January 12, 2021 – vespers

monk INTRODUCTION
HYMN—O Little Town of Bethlehem
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. God has crowned his Christ with victory.
Psalm 20
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble, *
the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;
Send you help from his holy place *
and strengthen you out of Zion;
Remember all your offerings *
and accept your burnt sacrifice;
Grant you your heart’s desire *
and prosper all your plans.
We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the Name of our God; *
may the LORD grant all your requests.
Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his anointed; *
he will answer him out of his holy heaven,
with the victorious strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
but we will call upon the Name of the LORD our God.
They collapse and fall down, *
but we will arise and stand upright.
O LORD, give victory to the king *
and answer us when we call.

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

Lord, you accepted the perfect sacrifice of your Son upon the cross. Hear us during times of trouble and protect us by the power of his name, that we who share his struggle on earth may merit a share in his victory.
Ant. 1. God has crowned his Christ with victory.
Ant. 2. We celebrate your mighty works with songs of praise, O God..
Psalm 21
The king rejoices in your strength, O LORD; *
how greatly he exults in your victory!
You have given him his heart’s desire; *
you have not denied him the request of his lips.
For you meet him with blessings of prosperity, *
and set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him: *
length of days, for ever and ever.
His honor is great, because of your victory; *
splendor and majesty have you bestowed upon him.
For you will give him everlasting felicity *
and will make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king puts his trust in the LORD; *
because of the loving-kindness of the Most High, he
will not fall.
Your hand will lay hold upon all your enemies; *
your right hand will seize all those who hate you.
You will make them like a fiery furnace *
at the time of your appearing, O LORD;
You will swallow them up in your wrath, *
and fire shall consume them.
You will destroy their offspring from the land *
and their descendants from among the peoples of the earth.
Though they intend evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, *
yet they shall not prevail.
For you will put them to flight *
and aim your arrows at them.
Be exalted, O LORD, in your might; *
we will sing and praise your power.

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

Father, you have given us life on this earth and have met us with the grace of redemption. Bestow your greatest blessing on us, the fullness of eternal life.
Ant. 2. We celebrate your mighty works with songs of praise, O God.
Ant. 3. Lord, you have made us a kingdom and priests for God our Father.
Canticle: Revelation 4
You are worthy, our Lord and God, •
to receive glory and honour and power.

For you have created all things, •
and by your will they have their being.

You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain, •
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
serving our God, •
and they will reign with you on earth.
Ant. 3. Let all creation serve you, for all things came into being at your word, alleluia.
READING
1 John 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we would be called, and would become, the sons of God. Because of this, the world does not know us, for it did not know him. Most beloved, we are now the sons of God. But what we shall be then has not yet appeared. We know that when he does appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who holds this hope in him, keeps himself holy, just as he also is holy.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. 4. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
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. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us praise Christ the Lord, who lives among us, the people he redeemed, and let us say:
Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord, king and ruler of nations, be with all your people and their governments,
– inspire them to pursue the good of all according to your law.
Lord, hear our prayer.

You made captive our captivity,
– to our brothers who are enduring bodily or spiritual chains, grant the freedom of the sons of God.
Lord, hear our prayer.

May our young people be concerned with remaining blameless in your sight,
– and may they generously follow your call.
Lord, hear our prayer.

May our children imitate your example,
– and grow in wisdom and grace.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Accept our dead brothers and sisters into your eternal kingdom,
– where we hope to reign with you.
Lord, hear our prayer.
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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