Easter Friday Vespers

Easter Friday Vespers

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us

TRISAGION
Holy God, Holy and mighty, Holy immortal one,
Have mercy on us. (3x)
Latin. Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus immortalis,
Miserere nobis.
Greek. Agios o theos, Agios ischyros, Agios athanatos,
Eleison imas.

OPENING CANTICLE
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.

The light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Lord is the strength of my life.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

OPENING VERSE Acts 5:30 - 32
It was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.

HYMN

Christ Jesus lay in death's strong bands
for our offenses given;
but now at God's right hand he stands
and brings us life from heaven;
Therefore let us joyful be,
and praise the Father thankfully
With songs of alleluia.
Alleluia.

How long and bitter was the strife
when life and death contended;
the victory remained with life,
the reign of death was ended;
stripped of power, no more it reigns,
an empty form alone remains;
death's sting is lost for ever!
Alleluia.

So let us keep this festival
To which our Lord invites us;
The Savior who is joy of all,
the sun that warms and lights us;
by his grace he shall impart
eternal sunshine to the heart;
the night of sin is ended.
Alleluia.

PSALMODY

118 Confitemini Domino

1: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
2: Let Israel now proclaim, *
"His mercy endures for ever."
3: Let the house of Aaron now proclaim, *
"His mercy endures for ever."
4: Let those who fear the LORD now proclaim, *
"His mercy endures for ever."
5: I called to the LORD in my distress; *
the LORD answered by setting me free.
6: The LORD is at my side, therefore I will not fear; *
what can anyone do to me?
7: The LORD is at my side to help me; *
I will triumph over those who hate me.
8: It is better to rely on the LORD *
than to put any trust in flesh.
9: It is better to rely on the LORD *
than to put any trust in rulers.
10: All the ungodly encompass me; *
in the Name of the LORD I will repel them.
11: They hem me in, they hem me in on every side; *
in the name of the LORD I will repel them.
12: They swarm about me like bees;
they blaze like a fire of thorns; *
in the name of the LORD I will repel them.
13: I was pressed so hard that I almost fell, *
but the LORD came to my help.
14: The LORD is my strength and my song, *
and he has become my salvation.
15: There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in the tents of the righteous:
16: "The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! *
the right hand of the LORD is exalted!
the right hand of the LORD has triumphed!"
17: I shall not die, but live, *
and declare the works of the LORD.
18: The LORD has punished me sorely, *
but he did not hand me over to death.
19: Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the LORD.
20: "This is the gate of the LORD; *
he who is righteous may enter."
21: I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
22: The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23: This is the LORD'S doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24: On this day the LORD has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25: Hosanna, LORD, hosanna! *
LORD, send us now success.
26: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
27: God is the LORD; he has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
28: "You are my God, and I will thank you; *
you are my God, and I will exalt you."
29: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.

FIRST READING          Exodus 13:11-16
‘When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem. When in the future your child asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall answer, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.’

CANTICLE          A Song of Solomon          Song of Songs 8:6-7

Antiphon:
Many waters cannot quench love;
neither can the floods drown it.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, •
as a seal upon your arm;
For love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave; •
its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, •
neither can the floods drown it.
If all the wealth of our house were offered for love, •
it would be utterly scorned. Glory...

SECOND READING          1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory?
   Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.

Magnificat
Antiphon: When he saw the net full of fishes, / the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord, alleluia.

COLLECT
Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Personal Prayers and Thanksgivings

INTERCESSIONS
Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us proclaim his glory and cry out to him:

                          Son of the living God, bless your people.

We pray to you, Christ, for all the ministers of your Church. As they break for us the bread of life,
  -  let it sustain them too, and give them strength. (R.)

We pray to you for all Christians. Let them worthily live their vocations;
  -  let them come together in peace and unity of spirit. (R.)

We pray to you for those who rule us. Let them perform their duties justly and mercifully,
  -  until there is peace and harmony throughout the world. (R.)

We pray to you to make us worthy to celebrate you in the communion of saints;
  -  and we entrust to your care our brethren who have died. (R.)

Our Father...

PRAYER
Almighty and eternal God, you have used the mysteries of Easter to seal a covenant of reconciliation with the human race.
Give our minds the ability to put into action
what we celebrate and profess.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.

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