St Joseph, Evening Prayer

ST. JOSEPH
Evening Prayer II
March 19
______

Deus in adjutorium meum intende,
Domine ad adjuvandum me festina

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us.
Hagios ho theos, hagios ischyros, hagios athanatos,
eleison imas.
Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortalis,
miserere nobis.

CHANT
Joseph + was the husband of Mary, *
who gave birth to Jesus called Messiah.

The angel Gabriel + was sent from God to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David; *
the virgin's name was Mary.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, + was betrothed to Joseph; *
before they came together, she found that she was with child by the Holy Spirit.

Being a man of principle, + yet wanting to save her from exposure, *
Joseph desired to have the marriage set aside quietly.

Do not be afraid + to take Mary home with you as your wife. *
It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived the child.

PHOS HILARON
O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. - Colossians 3:23-24

HYMN

Te, Ioseph, celebrent agmina caelitum,
te cuncti resonent Christiadum chori,
qui, clarus meritis, iunctus es inclitae,
casto foedere Virgini.

Almo cum tumidam germine coniugem
admirans dubio tangeris anxius,
afflatu superi Flaminis, Angelus
conceptum puerum docet.

Tu natum Dominum stringis, ad exteras
Aegypti profugum tu sequeris plagas;
amissum Solymis quaeris et invenis,
miscens gaudia fletibus.

Nobis, summa Trias, parce precantibus;
da Ioseph meritis sidera scandere,
ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim
gratum promere canticum.
O Joseph, heav'nly hosts your worthiness proclaim,
and Christendom conspires to celebrate your fame;
for you in purest bonds were to the virgin bound.
How glorious is your name renowned!

But when with grief you saw your spouse about to bear,
you were oppressed with doubt and filled with wond'ring care;
at length the angel's word your anxious heart relieved:
she by the Spirit has conceived.

You with your newborn Lord sought out far Egypt's land,
as fugitives you fled over the desert sand.
The Lord, while lost a while, is in the temple found,
while tears are shed and joys abound.

O Holy Trinity, your suppliant servants spare;
grant us to rise to heaven upheld by Joseph's prayer,
and so our grateful hearts to you shall ever raise
exulting canticles of praise.

The Psalter

Antiphon: His parents found Jesus in the temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions.

Psalm 112
Beatus vir

1: Hallelujah!
Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments!
2: Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3: Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.
4: Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
5: It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.
6: For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
7: They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right;
they put their trust in the Lord.
8: Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies.
9: They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
they will hold up their head with honor.
10: The wicked will see it and be angry;
they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
the desires of the wicked will perish.

Antiphon: His parents found Jesus in the temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions.

Antiphon: The mother of Jesus said to him: Son, why have you done this to us? See how your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.

Psalm 34

Benedicam Domine

1: I will bless the LORD at all times; *
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2: I will glory in the LORD; *
let the humble hear and rejoice.
3: Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD; *
let us exalt his Name together.
4: I sought the LORD, and he answered me *
and delivered me out of all my terror.
5: Look upon him and be radiant, *
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6: I called in my affliction and the LORD heard me *
and saved me from all my troubles.
7: The angel of the LORD encompasses those who fear him, *
and he will deliver them.
8: Taste and see that the LORD is good; *
happy are they who trust in him!
9: Fear the LORD, you that are his saints, *
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10: The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *
but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good.

Antiphon: The mother of Jesus said to him: Son, why have you done this to us? See how your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.

Antiphon: Jesus returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth; there he lived and was obedient to them.

11: Come, children, and listen to me; *
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12: Who among you loves life *
and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?
13: Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *
and your lips from lying words.
14: Turn from evil and do good; *
seek peace and pursue it.
15: The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, *
and his ears are open to their cry.
16: The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, *
to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
17: The righteous cry, and the LORD hears them *
and delivers them from all their troubles.
18: The LORD is near to the brokenhearted *
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
19: Many are the troubles of the righteous, *
but the LORD will deliver him out of them all.
20: He will keep safe all his bones; *
not one of them shall be broken.
21: Evil shall slay the wicked, *
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22: The LORD ransoms the life of his servants, *
and none will be punished who trust in him.

Antiphon: Jesus returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth; there he lived and was obedient to them.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

FIRST READING          2 Chronicles 6:12-17
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court; and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven. He said, 'O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant in steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart- you who have kept for your servant, my father David, what you promised to him. Indeed, you promised with your mouth and this day have fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant, my father David, that which you promised him, saying, "There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children keep to their way to walk in my law as you have walked before me." Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant David.

CANTICLE          Prayer for Wisdom - Wisdom 9:1-6,9-11
God of my fathers, Lord of mercy,
you who have made all things by your word
And in your wisdom have established man
to rule the creatures produced by you,
To govern the world in holiness and justice,
and to render judgment in integrity of heart:
Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne,
and reject me not from among your children;
For I am your servant, the son of your handmaid,
a man weak and short-lived
and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws.
Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men,
if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him,
he shall be held in no esteem.
Now with you is Wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes
and what is conformable with your commands.
Send her forth from your holy heavens
and from your glorious throne dispatch her
That she may be with me and work with me,
that I may know what is your pleasure.
For she knows and understands all things,
and will guide me discreetly in my affairs
and safeguard me by her glory.

SECOND READING          Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

MAGNIFICAT          Luke 1:46-55

Antiphon: This is the faithful and prudent steward whom the Lord has set over his household.

English:

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 for ever.
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.

Latin:

Magnificat anima mea Dominum
et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae
suae ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes
quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est
et sanctum nomen eius
et misericordia eius in progenies
et progenies timentibus eum
fecit potentiam in brachio
suo dispersit superbos mente cordis sui
deposuit potentes de sede
et exaltavit humiles
esurientes implevit bonis
et divites dimisit inanes
suscepit Israhel
puerum suum memorari misericordiae
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros
Abraham et semini eius in saecula
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto
Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.

Antiphon: This is the faithful and prudent steward whom the Lord has set over his household.

RESPONSORY
The just man shall blossom like the lily.
- The just man shall blossom like the lily.
He shall flourish forever in the courts of our God,
- like the lily.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
- The just man shall blossom like the lily.

PRAYERS

KONTAKION
Proclaim the wonder, O Joseph,
to David, the ancestor of God:
you saw a Virgin great with Child,
you gave glory with the shepherds,
you worshipped with the Magi,
you received the news from the angel.
Pray to Christ God to save our souls!

COLLECT
O God,
who from the family of your servant David
raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son
and the spouse of his virgin mother:
Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen

COLLECT
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by Saint Joseph's intercession
your Church may constantly watch over
the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation,
whose beginnings you entrusted to his faithful care.
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.

INTERCESSIONS
All fatherhood in heaven and on earth has its origin in God. Let us turn to him and pray:

                        Our Father in heaven, hear our prayer.

All-holy Father, you revealed to St. Joseph your eternal plan of salvation in Christ,
  - deepen our understanding of your Son, true God and true man.

Father in heaven, you feed the birds of the air and clothe the fields with the fruit of the earth,
  - give all your children their daily bread to sustain soul and body.

Maker of the universe, you have entrusted your creation to our safekeeping,
  - may all who work receive a just reward for their labors.

God of all righteousness, you want us all to be like you,
  - May St. Joseph inspire us all to walk always in your way of holiness.

Look kindly on the dying and dead, and grant them your mercy,
  - through the intercession of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

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.
Amen.

TROPARION
Today godly David is filled with joy;
Joseph and James offer praise.
The glorious crown of their kinship with Christ fills them with great joy.
They sing praises to the One ineffably born on earth,
and they cry out: "O Compassionate One, save those who honor You!"

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.