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EVENING PRAYER Vespers
for the Feast of St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, transferred from December 7
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
The Spirit and the Church cry out:
Come, Lord Jesus.
All those who await his appearance pray:
Come, Lord Jesus.
The whole creation pleads:
Come, Lord Jesus.
Joyous light of glory:
of the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun,
and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom you have enlightened us by revealing to us the light that never fades.
Night has fallen and day’s allotted span draws to a close.
The daylight which you created for our pleasure has fully satisfied us, and yet, of your free gift, now the evening lights do not fail us.
We praise and glorify you through you Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
through him be glory, honor, and power to you in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
Amen
The psalmody begins with this prayer for forgiveness and protection:
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Ps. 141:1-7
Silence for meditation.
Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to
the | Lord, you gods,*
ascribe to the Lord
glo- | ry and strength.
2 Ascribe to
the Lord the glory | due his
name;*
worship the Lord
in the beau- | ty of holiness.
3 The voice
of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of | glory thunders;*
the Lord
is upon the | mighty waters.
4 The voice
of the Lord is a pow- | erful
voice;*
the voice of the Lord
is a | voice of splendor.
5 The voice
of the Lord breaks the | cedar
trees;*
the Lord
breaks the ce- | dars of Lebanon;
6 he makes
Lebanon skip | like a calf,*
and Mount Hermon like a | young wild ox.
7 The voice
of the Lord splits the flames of
fire;
the voice of the Lord | shakes the wilderness;*
the Lord
shakes the wilder- | ness of Kadesh.
8 The voice
of the Lord makes the | oak trees
writhe*
and strips the | forests bare.
9 And in the
temple | of the Lord*
all are | crying, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned a- | bove the
flood;*
the Lord
sits enthroned as | king forevermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength | to his
people;*
the Lord
shall give his people the bless- | ing of peace.
Lord our king, your voice sounds over the waters as you reign above the flood. Help us, who are born again by water and the Holy Spirit, to praise your wonderful deeds in your holy temple; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
HYMN
The King Shall Come
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
2 Not as of old a little child,
to bear and fight and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
3 Oh, brighter than the rising morn
when Christ, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
4 Oh, brighter than that glorious morn
shall dawn upon our race
the day when Christ in splendor comes,
and we shall see his face.
5 The King shall come when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray:
come quickly, King of kings.
Text:
John Brownlie, 1859-1925
READINGS
Isaiah 25:6-12
Luke 1:26-38
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Silence for reflection.
READING
From 'Figures of Advent' by Alfred Delp, S.J.
(written while imprisoned by the Nazis in Tegel Prison, Berlin, Advent 1944)
Silence for reflection.
Response
In many and various ways
God spoke to his people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
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 forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
An ADVENT LITANY is said.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, name called Wonderful:
We praise and bless your Holy Name.
Jesus, our great Counselor: /R
Jesus, true and mighty God: /R
Jesus, everlasting Father: /R
Jesus, Prince of Peace: /R
Jesus, Son of David: Deliver us from our sins, we beseech you.
Jesus, Branch of Jesse: /R
Jesus, Rose of Sharon: /R
Jesus, Lily of the Valleys: /R
Jesus, Bright and Morning Star: /R
Jesus, Scepter of Israel: Help us and bless us.
Jesus, Light of the Gentiles: /R
Jesus, Desire of all nations: /R
Jesus, Sun of Righteousness: /R
Jesus, Lawgiver, Priest, Judge, and King: /R
O Jesus, hear us: And prepare us for your coming.
Gather your ancient people unto yourself:
Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come before you.
Bring all the nations to come to your light and your truth:
/R
Convert all leaders of nations to fall down before you
and to desire your beauty: /R
Help your messengers in every land to prepare the way before you:
/R
Let all the nations fear you as long as the sun and moon endure,
throughout all generations: /R
Give your ministers righteousness and knowledge: /R
Preserve all who put their trust in you: /R
And give peace to all your people: /R
Prepare us for your coming: And save us from our sins.
The collects are said.
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
