Prayer for the Evening
Vigil of the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
God is with us always: let us give thanks and praise!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HYMN
The keeper of a vineyard dreamed
Of vines alive with fruit
And tended vine and dream alike
Down years of sharp dispute,
As others came to claim the land,
To drink its fruit as spoil,
Without a grower’s love of growth
Or farmer’s love of soil.
The keeper had a child, firstborn,
Who came to work the land.
The malcontents desired his life
But did not understand—
This life, once it was given up,
This blood, once spilled like wine,
Would soak down deep into the ground
And rise up in the vine.
And then the plant, fresh charged, would be
Itself a vein of grace,
A way the keeper might extend
A hopeful, green embrace,
Connecting child and foe and friend,
Co-mingled and entwined,
To be and bear the fruit of God
In one life-giving vine.
PSALM 119:41-48
You shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ez 36:28)
Not every aspect of a parable is meant to apply to us. To imagine ourselves tenants of an absentee landlord rather than responsible heirs laboring in our Father’s vineyard is the fundamental mistake we are invited to make by a short-sighted notion of freedom not rooted in our communion with Christ.
Lord, let your love come upon me,
the saving help of your promise.
And I shall answer those who taunt me
for I trust in your word.
Do not take the word of truth from my mouth
for I trust in your decrees.
I shall always keep your law
for ever and ever.
I shall walk in the path of freedom
for I seek your precepts.
I will speak of your will before kings
and not be abashed.
Your commands have been my delight;
these I have loved.
I will worship your commands and love them
and ponder your will.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Leviticus 26:9-12)
I will look with favor upon you, and make you fruitful and numerous, as I carry out my covenant with you. So much of the old crops will you have stored up for food that you will have to discard them to make room for the new. I will set my Dwelling among you, and will not disdain you. Ever present in your midst, I will be your God, and you will be my people.
I will never leave you until I have done
what I promised you. (Gn 28:15)
CANTICLE OF MARY
You are God in Israel and I am your servant and have done all these things by your command. (cf. 1 Kgs 18:36)
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
As laborers in God’s vineyard, we pray:
R/Lord, make us know your ways.
You have called us to labor for the harvest:
– make us faithful and loving servants of the Gospel. R/
You have made us heirs of your Kingdom in Jesus Christ:
– let us treasure our heritage always. R/
You have promised us eternal life:
– let us work zealously to bring your life to all people. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
May we walk the paths of life in God’s service! Amen.
MARIAN ANTIPHON
Antiphon for the Memorial of
Our Lady of the Rosary,
October 7
The daughters of Zion saw her flourishing
in blossoms of roses,
and pronounced her most blessed.
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.
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