Prayer for the Evening

God is full of love to all who call:

let us give thanks and praise!

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

Lord, whose love in humble service

Bore the weight of human need,

Who did on the Cross forsaken,

Show us mercy’s perfect deed;

We, your servants, bring the worship

Not of voice alone but heart:

Consecrating to your purpose

Ev’ry gift which you impart.

As we worship, grant us vision,

Till your love’s revealing light,

Till the height and depth and greatness

Dawns upon our human sight:

Making known the needs and burdens

Your compassion bids us bear,

Stirring us to faithful service,

Your abundant life to share.

PSALM 86:1-6

You know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9)

Once free of family responsibilities, Saint Elizabeth chose to become poor with the poor despite opposition and persecution. In their name she prayed; to their needs she devoted all her energies and ­possessions; in their presence she found joy in the Lord whom she loved.

Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer

for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life, for I am faithful:

save the servant who trusts in you.

You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,

for I cry to you all the day long.

Give joy to your servant, O Lord,

for to you I lift up my soul.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving,

full of love to all who call.

Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer

and attend to the sound of my voice.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Luke 12:33-34)

Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

For, in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ will be richly ­provided for you. (2 Pt 1:11)

CANTICLE OF MARY

Do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7)

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…

INTERCESSIONS

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. We pray:

R/You are our God; have mercy on us!

For the poor and the needy:

– teach all people to give as you have given. R/

For the sick and the outcast:

– teach all people to see as you see. R/

For the aged and abandoned:

– teach all people to offer the gift of their presence as you offer the gift of yours. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. Amen. (cf. Eph 1:18)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon of the Divine Office

My soul magnifies the Lord,

for God has regarded my humility.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer for the Evening

O sing to the Lord, giving thanks!

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

HYMN

From north and south, from east to west,

All praise and honor be addressed

To God most holy, by whose grace

God’s people dwell in Love’s embrace.

The poor, the rich stand side by side.

To all, God’s arms are opened wide.

God beckons us to come, draw near,

Then comforts us and dries our tears.

And we, in turn, must show God’s care

To all in need or in despair.

That when our earthly course is run,

We hear these words of God’s own Son:

“The least, to whom you gave your hand,

Will walk with you to God’s own land.

By serving others and your Lord,

You’ve gained your life and your reward!”

PSALM 116:5-6, 12-19

I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. (Jn 13:15)

The immensity of God’s compassion for us is the measure of the compassion God asks us to show to one another in our exiles, our brokenness of heart, our wounds, and our lowliness. How can we possibly show compassion as great as God’s? Not alone, but in Jesus Christ, whose Body we are.

How gracious is the Lord, and just;

our God has compassion.

The Lord protects the simple hearts;

I was helpless so he saved me.

How can I repay the Lord

for his goodness to me?

The cup of salvation I will raise;

I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill

before all his people.

O precious in the eyes of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;

you have loosened my bonds.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make:

I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfill

before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 26-27)

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.

Now the body is not a single part, but many. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.

Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of

these least brothers of mine, you did for me. (Mt 25:40)

CANTICLE OF MARY 

Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy. (cf. Mt 25:21)

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…

INTERCESSIONS

Let us pray for the world’s needs with compassion of heart, saying:

R/Hear our prayer, loving God!

For all who call out for our compassion and whom we fail to hear:

– have mercy on them, we pray: R/

For all who care for others without concern for the cost to themselves:

– grant them strength and perseverance, we pray: R/

For all who have died and stand in need of our prayers:

– grant them life eternal, we pray: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith, and may charity be the root and foundation of our life. Amen. (cf. Eph 3:17)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon of the Divine Office

My soul magnifies the Lord,

for God has regarded my humility.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer for the Evening

Christ is our light: come, let us adore!

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

Light serene of holy glory

From the Immortal Father poured,

Holy art thou, blessed Jesus,

Holy blessed Christ the Lord.

Now we see the sun descending,

Now declines the evening light,

And in hymns we praise the Father,

Son and Spirit, God of might.

Worthy, Lord, of endless praises!

Christ the Son of God art thou;

For thy gift of life eternal,

See! the world adores thee now.

CANTICLE (Colossians 1:12-20)

All of you are children of the light. (1 Thes 5:5)

As evening falls, we rejoice in the triumph of Christ our light over the powers of darkness. The light of Christ shines within us and through us as we go about our appointed tasks, making the fullest use we can of whatever gifts God has given us. Then we need fear no night.

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.

Word of God (Ephesians 5:8-14)

You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says:

“Awake, O sleeper,/ and arise from the dead,/ and Christ will give you light.”

Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,

but let us stay alert and sober. (1 Thes 5:6)

CANTICLE OF MARY

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light. (Jn 12:36)

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…

INTERCESSIONS

Confident in the power of the Light to overcome all darkness, we pray:

R/Rescue us from the power of darkness!

When we are blind to the gifts and tasks you have given us: R/

When we are blind to the gifts you have given to those around us: R/

When we are blind to the promise of eternal life shining through all the moments of the day and night: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

The Lord bless us and keep us!/ The Lord let his face shine upon us, and be gracious to us!/ The Lord look upon us kindly and give us peace! Amen. (cf. Nm 6:24-26)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon of the Divine Office

My soul magnifies the Lord,

for God has regarded my humility.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us, poor sinners.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.