Prayer for the Evening
Jesus Christ is a lamp for our steps:
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
Come, let us raise our songs of celebration,
Joining the triumph train of this confessor,
Father and leader, now above the heavens
Reigning forever.
He spent his gifts to sanctify the many,
He was a priest, a ruler, and a teacher,
Leading with judgment, fostering a people
For gifts eternal.
Now let us ask him earnestly for favor:
Cleansing of all the sins of his beloved;
And by his fervent prayers we may be lifted
To the high heavens.
PSALM 19:8-11, 15
By wisdom is a house built,/ by understanding is it made firm;/ And by knowledge are its rooms filled/ with every precious and pleasing possession. (Prv 24:3-4)
This patron of catechists was deeply devoted to Christian formation for all people in the Church. In addition to his contributions to the education of the laity, he laid the groundwork for the seminary system of priestly formation. He left a legacy of great spiritual wealth to the whole Church.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.
They are more to be desired than gold,
than the purest of gold,
and sweeter are they than honey,
than honey from the comb.
May the spoken words of my mouth,
the thoughts of my heart,
win favor in your sight, O Lord,
my rescuer, my rock!
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Wisdom 7:11-14)
All good things together came to me in [Wisdom’s] company,/ and countless riches at her hands;/ And I rejoiced in them all, because Wisdom is their leader,/ though I had not known that she is the mother of these.
Simply I learned about her, and ungrudgingly do I share—/ her riches I do not hide away;/ For to men she is an unfailing treasure;/ those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God,/ to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them.
God is the guide of Wisdom/ and the director of the wise. (cf. Wis 7:15)
CANTICLE OF MARY
When a man walks in integrity and justice,/ happy are his children after him! (Prv 20:7)
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 to the source of wisdom:
R/Lord Jesus Christ, light the way!
For all who do the work of priestly formation:
– keep them faithful in their discipleship and exemplary in their leadership. R/
For all teachers and catechists:
– possess them with love for your Word and your people. R/
For all who compose materials for religious education and formation:
– illumine them with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and the love of truth. R/
For all young people:
– guide them to follow in your footsteps with enthusiasm and love. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
May our faith rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God! Amen. (cf. 1 Cor 2:5)
MARIAN ANTIPHON
Antiphon of the Divine Office
My soul magnifies the Lord,
for God has regarded my humility.
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.
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.
