WORSHIP AID - EVENING PRAYER
Evening Prayer
Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
INTRODUCTION
Leader God, + come to my assistance.
All Lord, make haste to help me.
Leader Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
All as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
PSALMODY
Leader Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24
God sees all that is
Who has known the mind of God, who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:34).
I
Side 1 O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.
Side 2 Before ever a word is on my tongue
you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me,
your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me, this knowledge,
too high, beyond my reach.
Side 1 O where can I go from your spirit,
or where can I flee from your face?
If I climb the heavens, you are there.
If I lie in the grave, you are there.
Side 2 If I take the wings of the dawn
and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,
even there your hand would lead me,
your right hand would hold me fast.
Side 1 If I say: “Let the darkness hide me
and the light around me be night,”
even darkness is not dark for you
and the night is as clear as the day.
Side 2 Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Side 1 as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
All Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Leader I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
II
Side 1 For it was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.
Side 2 Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and molded in the depths of the earth.
Side 1 Your eyes saw all my actions,
they were all of them written in your book;
every one of my days was decreed
before one of them came into being.
Side 2 To me, how mysterious your thoughts,
the sum of them not to be numbered!
If I count them, they are more than the sand;
to finish, I must be eternal, like you.
Side 1 O search me, God, and know my heart.
O test me and know my thoughts.
See that I follow not the wrong path
and lead me in the path of life eternal.
Side 2 Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Side 1 as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
All I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
Leader Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Side 1 Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints
in light.
Side 2 He rescued us
from the power of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.
Side 1 He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.
Side 2 All were created through him;
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.
Side 1 It is he who is head of the body, the church!
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.
Side 2 It pleased God to make absolute fulness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.
Side 1 Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Side 2 as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
All Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
READING
1 Peter 5:1-4
Reader To the elders among you, I, a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and sharer in the glory that is to be revealed, make this appeal. God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s care. Watch over it willingly, as God would have you do, not under constraint, and not for shameful profit, either, but generously. Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears, you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory.
RESPONSORY
Reader These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
All These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
Reader They spent themselves in their service,
All and ever prayed for them.
Reader Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Leader O blessed Church, the blood of martyrs has made you glorious.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
All 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.
All O blessed Church, the blood of martyrs has made you glorious.
INTERCESSIONS
Reader Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
Reader You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women; let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
Reader You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion; through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
Reader In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit; fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
Reader You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors; let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
Reader The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life. save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
All Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Leader Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:
All 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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader God our Father,
in Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
you have given your people an inspiring example
of dedication to the pastoral ministry
and constant witness to Christ in their suffering.
May their prayers and faith give us courage
to work for the unity of your Church.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All Amen.
DISMISSAL
Leader May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
All Amen.