Evening Prayer - the Nativity of John the Baptist

NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
June 24

Evening Prayer II

God, come to my assistance.
- Lord, make haste to help me.
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

Oh for your spirit, holy John to cleanse us
from all contentious and unholy speaking
that with lips chastened we may sing more fitly
your wondrous story

There by the altar at the hour of incense
God's great archangel came to Zechariah
your birth foretelling, and your name and calling
as Christ's forerunner.

Oh, may the power of your intercession,
all stony hardness from our heart expelling,
smooth the rough places and the crooked straighten
here in the desert.

Thus may our gracious Maker and Redeemer,
seeking a station for his hallowed footsteps,
find, when he comes here, temples unpolluted,
fit to receive him.

Praise to the Father, to the Sole-begotten,
and to the Spirit, with them both co-equal;
so we adore you, one and only Godhead,
through all the ages. Amen.

Or:

Ut Queant Laxis (pdf)

Ut queant laxis resonare fibris
mira gestorum famuli tuorum,
solve polluti labiis reatum,
sancte Joannes.

Nuntius celso veniens Olympo,
te patri magnum fore nasciturum,
nomen, et vitae seriem gerendae,
ordine promit.

Ille promissi dubius superni
per didit promptae modulos loquelae;
sed reformasti genitus peremptae
organa vocis.

Laudibus cives celebrant superni
te, Deus simplex pariterque trine;
supplices ac nos veniam precamur:
parce redemptis.

Ventris obstruso recubans cubili,
senseras Regem thalamo manentem:
hinc parens, nati, meritis, uterque,
abdita pandit.

Sit decus Patri, genitaeque proli
et tibi, compare utriusque virtus,
Spiritus semper, Deus unus, omni
Temporis aevo. Amen.

For thy spirit, holy John, to chasten
Lips sin-polluted, fettered tongues to loosen;
So by thy children might thy deeds of wonder
Meetly be chanted.

Lo! a swift herald, from the skies descending,
Bears to thy father promise of thy greatness;
How he shall name thee, what thy future story,
Duly revealing.

Scarcely believing message so transcendent,
Him for a season power of speech forsaketh,
Till, at thy wondrous birth, again returneth
Voice to the voiceless.

The heavenly citizens celebrate you
with lauds, one God and at once triune;
we also come imploring forgiveness;
spare us among the redeemed.

Thou, in thy mother's womb all darkly cradled,
Knewest thy Monarch, biding in His chamber,
Whence the two parents, through their children's merits,
Mysteries uttered.

Praise to the Father, to the Son begotten,
And to the Spirit, equal power. possessing,
One God whose glory, through the lapse of ages,
Ever resoundeth. Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

Psalm 15

Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
and dwell on your holy mountain?

The man who walks without fault,
who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart,
he who does not slander with his tongue,

who does no wrong to his kindred,
who casts no slur on his neighbors,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honors those who fear the Lord;

those who keep their word, come what may,
who take no interest on a loan
and accept no bribes against the innocent.
Such people will stand firm for ever. Glory...

Antiphon 1: There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

Antiphon 2: He came to bear witness to the truth.

Psalm 112

Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons shall be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.

Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.

The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.

He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes.

Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.

The wicked man sees and is angry,
grinds his teeth and fades away;
the desire of the wicked leads to doom. Glory...

Antiphon 2: He came to bear witness to the truth.

Antiphon 3: John was like a brilliantly shining light.

Canticle - Revelation 15:3-4

Mighty and wonderful are your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor,
or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy,
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence.
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen. Glory...

Antiphon 3: John was like a brilliantly shining light.

READING Acts 13:23-25
According to his promise, God has brought forth from David's descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; And John's career was coming to an end, he would say, 'What you suppose me to be I am not. Rather, look for the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'

RESPONSORY
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
- Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me;
- make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
- Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.

MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: This child, born to us, is greater than any prophet; the Savior said of him: There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.

INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray joyfully to God our Father who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:

O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.

You called John the Baptist from his mother's womb to prepare the way of your Son,
- help us to follow in the path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.

May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God,
- so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.

John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as the forerunner of Christ,
- teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.

You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death,
- help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.

Remember those who have died,
- give them a place of light, happiness and peace.

Our Father...

COLLECT
O God, who raised up Saint John the Baptist
to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord,
give your people, we pray,
the grace of spiritual joys
and direct the hearts of all the faithful
into the way of salvation and peace.
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.

The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Home

Prayers

The
Saints