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 As the serpent was lifted up in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.
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. As the serpent was lifted up in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.
Ant. 2 The Lord of hosts protects us and sets us free; he guides and saves his people.
Psalm 114
The Israelites are delivered from the bondage of Egypt
You too left Egypt when, at baptism, you renounced that world which is at enmity with God (Saint Augustine).
When Israel came forth from Egypt, *
Jacob’s sons from an alien people,
Judah became the Lord’s temple, *
Israel became his kingdom.
The sea fled at the sight: *
the Jordan turned back on its course,
the mountains leapt like rams *
and the hills like yearling sheep.
Why was it, sea, that you fled, *
that you turned back, Jordan, on your course?
Mountains, that you leapt like rams, *
hills, like yearling sheep?
Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, *
in the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool *
and flint into a spring of water.
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
Almighty God, ever-living mystery of unity and Trinity, you gave life to the new Israel by birth from water and the Spirit, and made it a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people set apart as your eternal possession. May all those you have called to walk in the splendor of the new light render you fitting service and adoration.
Ant. The Lord of hosts protects us and sets us free; he guides and saves his people.
Ant. 3 He was pierced for our offenses and burdened with our sins. By his wounds we are healed.
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. He was pierced for our offenses and burdened with our sins. By his wounds we are healed.
READING
Acts 13:26-30
My brothers, it was to us that this message of salvation was sent forth. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers failed to recognize him, and in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets which we read sabbath after sabbath. Even though they found no charge against him which deserved death, they begged Pilate to have him executed. Once they had brought about all that had been written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. Yet God raised him from the dead.
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. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.
[ET] Ego crédidi quia tu es Christus Fílius Dei, qui in mundum venísti.
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. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.
[ET] Ego crédidi quia tu es Christus Fílius Dei, qui in mundum venísti.
INTERCESSIONS
All praise to God the Father who brought his chosen people to rebirth from imperishable seed through his eternal Word. Let us ask him as his children:
Lord, be gracious to your people.
God of mercy, hear the prayers we offer for all your people,
— may they hunger for your word more than for bodily food.
Lord, be gracious to your people.
Give us a sincere and active love for our own nation and for all mankind,
— may we work always to build a world of peace and goodness.
Lord, be gracious to your people.
Look with love on all to be reborn in baptism,
— that they may be living stones in your temple of the Spirit.
Lord, be gracious to your people.
You moved Nineveh to repentance by the preaching of Jonah,
— in your mercy touch the hearts of sinners by the preaching of your word.
Lord, be gracious to your people.
May the dying go in hope to meet Christ their judge,
— may they rejoice for ever in the vision of your glory.
Lord, be gracious to your people.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Remember us, Lord, when you come to your kingdom and teach us how to pray:)
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,
help us to be like Christ your Son,
who loved the world and died for our salvation.
Inspire us by his love,
guide us by his example,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God,
may we walk eagerly in that same charity
with which, out of love for the world,
your Son handed himself over to death.
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