Prayer for the Evening

Let our prayer arise before God like incense,

the raising of our hands in prayer

like the evening sacrifice!

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

As the darkness draweth nigh,

Daylight fadeth from the sky:

Father, unto thee we call,

Thou who rulest over all.

Light that cannot know decline,

Come within our souls to shine!

All our hearts to thee are known;

Come, possess them as thine own.

Thou alone these hearts can fill,

And their deepest yearning still.

Love that never groweth old,

In thy love our lives enfold!

May the virtue of our lives

Unto thee as incense rise,

When each joy and pain shall be

Joined with Paschal Mystery.

May our gift to thee arise

As an evening sacrifice.

PSALM 141:1-5a, 8

May the spoken words of my mouth,/ the thoughts of my heart,/ win favor in your sight, O Lord. (Ps 19:15)

We can use our treasured capacity for speech to offer prayer, as ­fragrant as incense before God, or to offer hurt to another.

I have called to you, Lord; hasten to help me!

Hear my voice when I cry to you.

Let my prayer arise before you like incense,

the raising of my hands like an evening oblation.

Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips!

Do not turn my heart to things that are wrong,

to evil deeds with men who are sinners.

Never allow me to share in their feasting.

If a good man strikes or reproves me it is kindness;

but let the oil of the wicked not anoint my head.

To you, Lord God, my eyes are turned:

in you I take refuge; spare my soul!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Revelation 8:3-4)

Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a gold censer. He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.

Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. (Rv 5:8)

CANTICLE OF MARY

Live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. (Eph 5:2)

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

Our love for God and neighbor is the fire in which the incense of our worship burns sweetly. Let us pray:

R/Receive our prayer, O Lord.

You have called your people to pray always:

– may we grow in awareness that every thought, word, and deed lies open to you. R/

You receive all our offerings in love:

– may we offer them more and more faithfully in love. R/

You have promised us the gift of your Holy Spirit:

– may the fire of divine charity burn in our hearts and in our prayer. R/

You desire to bring all people into your glory:

– receive the souls of those who have died. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May grace, mercy, and peace be with us from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. (cf. 2 Tm 1:2)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.

Prayer for the Evening

God is for us refuge and strength:

let us come before him with songs of 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

God is our stronghold and our stay,

Our hope in tribulation;

What though the mountains rock and sway

To earth’s long-hid foundation?

What though the ocean roar,

Fast gaining on the shore,

The hurtling storm rage loud

Beneath the thunder cloud?

Our hearts are all untroubled.

Be still, the Lord is God alone,

Let all the world adore him,

And bending low before his throne,

For pitying grace implore him.

His kingdom is within,

O’er hearts made pure from sin,

Where love that casts out fear

Exults to feel him near,

The Lord of hosts our refuge.

PSALM 27:1-5

Say to those whose hearts are frightened:/ Be strong, fear not!/ Here is your God,/ he comes to save you. (cf. Is 35:4)

Christ is born! Christ has died! Christ is risen from the dead! No storm on earth can harm us now. His perfect love for us has cast out all reason for fear.

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink?

When evil-doers draw near

to devour my flesh,

it is they, my enemies and foes,

who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me

my heart would not fear.

Though war break out against me

even then would I trust.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savor the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

For there he keeps me safe in his tent

in the day of evil.

He hides me in the shelter of his tent,

on a rock he sets me safe.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Isaiah 40:9-10)

Go up onto a high mountain,/ Zion, herald of glad tidings;/ Cry out at the top of your voice,/ Jerusalem, herald of good news!/ Fear not to cry out/ and say to the cities of Judah:/ Here is your God!/ Here comes with power/ the Lord God,/ who rules by his strong arm;/ Here is his reward with him,/ his recompense before him.

Fear not, I am with you. (Is 41:10)

CANTICLE OF MARY

Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid! (Mk 6:50)

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 the mysteries of Christmas and Epiphany, we celebrate with wonder the truth that in Christ God is Emmanuel, God-with-us. With confidence we pray to him:

R/You are our light and our helper!

For those who feel alone in a world too large for them:

– may they know the sheltering presence of your love. R/

For those who feel bewildered amid the storms that overtake them:

– may they know the safety that you give. R/

For those who feel afraid as death approaches:

– may they find their courage in your light. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May God bring us safely to his heavenly kingdom! Amen. (cf. 2 Tm 4:18)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.

Prayer for the Evening

Jesus Christ is our Shepherd:

come, let us adore him!

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

Sweet Savior, bless us ere we go;

Thy Word into our minds instill,

And make our lukewarm hearts to glow

With lowly love and fervent will.

R/ Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,

O gentle Jesus, be our Light.

Labor is sweet, for thou hast toiled,

And care is light, for thou hast cared;

Let not our works with self be soiled,

Nor in unsimple ways ensnared. R/

For all we love, the poor, the sad,

The sinful, unto thee we call;

O let thy mercy make us glad:

Thou art our Jesus, and our all. R/

CANTICLE OF ISAIAH 40:10a, 11, 13-14, 31

I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart,/ who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. (Jer 3:15)

In the name of Christ, Saint John Neumann spent himself for the well-being of the Church, God’s beloved flock and vine, in his ­adopted country, serving in all humility those to whom he had been sent.

Here comes with power

the Lord God.

Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;

in his arms he gathers the lambs,

carrying them in his bosom,

and leading the ewes with care.

Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,

or has instructed him as his counselor?

Whom did he consult to gain knowledge?

Who taught him the path of judgment,

or showed him the way of understanding?

They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength,

they will soar as with eagles’ wings;

They will run and not grow weary,

walk and not grow faint.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Acts 20:28, 32)

Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated.

The Lord is our shepherd;/ nothing shall we want. (cf. Ps 23:1)

CANTICLE OF MARY 

I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the Lord. (Jer 23:4)

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

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Through the intercession of Saint John Neumann, we pray:

R/Loving Shepherd, hear us.

You have led us through wise, prudent, and firm ­pastors:

– strengthen our pope and bishops in holiness, discernment, and singleness of heart. R/

You have cared for the poor through the generosity of concerned pastors:

– inspire all pastoral leaders and caregivers with a love for those in need. R/

You have brought life to those who live under sentence of death:

– grant to all pastors the gift of compassionate ministry for the dying and the bereaved. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May God carry out in us what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (cf. Heb 13:21)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.

Prayer for the Evening

Let our lips be filled with God’s 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

We praise you, Lord, with joy this day

As proudly we proclaim

That in her life this woman’s love

Has glorified your name.

She longed for Christ, she yearned for him

To see him face to face,

And through the long and patient years

She found in him her peace.

She walked in harmony with God,

Her eyes were on the Lord,

And in the struggles of each day

Her calm was in his word.

PSALM 63:2-9

Go, then! It is I who will assist you in speaking and will teach you what you are to say. (Ex 4:12)

Elizabeth Ann Seton taught to her own family, to her religious community, and to the countless children educated by her Sisters of Charity the wonders of God’s love which she had learned in meditation, prayer, and obedience to God’s word.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,

my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life,

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,

my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.

On you I muse through the night

for you have been my help;

in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand holds me fast.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Colossians 3:16)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Eph 5:10)

CANTICLE OF MARY

If you are willing to listen, you will learn;/ if you give heed, you will be wise. (Sir 6:33)

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 teaches us the way of salvation. Let us pray through the intercession of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton that the gifts of teaching and learning may flourish among us:

R/Our hope has always been in you!

Fill all who thirst for knowledge

– especially for knowledge of you: R/

Direct the efforts of all parents

– to form and educate their children: R/

Send gifted, conscientious, and committed teachers to all the corners of our nation and the world

– to foster the human capacity to know, to understand, and to love: R/

Grant creativity and wisdom

– to all who are responsible for designing and administering educational programs of every kind: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Peace be to all, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (cf. Eph 6:23)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.