION
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
Behold, the slowly setting sun
departs from mountain, field, and sea;
it leaves with sadness, yet renews
the promise of tomorrow’s light.
For we in wonder recognize
that you, Creator, thus provide
and give to shadows, as to light,
the laws that guide the change of hours.
So while the darkness shrouds the sky
and weighs in silence on the world,
when pow’r and strength for labor fail,
then rest is sought with keen desire.
Endowed with faith and hope in you,
we find all blessing in your Light,
refulgent glory born from you:
your Word before the dawn of time.
He is the Sun that knows no end,
that never rises, never sets,
in whose protection earth exults,
whom heaven sings with endless joy.
Grant us at length to find our joy
for ever in this light serene,
repeating hymns of praise to you
and to the Son and Spirit blest. Amen.
Tune: OLD HUNDRETH, 8 8 8 8
Music: from the Genevan Psalter, 1551
or Mode I, melody 27; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Sol, ecce, lentus occidens, Anselmo Lentini, O. S. B., 1901-1989, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24
God sees all that is
Who has known the mind of God, who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:34).
I
O Lord, you search me and you know me, †
you know my resting and my rising, *
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down, *
all my ways lie open to you.
Before ever a word is on my tongue *
you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me, *
your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, *
too high, beyond my reach.
O where can I go from your spirit, *
or where can I flee from your face?
If I climb the heavens, you are there. *
If I lie in the grave, you are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn *
and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,
even there your hand would lead me, *
your right hand would hold me fast.
If I say: “Let the darkness hide me *
and the light around me be night,”
even darkness is not dark for you *
and the night is as clear as the day.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, *
is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Ant. 2 I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
II
For it was you who created my being, *
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being, *
for the wonders of all your creation.
Already you knew my soul, *
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret *
and molded in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw all my actions, *
they were all of them written in your book;
every one of my days was decreed *
before one of them came into being.
To me, how mysterious your thoughts, *
the sum of them not to be numbered!
If I count them, they are more than the sand; *
to finish, I must be eternal, like you.
O search me, God, and know my heart. *
O test me and know my thoughts.
See that I follow not the wrong path *
and lead me in the path of life eternal.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
You watch over heaven and earth, Lord Jesus. Your death brought light to the dead; your resurrection gave joy to the saints; your ascension made the angels rejoice. Your power exceeds all power. Lead us to life eternal, and watch over us with your love. May your friends be filled with honor and join you in heaven.
Ant. I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father *
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints *
in light.
He rescued us *
from the power of darkness
and brought us *
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption, *
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, *
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, *
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him; *
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is. *
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church! *
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead, *
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him *
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens, *
making peace through the blood of his cross.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
READING
1 John 2:3-6
The way we can be sure of our knowledge of Christ
is to keep his commandments.
The man who claims, “I have known him,”
without keeping his commandments,
is a liar; in such a one there is no truth.
But whoever keeps his word,
truly has the love of God been made perfect in him.
The way we can be sure we are in union with him
is for the man who claims to abide in him
to conduct himself just as he did.
RESPONSORY
Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.
— Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.
Gather us under the shadow of your wings, and keep us,
— as the apple of your eye.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud and lift up the lowly.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, †
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Lord, with the strength of your arm scatter the proud and lift up the lowly.
INTERCESSIONS
With joyful hearts, let us praise the Eternal Father whose mercy toward his people is exalted to the heavens:
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
Remember, Lord, that you sent your Son into the world to be its savior, not its judge,
— let his glorious death bring us salvation.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
You ordained your priests to be ministers of Christ and stewards of your marvelous gifts,
— fill them with fidelity, wisdom and love.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
You have called men and women to chastity for the sake of the kingdom,
— let them faithfully follow your Son.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
From the beginning you intended husband and wife to be one,
— keep all families united in sincere love.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
You sent Christ Jesus into the world to absolve the sins of men,
— free all the dead from their sins.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught 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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
God our Father,
you have filled the hungry with the good things of heaven.
Keep in mind your infinite compassion.
Look upon our poverty:
and let us share the riches of your life and love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
******
O worship the king, all glorious above;
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our shield and defender, the ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.
O tell of his might, O sing of his grace;
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;
His chariots of wrath the deep thunder-clouds form,
And dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, thy power hath founded of old;
Hath ’sablished it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea.
Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend.
O measureless might, ineffable love,
While angels delight to hymn thee above,
Thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall sing to thy praise.
Tune: Hanover 10.10.11.11
Music: William Croft, 1682-1727
Text: Robert Grant, 1779-1838