Friday 2 October 2020
The Holy Guardian Angels
on Friday of week 26 in Ordinary Time
Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
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. Alleluia.
________
Hymn
Hark! hark, my soul! angelic songs are swelling
o’er earth’s green fields and ocean’s wave-beat shore:
how sweet the truth those blessed strains are telling
of that new life when sin shall be no more.
Onward we go, for still we hear them singing,
‘Come, weary souls, for Jesus bids you come’;
and through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,
the music of the gospel leads us home.
Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,
the voice of Jesus sounds o’er land and sea;
and laden souls, by thousands meekly stealing,
kind Shepherd, turn their weary steps to thee.
Rest comes at length: though life be long and dreary,
the day must dawn, and darksome night be past;
faith’s journeys end in welcome to the weary,
and heaven, the heart’s true home, will come at last.
Angels, sing on! your faithful watches keeping;
sing us sweet fragments of the songs above,
till morning’s joy shall end the night of weeping,
and life’s long shadows break in cloudless love.
________
Psalm 33 (34)
The Lord, the salvation of the righteous
“You have tasted and seen that the Lord is sweet” (1 Pet 2:3).
The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
Revere the Lord, you his saints.
They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.
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.
The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.
________
Psalm 33 (34)
As God lives, so has his angel protected me.
Come, children, and hear me
that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life
and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?
Then keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn aside from evil and do good;
seek and strive after peace.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.
They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
Many are the trials of the just man
but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones,
not one of his bones shall be broken.
Evil brings death to the wicked;
those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.
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.
As God lives, so has his angel protected me.
Psalm-prayer
Graciously hear us, Lord, for we seek only you. You are near to those whose heart is right. Open yourself to accept our sorrowful spirit; calm our bodies and minds with the peace which surpasses understanding.
Or:
God our Creator, strength for the weak and food for the hungry, accept the mystery of the Church’s praise and thanksgiving. May we taste and see your goodness on earth and praise your greatness in heaven.
________
Canticle
Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
Give thanks to the God of heaven, glorify him with all living things, for he has shown you his loving kindness.
We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
that you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great.
Now the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
And they have conquered him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Rejoice, then, O heaven,
and you that dwell therein.
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.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, glorify him with all living things, for he has shown you his loving kindness.
________
Short Reading
Apocalypse 8:3-4
An angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar. A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints.
________
Short Responsory
God has entrusted you to the care of his angels.
– God has entrusted you to the care of his angels.
May they protect you wherever you go.
– God has entrusted you to the care of his angels.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– God has entrusted you to the care of his angels.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
The angels always look on the face of my Father in heaven.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
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.
The angels always look on the face of my Father in heaven.
________
Prayers and intercessions
The powers of heaven stand at God’s throne to serve him. Let us ask our Father to make us ready to do his will on earth.
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
Lord, you made the angels to be ministers of your word:
by their help may we bring your word to our brothers.
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
Lord, your holiness is sung by the eternal angels:
may the Church on earth never fail in your praise
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
You sent your angels to watch over your servants,
protect all those who travel, and guide them safely home.
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
At Christmas your angels sang of peace towards men:
may their message of peace inspire the hearts of rulers and peoples.
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
When the angels summon the dead from the four corners of the world,
may your people be gathered as one into your joy.
– Let us praise the Father with the hosts of heaven.
________
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.
________
Lord God,
in your all-wise providence you send angels to guard and protect us.
Surround us with their watchful care on earth,
and give us the joy of their company for ever in heaven.
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.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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.