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
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 Day after day I sat teaching you in the temple and you did not lay hands on me. Now you come to scourge me and lead me to the cross.
Psalm 119:105-112
XIV (Nun)
A meditation on God’s law
This is my commandment: that you should love one another (John 15:12).
Your word is a lamp for my steps *
and a light for my path.
I have sworn and have made up my mind *
to obey your decrees.
Lord, I am deeply afflicted: *
by your word give me life.
Accept, Lord, the homage of my lips *
and teach me your decrees.
Though I carry my life in my hands, *
I remember your law.
Though the wicked try to ensnare me *
I do not stray from your precepts.
Your will is my heritage for ever, *
the joy of my heart.
I set myself to carry out your will *
in fullness, 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.
Psalm Prayer
Let your Word, Father, be a lamp for our feet and a light to our path, so that we may understand what you wish to teach us and follow the path your light marks out for us.
Ant. Day after day I sat teaching you in the temple and you did not lay hands on me. Now you come to scourge me and lead me to the cross.
Ant. 2 The Lord God is my help; no shame can harm me.
Psalm 16
The Lord himself is my heritage
The Father raised up Jesus, freeing him from the grip of death (Acts 2:24).
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. †
I say to the Lord: “You are my God. *
My happiness lies in you alone.”
He has put into my heart a marvelous love *
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows. †
Never will I offer their offerings of blood. *
Never will I take their name upon my lips.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; *
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight: *
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, *
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight: *
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; *
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead, *
nor let your beloved know decay.
You will show me the path of life, †
the fullness of joy in your presence, *
at your right hand happiness 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.
Psalm Prayer
Lord Jesus, uphold those who hope in you and give us your counsel, so that we may know the joy of your resurrection and deserve to be among the saints at your right hand.
Ant. The Lord God is my help; no shame can harm me.
Ant. 3 The Lord Jesus humbled himself by showing obedience even when this meant death, death on the cross.
Canticle: Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant
Though he was in the form of God, †
Jesus did not deem equality with God *
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself †
and took the form of a slave, *
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate, *
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death, *
death on a cross!
Because of this, *
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name *
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name *
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth, *
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim †
to the glory of God the Father: *
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
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. The Lord Jesus humbled himself by showing obedience even when this meant death, death on the cross.
READING
1 Peter 1:18-21
Realize that you were delivered from the futile way of life your fathers handed on to you, not by any diminishable sum of silver or gold, but by Christ’s blood beyond all price: the blood of a spotless, unblemished lamb chosen before the world’s foundation and revealed for your sake in these last days. It is through him that you are believers in God, the God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory. Your faith and hope, then, are centered in God.
RESPONSORY
We worship you, O Christ, and we praise you.
— We worship you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because by your cross you have redeemed the world.
— We praise you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— We worship you, O Christ, and we praise you.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Praise to our King, the Son of David, the Redeemer of the world; praise to the Savior whose coming had been foretold by the prophets.
[ET] Dícite fíliæ Sion: Ecce Rex tuus venit tibi, mansuétus et sedens super ásinam et super pullum fílium subiugális.
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. Praise to our King, the Son of David, the Redeemer of the world; praise to the Savior whose coming had been foretold by the prophets.
[ET] Dícite fíliæ Sion: Ecce Rex tuus venit tibi, mansuétus et sedens super ásinam et super pullum fílium subiugális.
INTERCESSIONS
Before his passion, Christ looked out over Jerusalem and wept for it, because it had not recognized the hour of God’s visitation. With sorrow for our sins, let us adore him, and say:
Lord, have mercy on your people.
You longed to gather to yourself the people of Jerusalem, as the hen gathers her young,
— teach all peoples to recognize the hour of your visitation.
Lord, have mercy on your people.
Do not forsake those who have forsaken you,
— turn our hearts to you, and we will return to you, our God.
Lord, have mercy on your people.
Through your passion you gave grace to the world,
— help us to live always by your Spirit, given to us in baptism.
Lord, have mercy on your people.
By your passion, help us to deny ourselves,
— and so prepare to celebrate your resurrection.
Lord, have mercy on your people.
You reign in the glory of the Father,
— remember those who have died today.
Lord, have mercy on your people.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Let us conclude our prayer with the Lord’s prayer:)
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
Almighty, ever-living God,
you have given the human race Jesus Christ our Savior
as a model of humility.
He fulfilled your will
by becoming man and giving his life on the cross.
help us to bear witness to you
by following his example of suffering
and make us worthy to share in his resurrection.
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:
Almighty and ever-living God,
who as an example of humility for the human race to follow
caused our Savior to take flesh and submit to the Cross,
graciously grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering
and so merit a share in his Resurrection.
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.
******
Crown him with many crowns,
the lamb upon his throne;
Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own:
Awake, my soul and sing
Of him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of Lords,
Who over all doth reign,
Who once on earth, the incarnate Word,
For ransomed sinners slain,
Now lives in realms of light,
Where saints with angels sing
Their songs before him day and night
Their God, Redeemer, King.
Crown him the Lord of heav’n
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King, to whom is giv’n
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns,
As thrones before him fall,
Crown him, ye kings, with many crowns,
For he is King of all.
Tune: Diademata S.M.D.
Music: George J. Elvey, 1816-1893
Text: Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894