Sunday, February 8

The Vespers Office To Be Observed on the Hour or Half Hour Between 5 and 8 p.m

The Call to Prayer

The LORD is my strength and my shield;* my heart trusts him, and I have been helped; Therefore my heart dances for joy,* and in my song I will praise him.

Psalm 28:8–9

The Request for Presence

Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me;* O LORD, be my helper.

Psalm 30:11

The Greeting

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens;* you have done great things; who is like you, O God?

Psalm 71:19

The Hymn

Blessed Jesus, at Your word we are gathered all to hear You; Let our hearts and souls be stirred now to seek and love and fear You, By your teachings sweet and holy, Drawn from earth to love You solely. All our knowledge, sense, and sight lie in deepest darkness shrouded, Till Your spirit breaks our night with the beams of truth unclouded. You alone to God can win us; You must work all good within us. Glorious Lord, Yourself impart! Light of light, from God proceeding, Open now our ears and heart; help is by Your spirit’s pleading; Hear the cry your people raises; Hear, and bless our prayers and praises.

Tobias Clausnitzer

The Refrain for the Vespers Lessons

Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you have for your people,* and visit me with your saving help.

Psalm 106:4

The Vespers Psalm

Who Can Ascend the Hill of the LORD?

The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,* the world and all who dwell therein. For it is he who founded it upon the seas* and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep. “Who can ascend the hill of the LORD?* and who can stand in his holy place?” “Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,* who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud. They shall receive a blessing from the LORD* and a just reward from the God of their salvation.” Such is the generation of those who seek him,* of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

Psalm 24:1–6

The Refrain

Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you have for your people,* and visit me with your saving help.

The Gloria

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your Name. May your kingdom come, and your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Prayer Appointed for the Week

Set me free, O God, from the bondage of my sins, and give me the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to me in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. †

The Concluding Prayer of the Church

Give me courage to resist, patience to endure, constancy to persevere. Grant, in place of all consolations of the world, the most sweet unction of Thy Spirit, and in place of carnal love, pour into me the love of Thy Name.

Thomas à Kempis