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, will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
The banners of the King go forth,
the gleaming myst’ry of the Cross,
by which the Maker of all flesh
was yoked in flesh upon the wood;
Where, wounded as he hung on high
by ruthless blade of sharpened spear,
there flowed forth water mixed with blood,
to wash us clean from ev’ry sin.
O noble tree with blood adorned,
the splendid purple of the King,
wood chosen from a worthy stock
to touch and bear such holy limbs.
O blessed tree whose branches bore
the price and ransom of the world!
Like scales it weighed the body’s worth
and bore away the spoils of hell.
Hail altar, victim, sacrifice,
for glory gained through grief and death,
by which our Life endured to die
and through his death restored our life.
O Cross, all hail, our only hope!
In this most holy Passiontide,
increase the grace of loving hearts
and rid the guilty of their sin.
O Triune God, let all sing praise
to you, the font of saving grace;
sustain for ever those you save
by wondrous myst’ry of the Cross. Amen.
Tune: GONFALON ROYAL, 8 8 8 8
Music: Sir Percy Carter Buck, 1871-1947
or Mode I, melody 29; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Vexilla regis prodeunt, Venantius Fortunaus, ca. 530-600, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 What a great work of charity! Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.
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 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
Almighty God, bring the kingdom of Christ, your anointed one, to its fullness. May the perfect offering of your Son, eternal priest of the new Jerusalem, be offered in every place to your name and make all nations a holy people for you.
Ant. What a great work of charity! Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.
Ant. 2 We worship your cross, O Lord, and we commemorate your glorious passion. You suffered for us; have mercy on us.
Psalm 116:10-19
Thanksgiving in the Temple
Through Christ let us offer God a continual sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
I trusted, even when I said: *
“I am sorely afflicted,”
and when I said in my alarm: *
“No man can be trusted.”
How can I repay the Lord *
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise; *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord *
is the death of his faithful.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I; *
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make: *
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfill *
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, *
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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, precious in your sight is the death of the saints, but precious above all is the love with which Christ suffered to redeem us. In this life we will fill up in our own flesh what it is still lacking in the sufferings of Christ; accept this as our sacrifice of praise, and we shall even now taste the joy of the new Jerusalem.
Ant. We worship your cross, O Lord, and we commemorate your glorious passion. You suffered for us; have mercy on us.
Ant. 3 We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Canticle: Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn
O Lord our God, you are worthy *
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you have created all things; *
by your will they came to be and were made.
Worthy are you, O Lord, *
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.
For you were slain; *
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue, *
of every people and nation.
You made of them a kingdom, †
and priests to serve our God, *
and they shall reign on the earth.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain *
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength, *
honor and glory and praise.
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. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
READING
1 Corinthians 1:23-24
We preach Christ crucified—a stumbling block to Jews, and an absurdity to Gentiles; but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
RESPONSORY
O glorious cross, on you the King of angels was victorious.
— O glorious cross, on you the King of angels was victorious.
And he has washed away our sins in his own blood.
— On you the King of angels was victorious.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— O glorious cross, on you the King of angels was victorious.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. O cross, you are the glorious sign of our victory. Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.
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. O cross, you are the glorious sign of our victory. Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray with confidence to Christ who endured the cross to save us:
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
O Christ, you emptied yourself, taking the form of a servant and being made like us,
— grant that your people may follow the example of your humility.
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
O Christ, you humbled yourself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross,
— grant that your servants may imitate your obedience and willing acceptance of trials.
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
O Christ, you were raised up by the Father and given the name that is above all other names,
— may your people, strengthened in the hope of a heavenly resurrection, persevere to the end.
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
O Christ, at your name every knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth will bend in adoration,
— pour out your love upon all men that they may join together in proclaiming your glory.
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
O Christ, every tongue shall confess that you are Lord to the glory of God the Father,
— welcome our brothers and sisters who have died into the unfailing joy of your kingdom.
Lord, through your cross bring us to the glory of your kingdom.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(And now let us pray as the Lord told 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,
in obedience to you
your only Son accepted death on the cross
for the salvation of mankind.
We acknowledge the mystery of the cross on earth.
May we receive the gift of redemption in heaven.
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 willed that your Only Begotten Son
should undergo the Cross to save the human race,
grant, we pray,
that we, who have known his mystery on earth,
may merit the grace of his redemption in heaven.
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.