Prayer for the Evening

May the Lord’s name be blessed 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. Alleluia!

Hymn

The race that long in darkness pined

Have seen a glorious light;

The people dwell in day, who dwelt

In death’s surrounding night.

To us a Child of hope is born,

To us a Son is giv’n;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,

Him all the hosts of heav’n.

His name shall be the Prince of Peace

For evermore adored,

The Wonderful, the Counselor,

The great and mighty Lord.

His pow’r increasing still shall spread,

His reign no end shall know;

Justice shall guard his throne above,

And peace abound below.

Psalm 72:12-14, 16-19

On that day,/ the mountains shall drip new wine,/ and the hills shall flow with milk. (Jl 4:18)

The messianic promises are never vague. They always hold out the hope that the One who comes will fulfill the real dreams of the human heart for peace, healing, and plenty. What we pray for, we must also work for. Thus do we prepare his way.

He shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor.

From oppression he will rescue their lives,

to him their blood is dear.

May corn be abundant in the land

to the peaks of the mountains.

May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;

may men flourish in the cities

like grass on the earth.

May his name be blessed for ever

and endure like the sun.

Every tribe shall be blessed in him,

all nations bless his name.

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,

who alone works wonders,

ever blessed his glorious name.

Let his glory fill the earth.

Amen! Amen!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Isaiah 62:10-11

Pass through, pass through the gates,/ prepare the way for the people;/ Build up, build up the highway,/ clear it of stones,/ raise up a standard over the nations./ See, the Lord proclaims/ to the ends of the earth:/ Say to daughter Zion,/ your savior comes!/ Here is his reward with him,/ his recompense before him.

Near is the day, near is the day of the Lord. (Ez 30:3)

Canticle of Mary

Lo, I am sending my messenger/ to prepare the way before me;/ And suddenly there will come to the temple/ the Lord whom you seek,/ And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. (Mal 3:1)

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

In preparation for his coming, let us pray:

R/Let your glory fill the earth!

Strengthen the weak, save the lives of the poor, rescue the oppressed: R/

Find those who seek you, reward those who await you, bless those who serve you: R/

Gather those who are scattered, comfort those who are lonely, come to those who are dying: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

When our Redeemer comes again in glory, may he bring us everlasting life! Amen.

Marian Antiphon

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer

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.

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Prayer for the Evening (Friday, December 3)

A Night prayer to Our Blessed Mother

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Prayer for the Evening

May the Lord’s name be blessed 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. Alleluia!

Hymn

The race that long in darkness pined

Have seen a glorious light;

The people dwell in day, who dwelt

In death’s surrounding night.

To us a Child of hope is born,

To us a Son is giv’n;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,

Him all the hosts of heav’n.

His name shall be the Prince of Peace

For evermore adored,

The Wonderful, the Counselor,
The great and mighty Lord.

His pow’r increasing still shall spread,

His reign no end shall know;

Justice shall guard his throne above,

And peace abound below.

Psalm 72:12-14, 16-19

On that day,/ the mountains shall drip new wine,/ and the hills shall flow with milk. (Jl 4:18)

The messianic promises are never vague. They always hold out the hope that the One who comes will fulfill the real dreams of the human heart for peace, healing, and plenty. What we pray for, we must also work for. Thus do we prepare his way.

He shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor.

From oppression he will rescue their lives,

to him their blood is dear.

May corn be abundant in the land

to the peaks of the mountains.

May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;

may men flourish in the cities

like grass on the earth.

May his name be blessed for ever

and endure like the sun.

Every tribe shall be blessed in him,

all nations bless his name.

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,

who alone works wonders,

ever blessed his glorious name.

Let his glory fill the earth.

Amen! Amen!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Isaiah 62:10-11

Pass through, pass through the gates,/ prepare the way for the people;/ Build up, build up the highway,/ clear it of stones,/ raise up a standard over the nations./ See, the Lord proclaims/ to the ends of the earth:/ Say to daughter Zion,/ your savior comes!/ Here is his reward with him,/ his recompense before him.

Near is the day, near is the day of the Lord. (Ez 30:3)

Canticle of Mary

Lo, I am sending my messenger/ to prepare the way before me;/ And suddenly there will come to the temple/ the Lord whom you seek,/ And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. (Mal 3:1)

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

In preparation for his coming, let us pray:

R/Let your glory fill the earth!

Strengthen the weak, save the lives of the poor, rescue the oppressed: R/

Find those who seek you, reward those who await you, bless those who serve you: R/

Gather those who are scattered, comfort those who are lonely, come to those who are dying: R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

When our Redeemer comes again in glory, may he bring us everlasting life! Amen.

Marian Antiphon

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ 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.

Prayer for the Evening

Vigil of the Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord!

In joy let us prepare it.

5Glory 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

O comfort my people and calm all their fear,

And tell them the time of salvation draws near.

O tell them I come to remove all their shame.

Then they will forever give praise to my name.

Proclaim to the cities of Judah my word;

That “gentle yet strong is the hand of the Lord.”

I rescue the captives, my people defend

And bring them to justice and joy without end.

All mountains and hills shall become as a plain

For vanished are mourning and hunger and pain

And never again shall these war against you.

Behold I come quickly to make all things new.

Psalm 84:6-13

God has commanded/ that every lofty mountain be made low,/ And that the age-old depths and gorges/ be filled to level ground,/ that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God. (Bar 5:7)

The herald’s voice cries out: Prepare the way of the Lord. Upon that way, we go to meet the Lord as he comes to meet us. The way lies through our own hearts. Let us clear it of stumbling blocks, briars, and dust, that we may travel in freedom and joy and that we may not hinder the Lord’s coming to us.

They are happy, whose strength is in you,

in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.

As they go through the Bitter Valley

they make it a place of springs,

the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

They walk with ever growing strength,

they will see the God of gods in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,

give ear, O God of Jacob.

Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,

look on the face of your anointed.

One day within your courts

is better than a thousand elsewhere.

The threshold of the house of God

I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield;

he will give us his favor and glory.

The Lord will not refuse any good

to those who walk without blame.

Lord, God of hosts,

happy the man who trusts in you!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Isaiah 40:1-5

Comfort, give comfort to my people,/ says your God./ Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her/ that her service is at an end,/ her guilt is expiated;/ Indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord/ double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:/ In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!/ Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!/ Every valley shall be filled in,/ every mountain and hill shall be made low;/ The rugged land shall be made a plain,/ the rough country, a broad valley./ Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,/ and all mankind shall see it together;/ for the mouth of the Lord has ­spoken.

Would that you might meet us doing right,/

that we were mindful of you in our ways! (Is 64:4)

Canticle of Mary

God is leading Israel in joy/ by the light of his glory,/ with his mercy and justice for company. (Bar 5:9)

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 coming of the Lord:

R/Stir up your might and come!

Clear from our hearts all hatred and contempt for our brothers and sisters,

– that we may welcome you with joy. R/

Clear from our minds all falsehood and prejudice,

– that we may know you at your coming. R/

Clear from our homes all self-seeking and violence,

– that we may receive you in peace. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

May God make us steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and untiring in love all the days of our life. Amen.

Marian Antiphon

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer

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.

Prayer for the Evening

In God is our safety and glory:

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

Christ the Rock is our foundation;

On his word we firmly build;

For in him is God’s own wisdom,

And in him all doubt is stilled.

Come and praise him for the promise

That in him has been fulfilled.

Offer praise to God the Father

In whose love we came to be.

Praise the Son whose might is gentle,

And whose pow’r can make us free

If we live in his own Spirit.

Praise our God, both One and Three.

Psalm 62:2-9

There is no Holy One like the Lord;/ there is no Rock like our God. (1 Sm 2:2)

The storms that threaten are not those that blow from mountain or sea but those that blow from human doubts, human fears, human violence, whether from within or from without. Even as we await the coming of Christ in fullness, we put our trust in the present help found in his Word as we read, study, and pray it.

In God alone is my soul at rest;

my help comes from him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

How long will you all attack one man

to break him down,

as though he were a tottering wall,

or a tumbling fence?

Their plan is only to destroy:

they take pleasure in lies.

With their mouth they utter blessing

but in their heart they curse.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;

for my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

In God is my safety and glory,

the rock of my strength.

Take refuge in God, all you people.

Trust him at all times.

Pour out your hearts before him

for God is our refuge.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Deuteronomy 32:3-4

I will sing the Lord’s renown./ Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!/ The Rock—how faultless are his deeds,/ how right all his ways!/ A faithful God, without deceit,/ how just and upright he is!

Trust in the Lord and he will help you. (Prv 20:22)

Canticle of Mary

Trust in the Lord forever!/ For the Lord is an eternal Rock. (Is 26:4)

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

Putting our faith in Christ’s word, we pray:

R/Our help comes from you.

When the storms of doubt and fear assail us:

– gather us into the fortress of your love. R/

When the winds of deceit blow strong:

– shield us with the stronghold of your truth. R/

When the tempests of shifting loyalties threaten us:

– stand firm beneath our hesitant steps. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the Lord, our rock and our fortress, protect us from all distress. Amen. (cf. 2 Sm 22:2)

Marian Antiphon

O Mary, ever Virgin, rejoice,

you who were worthy to bear Christ,

the Creator of heaven and earth;

for from your womb

you brought forth the Savior of the world, alleluia.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quæ pervia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

surgere qui curat, populo: tu quæ genuisti,

natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer

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.