Prayer for the Evening
In prayer and in praise, let us seek the Lord.
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
When Mary brought her Treasure
Unto the Holy Place,
No eye of man could measure
The joy upon her face.
He was but six weeks old,
Her plaything and her pleasure,
Her silver and her gold.
Then Simeon on him gazing
With wonder and with love,
His aged voice up-raising,
Gave thanks to God above:
Now welcome, sweet release!
For I, my Savior praising,
May die at last in peace.
And she, all sorrow scorning,
Rejoiced in Jesus’ fame;
The Child her arms adorning
Shone softly like a flame
That burns the whole night through,
And keeps from dusk till morning
Its vigil clear and true.
As by the sun in splendor
The flags of night are furled,
So darkness shall surrender
To Christ who lights the world:
To Christ the star of day,
Who once was small and tender,
A candle’s gentle ray.
PSALM 27:1, 4, 6b-8, 13-14
My soul is longing for the Lord/ more than watchman for daybreak. (Ps 130:6)
Simeon and Anna waited in patient faith for the dawning of the Sun of Justice. Let us seek the Lord with all our hearts as they did, so that we too may recognize him when he comes into our lives.
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?
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.
I shall offer within his tent
a sacrifice of joy.
I will sing and make music for the Lord.
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek his face.”
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Romans 8:24-25)
In hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
In you we hope; for you we wait.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Coming forward at that very time, Anna gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. (cf. Lk 2:38)
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
The world awaits the full revelation of God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, as Simeon and Anna waited.
R/It is your face, O Lord, that we seek.
You came to the people that had long awaited you:
– come to those who serve you in patient hope. R/
You were brought to the Temple as an offering from and for the poor:
– come to those who have pledged to you their poverty. R/
You were offered in the Temple as you would offer yourself on the cross:
– come to those who have offered themselves to you through religious vows. R/
You joined your Mother’s offering to your own:
– remember those who take part in your Passion. 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 for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2
Today the Blessed Virgin Mary
presented the Child Jesus in the Temple;
and Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit,
took him into his arms,
and blessed God forever.
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.
Ave, Regina caelorum,
Ave, Domina angelorum,
Salve, radix, salve, porta,
Ex qua mundo lux est orta.
Gaude, Virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa;
Vale, O valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.
Hail, O Queen of heaven enthroned.
Hail, by angels mistress owned.
Root of Jesse, Gate of morn
Whence the world’s true light was born:
Glorious Virgin, joy to thee,
Loveliest whom in heaven they see;
Fairest thou, where all are fair,
Plead with Christ our souls to spare.
