Tuesday 7 April 2020
Tuesday of Holy Week
Compline (Night Prayer)
(today)
The Compline after First or Second Vespers of a Sunday may be substituted for the Compline of a weekday.
________
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
________
Examination of Conscience
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.
________
Hymn
Christ, thou who art the light and day,
Who chasest nightly shades away,
Thyself the Light of Light confessed,
And promiser of radiance blest:
O holy Lord, we pray to thee,
Throughout the night our guardian be;
In thee vouchsafe us to repose,
All peaceful till the night shall close.
O let our eyes due slumber take,
Our hearts to thee forever wake:
And let thy right hand from above
Shield us who turn to thee in love.
O strong defender, hear our prayers,
Repel our foes and break their snares,
And govern thou thy servants here,
Those ransomed with thy life-blood dear.
Almighty Father, this accord
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord,
Who with the Holy Ghost and thee
Doth reign through all eternity.
________
Psalm 142 (143)
A prayer in time of trouble
“A man is made righteous not by obedience to the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal 2:16).
Do not hide your face from me, for in you have I put my trust.
Lórd, lísten to my práyer: †
túrn your éar to my appéal. *
You are fáithful, you are júst; give ánswer.
Do not cáll your sérvant to júdgement *
for nó one is júst in your síght.
The énemy pursúes my sóul; *
he has crúshed my lífe to the gróund;
he has máde me dwéll in dárkness *
like the déad, lóng forgótten.
Thérefore my spírit fáils; *
my héart is númb withín me.
I remémber the dáys that are pást: *
I pónder áll your wórks.
I múse on what your hánd has wróught †
and to yóu I strétch out my hánds. *
Like a párched land my sóul thirsts for yóu.
Lórd, make háste and ánswer; *
for my spírit fáils withín me.
Dó not híde your fáce *
lest I becóme like thóse in the gráve.
In the mórning let me knów your lóve *
for I pút my trúst in yóu.
Make me knów the wáy I should wálk: *
to yóu I líft up my sóul.
Réscue me, Lórd, from my énemies; *
I have fléd to yóu for réfuge.
Téach me to dó your wíll *
for yóu, O Lórd, are my Gód.
Let yóur good spírit gúide me *
in wáys that are lével and smóoth.
For your náme’s sake, Lórd, save my lífe; *
in your jústice save my sóul from distréss.
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.
Do not hide your face from me, for in you have I put my trust.
Psalm-prayer
Lord Jesus, early in the morning of your resurrection, you made your love known and brought the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness. Your death has opened a path for us. Do not enter into judgement with your servants; let your Holy Spirit guide us together into the land of justice.
________
Short Reading
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith.
________
Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
________
Canticle
Nunc Dimittis
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Save us, Lord, while we are awake; protect us while we sleep; that we may keep watch with Christ and rest with him in peace.
At lást, all-pówerful Máster, †
you give léave to your sérvant *
to go in péace, accórding to your prómise.
For my éyes have séen your sálvation *
which you have prepáred for all nátions,
the líght to enlíghten the Géntiles *
and give glóry to Ísrael, your péople.
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.
Save us, Lord, while we are awake; protect us while we sleep; that we may keep watch with Christ and rest with him in peace.
________
Let us pray.
In your mercy, Lord,
dispel the darkness of this night.
Let your household so sleep in peace
that at the dawn of a new day
they may, with joy, waken in your name.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
________
The Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
________
Marian Anthem
Ave Regina Caelorum
Hail, Queen of heaven, beyond compare,
To whom the angels homage pay;
Hail, Root of Jesse, Gate of Light,
That opened for the world’s new Day.
Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed,
In whom our ransom was begun,
For all your loving children pray
To Christ, our Saviour and your Son.
Ave, Regína cælórum,
ave, Dómina angelórum,
salve, radix, salve, porta,
ex qua mundo lux est orta.
Gaude, Virgo gloriósa,
super omnes speciósa;
vale, o valde decóra,
et pro nobis Christum exóra.
Copyright © 1996-2020 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.