December 28, 2021 – vespers

monk INTRODUCTION
HYMN—While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
PSALMODY
pope INCENSE PSALM
Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers, *
nor eat of their choice foods.
Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke;
let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head; *
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places, *
that they may know my words are true.
As when a plowman turns over the earth in furrows, *
let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge;
do not strip me of my life.
Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me *
and from the traps of the evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, *
while I myself escape.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.
Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Ant. 1. You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.
Psalm 110
The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, *
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD will send the scepter of your power out of Zion, *
saying, “Rule over your enemies round about you.
Princely state has been yours from the day of your birth; *
in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you,
like dew from the womb of the morning.”
The LORD has sworn and he will not recant: *
“You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord who is at your right hand
will smite kings in the day of his wrath; *
he will rule over the nations.
He will heap high the corpses; *
he will smash heads over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook beside the road; *
therefore he will lift high 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 forever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

God of power and mercy, though your Son’s passion and resurrection you have freed us from the bonds of death and the anguish of separation from you. Be ever with us on our pilgrimage; then we shall sing rather than weep. Keep our feet from stumbling, so that we may be able to follow you until we come to eternal rest.
Ant. 1. You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.
Ant. 2. With the Lord is unfailing love; great is his power to save.
Psalm 130
Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the LORD,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the LORD, *
for with the LORD there is mercy;
With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Listen with compassion to our prayers, Lord. The forgiveness of sins is yours. Do not look on the wrong we have done, but grant us your merciful kindness.
Ant. 2. With the Lord is unfailing love; great is his power to save.
Ant. 3. In the beginning, before time began, the Word was God; today he is born, the Savior of the world.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
The Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness, •
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son;

In whom we have redemption, •
the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, •
the firstborn of all creation.

For in him all things were created, •
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.

All things were created through him and for him, •
he is before all things and in him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the Church, •
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell; •
and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things.
Ant. 3. In the beginning, before time began, the Word was God; today he is born, the Savior of the world.
READING
Ephesians 2:3b-5
And so we were, by nature, sons of wrath, even like the others. Yet still, God, who is rich in mercy, for the sake of his exceedingly great charity with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, has enlivened us together in Christ, by whose grace you have been saved.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. 4. Virgin Mary, all that the prophets foretold of Christ has been fulfilled through you: as a virgin, you conceived, and after you gave birth, a virgin you remained.
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning is now, and will be forever, Amen.
Ant. 4. Virgin Mary, all that the prophets foretold of Christ has been fulfilled through you: as a virgin, you conceived, and after you gave birth, a virgin you remained.
INTERCESSIONS
God sent his Son, fashioned from a woman, made subject to the law, to redeem those under the law. Trusting in this hope let us pray with confidence:
May the favor of your Son be with us, O Lord.

God of love and peace, renew the faith of all Christians in the incarnation of Christ your Son,
– that they may give thanks at all times.
May the favor of your Son be with us, O Lord.

Increase the hope of the weak, the poor and the aged,
– give relief to the oppressed, confidence to those who despair, consolation to those who mourn.
May the favor of your Son be with us, O Lord.

Be mindful of all those in prison,
– and of those driven from their homeland.
May the favor of your Son be with us, O Lord.

You let the angels be heard praising you at the birth of your Son,
– let the departed praise you for ever with this heavenly host.
May the favor of your Son be with us, O Lord.
.
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
Lord our God, help us to prepare for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting, eager in joyful prayer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen
DISMISSAL
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.
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