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 Jesus, you have set apart
these forty days for abstinence
and you decreed a lenten fast
to heal and save our mind and heart.
Now come, be present to your Church,
be near and aid our penitence,
as we bow down before you, Lord,
and beg you wash away our sins.
Remit and pardon with your grace
misdeeds from which we turn aside;
from future perils keep us safe
by your most meek and gentle guard,
That, filled with sorrow for our sins
and cleansed by yearly penitence,
we may press on to celebrate
the Paschal Feast with worthy praise.
Let all your works adore you, Lord,
O merciful and Triune God.
Renewed by pardon, let us sing
a new song to your holy name. Amen.
Tune: JENA, 8 8 8 8
Music: later form of melody by Melchior Vulpius, ca. 1570-1615, composed in 1609
or Mode IV, melody 81; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Iesu, quadragenariæ, ca. 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
Or:
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 The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27
God stands by us in dangers
God now truly dwells with men (Revelation 21:3).
I
The Lord is my light and my help; *
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; *
before whom shall I shrink?
When evil-doers draw near *
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes, *
who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me *
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me *
even then would I trust.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, *
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord, *
all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord, *
to behold his temple.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent *
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent, *
on a rock he sets me safe.
And now my head shall be raised *
above my foes who surround me,
and I shall offer within his tent *
a sacrifice of joy.
I will sing and make music for the 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 is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Ant. 2 I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
II
Some rose to present lies and false evidence against Jesus (Mark 14:57).
O Lord, hear my voice when I call; *
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken: *
“Seek his face.”
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; *
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger; *
you have been my help.
Do not abandon or forsake me, *
O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me, *
the Lord will receive me.
Instruct me, Lord, in your way; *
on an even path lead me.
When they lie in ambush, protect me *
from my enemy’s greed.
False witnesses rise against me, *
breathing out fury.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness *
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. *
Hope in the 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.
Psalm Prayer
Father, you protect and strengthen those who hope in you; you heard the cry of your Son and kept him safe in your tent in the day of evil. Grant that your servants who seek your face in time of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living.
Ant. I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
Ant. 3 He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father *
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints *
in light.
He rescued us *
from the power of darkness
and brought us *
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption, *
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, *
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, *
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him; *
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is. *
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church! *
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead, *
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him *
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens, *
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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 is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.
READING
Ephesians 4:32-5:2
Be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God as his dear children, Follow the way of love, even as Christ loved you. He gave himself for us as an offering to God, a gift of pleasing fragrance.
RESPONSORY
To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.
— To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
— I make my prayer for mercy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Why are you bent on killing me, when I have told you the truth?
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. Why are you bent on killing me, when I have told you the truth?
INTERCESSIONS
Blessed be almighty God, who watches over us as a Father; he knows all our needs but wants us to seek first his kingdom. Let us cry out to him as his people:
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
Father of all holiness, you gave us Christ as the shepherd of our souls; stay with your shepherds and the flock entrusted to them, do not leave this flock without the loving care of its shepherd,
— do not leave your shepherds without an obedient flock to follow them.
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
Teach Christians to help the weak with loving care,
— and in serving them to serve your Son.
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
Gather into your Church those who do not yet believe,
— and help them to build it up by good deeds done for love of you.
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
Help us to turn to you for forgiveness,
— and, as you forgive us, reconcile us also with your Church.
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
May the dead pass from this world to eternal life,
— to be with you for ever.
May your kingdom come, that justice may reign.
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 of mercy,
hear the prayers of your repentant children
who call on you in love.
Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts.
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:
Enlighten, O God of compassion,
the hearts of your children, sanctified by penance,
and in your kindness
grant those you stir to a sense of devotion
a gracious hearing when they cry out to you.
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.
******
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ my God,
The vain delights that charm me most:
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See from his head, his hands, his feet
What grief and love flow mingling down;
Did e’er such Love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were all the realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Tune: Rockingham L.M.
Music: Adapted by Edward Miller, 1731-1807, from A. William’s A Second Supplement to Psalmody in Miniature, Oxford 1780
Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, slightly adapted
Or:
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Oh!...Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they rolled the stone away?
Tune: Were you there, Irregular
Music: Afro-American Spiritual
Text: Traditional, anonymous