February 11, 2021 – vespers

monk INTRODUCTION
HYMN—O God Most Holy
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. I cried to you, Lord, and you healed me; I will praise you for ever.
Psalm 30
I will exalt you, O LORD,
because you have lifted me up *
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
O LORD my God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
You brought me up, O LORD, from the dead; *
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
Sing to the LORD, you servants of his; *
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his favor for a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the morning.
While I felt secure, I said,
“I shall never be disturbed. *
You, LORD, with your favor, made me as strong as
the mountains.”
Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
I cried to you, O LORD; *
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; *
O LORD, be my helper.”
You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks 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 forever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

God our Father, glorious in giving life, and even more glorious in restoring it, when his last night on earth came, your Son shed tears of blood, but dawn brought incomparable gladness. Do not turn away from us, or we shall fall back into dust, but rather turn our mourning into joy by raising us up with Christ.
Ant. 1. O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health.
Ant. 2. The one who is sinless in the eyes of God is blessed indeed.
Psalm 32
Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put away!
Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile!
While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my groaning all day long.
For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal my guilt.
I said,” I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in
time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you
should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you.”
Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; *
shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

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

You desired, Lord, to keep from us your indignation and so did not spare Jesus Christ, who was wounded for our sins. We are your prodigal children, but confessing our sins we come back to you. Embrace us that we may rejoice in your mercy together with Christ your beloved Son.
Ant. 2. The one who is sinless in the eyes of God is blessed indeed.
Ant. 3. The Father has given Christ all power, honor and kingship; all people will obey him.
Canticle: Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who is, and who was, and who is to come.

For you have taken your great power,
and you have reigned.

And the nations became angry,
but your wrath arrived, and the time for the dead to be judged,
and to render a reward to your servants the prophets,
and to the saints,
and to those who fear your name, small and great.

Now have arrived salvation and virtue
and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brothers has been cast down,
he who accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of his testimony.

And they loved not their own lives,
even unto death.
Ant. 3. The Father has given Christ all power, honor and kingship; all people will obey him.
READING
1 Peter 1:6-9
In this, you should exult, if now, for a brief time, it is necessary to be made sorrowful by various trials, so that the testing of your faith, which is much more precious than gold tested by fire, may be found in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.For though you have not seen him, you love him. In him also, though you do not see him, you now believe. And in believing, you shall exult with an inexpressible and glorious joy, returning with the goal of your faith, the salvation of souls.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. 4. God has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
And 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 the promise of mercy.
The promise he made to our fathers,
To Abraham and his children 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. God has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.
INTERCESSIONS
Through the intercession of holy women let us pray for the Church in these words:
Be mindful of your Church, Lord.

Through all the women martyrs who conquered bodily death by their courage,
– strengthen your Church in the hour of trial.
Be mindful of your Church, Lord.

Through married women who have advanced in grace by holy matrimony,
– make the apostolic mission of your Church fruitful.
Be mindful of your Church, Lord.

Through widows who eased their loneliness and sanctified it by prayer and hospitality,
– help your Church reveal the mystery of your love to the world.
Be mindful of your Church, Lord.

Through mothers who have borne children for the kingdom of God and the human community,
– help your Church bring all men to a rebirth in life and salvation.
Be mindful of your Church, Lord.

Through all your holy women who have been worthy to contemplate the light of your countenance,
– let the deceased members of your Church exult in that same vision for ever.
Be mindful of your Church, 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.
Advertisement