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
O come, Creator Spirit blest,
come, visit souls that are your own;
fill all the hearts that you have made
with grace and blessing from on high.
For you are called the Paraclete,
the holy gift of God most High,
the living wellspring, love, and fire,
the soul’s anointing from above.
In graces you are sevenfold,
the Finger of God’s strong right hand,
and you, the Father’s promised one,
adorn our tongues with gracious speech.
Come, fill our senses with your light,
pour forth your love into our hearts,
the weakness of our mortal frame
make strong with pow’r that never fails.
Drive far from us our deadly foe
and swiftly grant us lasting peace;
with you to guide and lead the way,
may we avoid all harm and sin.
Now through your presence may we know
and love the Father and the Son;
and you, the Spirit of them both,
may we profess throughout all time. Amen.
Tune: VENI CREATOR (MECHLIN), 8 8 8 8
Music: Plainsong, Mechlin adaptation
or Mode VII, melody 99; Antiphonale Sacrosanctæ Ecclesiæ Romanæ, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1912
Text: Veni, creator Spiritus, attriuted to Rabanus Maurus, O.S.B., ca. 780-856, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord will be your light for ever; your God will be your glory, alleluia.
Psalm 123
The Lord, unfailing hope of his people
Two blind men cried out: “Have pity on us, Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 20:30).
To you have I lifted up my eyes, *
you who dwell in the heavens:
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves *
on the hand of their lords.
Like the eyes of a servant *
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God *
till he show us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. *
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full is our soul †
with the scorn of the rich, *
with the proud man’s disdain.
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 in heaven, we lift our eyes to you and pray: confound the scorn of the proud and graciously show us your mercy.
Ant. The Lord will be your light for ever; your God will be your glory, alleluia.
Ant. 2 The snare was broken and we were set free, alleluia.
Psalm 124
Our help is in the name of the Lord
The Lord said to Paul: “Fear not . . . I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10).
“If the Lord had not been on our side,” *
this is Israel’s song.
“If the Lord had not been on our side *
when men rose against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive *
when their anger was kindled.
Then would the waters have engulfed us, *
the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept *
the raging waters.”
Blessed be the Lord who did not give us *
a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped *
from the snare of the fowler.
Indeed the snare has been broken *
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, *
who made heaven and earth.
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, you foretold that your disciples would be despised on account of your name, but that not a hair of their heads is ever forgotten. In times of persecution, defend and revive us by the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be freed from our enemies and praise your saving help.
Ant. The snare was broken and we were set free, alleluia.
Ant. 3 When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself, alleluia.
Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him *
before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us *
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure, †
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom *
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out *
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on earth.
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 shall draw all people to myself, alleluia.
READING
Romans 8:14-17
All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. You did not receive a spirit of slavery leading you back into fear, but a spirit of adoption through whom we cry out, “Abba!” (that is, “Father”). The Spirit himself gives witness with our spirit that we are children of God. But if we are children, we are heirs as well: heirs of God, heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so as to be glorified with him.
RESPONSORY
The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, alleluia, alleluia.
— The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, alleluia, alleluia.
He will teach you all things,
— alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. The Spirit, the Advocate, will remain with you and live in you, alleluia.
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. The Spirit, the Advocate, will remain with you and live in you, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us give thanks to Christ, who filled the apostles and the whole Church with the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In union with all the faithful, let us cry out:
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
Lord Jesus, mediator between God and men, you chose priests to share your work,
— through them may all rise with you to the Father.
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
Grant that rich and poor may meet in friendship, for you are the God of both,
— do not let the rich make riches their god.
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
Make your Gospel known to all peoples,
— that all may come to obey you in faith.
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
Send forth your Spirit, gentlest of consolers,
— to wipe away the tears of all who mourn.
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
Purify the souls of the departed,
— and receive them into the company of your saints and chosen ones in heaven.
Lord, send your consoling Spirit into your Church.
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
Lord,
send the power of your Holy Spirit upon us
that we may remain faithful
and do your will in our daily lives.
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:
May the power of the Holy Spirit
come to us, we pray, O Lord,
that we may keep your will faithfully in mind
and express it in a devout way of life.
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.
******
The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now:
A royal diadem adorns
The mighty victor’s brow.
The highest place that heav’n affords
Is surely his by right:
The King of kings and Lord of lords,
And heav’n’s eternal light.
The joy he is of all above,
The joy of all below:
To ev’ryone he shows his love,
And grants his name to know.
To them the cross, with all its shame,
With all its grace, is giv’n:
Their name an everlasting name.
Their joy the joy of heav’n.
The cross he bore is life and health,
Though shame and death to him:
His people’s hope, his people’s wealth,
Their everlasting theme.
Tune: St. Magnus (Nottingham) C.M.
Music: Jeremiah Clarke, 1659-1707
Text: Thomas Kelly, 1769-1854, slightly adapted