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.
HYMN
O Loving Maker, hear the prayers
we raise to you with sighs and tears,
as we observe these forty days
with holy fast and abstinence.
You search all hearts with loving care
and know the weakness of our pow’rs;
show mercy, Lord, forgive the sins
of those who turn to seek your grace.
Though we, in truth, have greatly sinned,
yet spare us who confess our guilt;
restore and heal our ailing souls
for praise and honor of your name.
Grant us through corp’ral abstinence
to learn and practice self-control,
that inwardly with sober mind
we fast from ev’ry stain of sin.
Grant us, O Blessed Trinity,
O Undivided Unity,
to see this service of our fast
bring forth your fruit within our hearts. Amen.
Tune: JENA, 8 8 8 8
Music: later form of melody by Melchior Vulpius, ca. 1570-1615, composed in 1609
or Mode II, melody 44; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Audi, benigne Conditor, attributed to Saint Gregory the Great, ca. 540-604, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 God has appointed Christ to be the judge of the living and the dead.
Psalm 110:1-5, 7
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: †
“Sit on my right: *
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”
The Lord will wield from Zion †
your scepter of power: *
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth †
on the holy mountains; *
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change. †
“You are a priest for ever, *
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand *
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside *
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
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
Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praising you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.
Ant. God has appointed Christ to be the judge of the living and the dead.
Ant. 2 Happy the man who shows mercy for the Lord’s sake; he will stand firm for ever.
Psalm 112
The happiness of the just man
Live as children born of the light. Light produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9).
Happy the man who fears the Lord, *
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth; *
the children of the upright are blessed.
Riches and wealth are in his house; *
his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright: *
he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends, *
he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver: *
he will be remembered for ever.
He has no fear of evil news; *
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear; *
he will see the downfall of his foes.
Open-handed, he gives to the poor; †
his justice stands firm for ever. *
His head will be raised in glory.
The wicked man sees and is angry, †
grinds his teeth and fades away; *
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.
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
Lord God, you are the eternal light which illumines the hearts of good people. Help us to love you, to rejoice in your glory, and so to live in this world as to avoid harsh judgment in the next. May we come to see the light of your countenance.
Ant. Happy the man who shows mercy for the Lord’s sake; he will stand firm for ever.
Ant. 3 Those things, which God foretold through his prophets concerning the sufferings that Christ would endure, have been fulfilled.
Canticle: 1 Peter 2:21-24
The willing acceptance of his passion by Christ, the servant of God
Christ suffered for you, †
and left you an example *
to have you follow in his footsteps.
He did no wrong; *
no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, *
he returned no insult.
When he was made to suffer, *
he did not counter with threats.
Instead he delivered himself up *
to the One who judges justly.
In his own body *
he brought your sins to the cross,
so that all of us, dead to sin, *
could live in accord with God’s will.
By his wounds you were healed.
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. Those things, which God foretold through his prophets concerning the sufferings that Christ would endure, have been fulfilled.
READING
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
While all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, the award goes to one man. In that case, run so as to win! Athletes deny themselves all sorts of things. They do this to win a crown of leaves that withers, but we a crown that is imperishable.
RESPONSORY
Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.
— Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.
Christ Jesus, hear our humble petitions,
— for we have sinned against you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Listen to us, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. My son, you have been with me all the time and everything I have is yours. But we had to feast and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost to us and now has been found.
[ET] A sǽculo non est audítum quia quis apéruit óculos cæci nati, nisi Christus Fílius Dei.
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. My son, you have been with me all the time and everything I have is yours. But we had to feast and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost to us and now has been found.
[ET] A sǽculo non est audítum quia quis apéruit óculos cæci nati, nisi Christus Fílius Dei.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us give thanks continually to Christ, our teacher and our head, who came to serve and to do good to all, In humility and confidence let us ask him:
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
Lord, be present to the bishops and priests of your Church, who share your role as head and shepherd,
— may they lead your people to the Father under your guidance.
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
May your angel be with all who travel,
— to keep them safe in soul and body.
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
Teach us to serve the needs of others,
— and to be like you who came to serve, not to be served.
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
Grant that in the human family, brother may always help brother,
— so that, with your assistance, it may be a city compact and strong.
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
Have mercy on all the dead,
— bring them to the vision of your glory.
Come, Lord, to visit your family.
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
Father of peace,
we are joyful in your Word,
your Son Jesus Christ,
who reconciles us to you.
Let us hasten toward Easter
with the eagerness of faith 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.
Or:
O God, who through your Word
reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way,
grant, we pray,
that with prompt devotion and eager faith
the Christian people may hasten
toward the solemn celebrations to come.
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.
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.
******
Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us did fast and pray,
Teach us with you to mourn our sins,
And close by you to stay.
As you with Satan did contend
And did the vict’ry win,
O give us strength in you to fight,
In you to conquer sin.
As you did hunger and did thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self and so to live
By your most holy word.
Abide with us that through this life
Of suff’ring and of pain
An Easter of unending joy
We may at last attain.
Tune: St. Flavian C.M.
Music: Day’s Psalter, 1562
Text: Claudia Hernaman, 1838-1898, alt.
Or:
Take up your cross, the Savior said,
If you would my disciple be;
Deny yourself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after me.
Take up your cross, let not its weight
Fill your weak spirit with alarm;
His strength shall bear your spirit up,
Shall brace your heart and nerve your arm.
Take up your cross then in his strength,
And ev’ry danger calmly brave,
To guide you to a better home,
And vict’ry over death and grave.
Take up your cross and follow Christ,
Nor think till death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.
To you, great Lord, the One in three,
All praise for evermore ascend;
O grant us here below to see
The heav’nly life that knows no end.
Tune: Breslau or Winchester New L.M.
Music: (Breslau) As Hymnodus Sacer, 1625, or (Winchester New) Musikalisches Handbuch, Hamburg, 1690
Text: Charles William Everest, 1814-1877, adapted by Anthony G. Petti
Or:
Forty days and forty nights
You were fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted and yet undefiled.
Shall not we your sorrow share
And from worldly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Strong with you to suffer pain?
Then if Satan on us press,
Flesh or spirit to assail,
Victor in the wilderness,
Grant we may not faint nor fail!
So shall we have peace divine:
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as served you faithfully.
Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
Ever constant by your side;
That with you we may appear
At the ’ternal Eastertide.
Tune: Heinlein 77.77
Music: Attributed to Martin Herbst, 1654-1681
Text: George Hunt Smyttan 1822-1870