Evening Prayer I - Holy Family

HOLY FAMILY

Evening Prayer I

O God, come to my assistance.
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

Sing of Mary, pure and lowly,
Virgin mother undefiled,
Sing of God's own Son most holy,
Who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
Takes our nature by his birth.

Sing of Jesus, son of Mary,
In the home at Nazareth.
Toil and labour cannot weary
Love enduring unto death.
Constant was the love he gave her,
Though he went forth from her side,
Forth to preach, and heal, and suffer,
Till on Calvary he died.

Glory be to God the Father;
Glory be to God the Son;
Glory be to God the Spirit;
Glory to the Three in One.
From the heart of blessed Mary,
From all saints the song ascends,
And the Church the strain reechoes
Unto earth's remotest ends.
Melody: Pleading Saviour 87.87 D; Music: The Christian Lyre, 1831; Text: Anon, 1914

PSALMODY

Antiphon:Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary; Mary gave birth to Jesus who is called the Christ.

Psalm 113
Laudate, pueri

Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!

May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!

From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.

Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne

yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?

From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the dungheap he raises the poor

to set them in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.

To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children. Glory...

Antiphon:Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary; Mary gave birth to Jesus who is called the Christ.

Antiphon: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; the child in her womb is conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 147:12-20
Lauda Jerusalem

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion praise your God!

He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.

He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.

He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;

he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.

He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees. Glory...

Antiphon: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; the child in her womb is conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Antiphon:The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, with the child cradled in a manger.

Canticle – Ephesians 1:3-10

Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him *
before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us *
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure, †
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God's favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom *
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out *
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on earth. Glory...

Antiphon: The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, with the child cradled in a manger.

READING                          2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

RESPONSORY
The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.
- The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.
He lived among us.
- Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
- The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.

MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: The child Jesus remained in Jerusalem and his parents did not know it. They thought he was in the group of travelers and looked for him among their relatives and friends.

INTERCESSIONS
The son of the living God let himself become the son of a human family. Let us pray to him:

                    Lord, you are our example and our savior.

Christ, you made yourself subject to Mary and Joseph:
    teach us to respect and obey whoever holds rightful authority.

You loved your parents and they loved you:
    may every family stand firm and peaceful in mutual love.

In all things you honoured your Father’s will:
    may God be honoured in every home.

Christ, after two days your parents found you in your Father’s temple:
    teach us to seek the kingdom of God before all else.

Christ, you have united Mary and Joseph in your glory in heaven:
    welcome our dead into the family of the blessed.

Our Father...

COLLECT
O God, who were pleased to give us
the shining example of the Holy Family,
graciously grant that we may imitate them
in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity,
and so, in the joy of your house,
delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

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