Prayer for the Evening
Vigil of the Solemnity of the Most Holy
Body and Blood of Christ
Great are the works of the Lord;
let us give thanks and praise!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HYMN
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing,
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from his piercèd side;
Praise we him, whose love divine
Gives his sacred blood for wine,
Gives his body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.
Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, paschal bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
PSALM 111
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. (Jn 6:54)
The story of the exodus from Egypt foreshadows our own. God delivers all people from the tyranny of sin and death through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, truly present in the Eucharist of the New Covenant.
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
in the meeting of the just and their assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord;
to be pondered by all who love them.
Majestic and glorious his work,
his justice stands firm for ever.
He makes us remember his wonders.
The Lord is compassion and love.
He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has shown his might to his people
by giving them the lands of the nations.
His works are justice and truth:
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever:
they are made in uprightness and truth.
He has sent deliverance to his people
and established his covenant for ever.
Holy his name, to be feared.
To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
all who do so prove themselves wise.
His praise shall last for ever!
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Matthew 26:26-29)
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
TE DEUM
Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people,/ he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion,/ so as to break the bonds of death and manifest the resurrection. (Preface, Eucharistic Prayer II)
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray to Jesus Christ, our Savior:
R/We adore you and we praise you for ever!
At the Last Supper, you sat at table with your friends:
– stay with us, Lord, for the hour grows late and night approaches. R/
On the cross, you offered yourself to the Father as the spotless Passover Lamb:
– mark us, Lord, with the sign of your blood, for we live in fear of the angel of death. R/
In the Eucharist, you feed us with the true bread from heaven:
– sustain us, Lord, and strengthen us in holiness. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, descend upon us and remain with us for ever! Amen.
MARIAN ANTIPHON
Mary is the immaculate lily,
who brought forth Christ the imperishable rose.
O holy Mother of God,
immaculate sheep,
who gave birth to Christ the Lamb,
the Word incarnate from you;
O most holy Virgin,
who have astonished the hosts of angels;
stupendous is the miracle in heaven:
a woman clothed with the sun
carrying in her arms the Light.
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.
