Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Hymn

O God, Creator of the world,

And King of heaven, sending light

Most beautiful to clothe the day,

And grace of sleep to come by night.

That so in rest our slackened limbs

Grow strong for work as dawns the day,

And wearied minds be fresh again,

As light drives anxious care away.

With bounden thanks, with offered vows,

With prayers and hymns our debt we pay,

Beseeching thee to keep us safe

As night draws nigh, as ends the day.

Psalm 48 (49) The uselessness of riches

You cannot serve both God and mammon.

All peoples, listen –

all who live in the world, hear what I have to say:

humble and great together,

rich and poor alike!

My mouth will speak wisdom,

my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel.

I will turn my ears to a mystery,

I will expound a riddle on the lyre.

Why should I be fearful in times of trouble,

when the crimes of usurpers hem me in?

They trust in their own strength

and glory in their great riches.

But, after all, man cannot redeem himself,

he cannot ransom himself before God.

The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it –

the price of eternal death avoided.

He will see that even the wise die;

the foolish and the stupid too will perish,

and their riches will pass to others.

Their tombs will be homes to them for ever,

their dwelling-place for all generations,

even if the lands they owned are named after them.

Though he be full of honour, man will not endure:

he is like the beasts of burden, that die;

he is like the beasts that perish.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

You cannot serve both God and mammon.

Psalm 48 (49)

Build up treasure for yourselves in heaven, says the Lord.

Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take.

This is the end of those who boast.

Like sheep they go down into the underworld,

and death is their shepherd.

They will fall headlong into the grave:

their faces will be eaten away,

and the underworld will be their dwelling-place.

But God will ransom my life;

truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld.

Do not fear, when a man becomes rich

and the glory of his house increases.

When he dies, he will not take it with him,

his glory will not follow him down to the grave.

Even if he calls himself blessed,

says “see how they praise me for my success,”

still he will join his fathers,

cut off from light, for ever.

Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand.

He is like the beasts of burden, that die;

he is like the beasts that perish.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Build up treasure for yourselves in heaven, says the Lord.

Canticle	Apocalypse 4,5

The song of the redeemed

The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive glory and honour.

You are worthy, our Lord and our God,

to receive glory and honour and power;

for you made all things,

and it is by your will that they exist and were created.

You are worthy, Lord,

to receive the book and open its seals,

for you were killed,

and with your blood you have ransomed people

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and made them rulers and priests for God;

and they will rule over the earth.

The Lamb is worthy, who was killed,

to receive power and riches and wisdom,

strength and honour, glory and blessing.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive glory and honour.

Short reading	Romans 3:23-25 ©

All have sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and all are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith.

Short Responsory

You will fill me with joy, Lord, at your presence.

– You will fill me with joy, Lord, at your presence.

I will delight at your right hand for ever.

– You will fill me with joy, Lord, at your presence.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– You will fill me with joy, Lord, at your presence.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Do great things for us, Lord, for you are powerful and your name is holy.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Do great things for us, Lord, for you are powerful and your name is holy.

Prayers and Intercessions

Christ is the guardian and shepherd of our souls: he loves his people and keeps them safe. Let us give him praise and with hope and trust let us ask him: