A Parish Vespers for Advent

Celebrating Vespers or Evening Prayer

The primary resource for this is obviously The Prayer of the Church or the Breviary, but other very useful resources can be found in the General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours, and in Celebrating Sunday Evening Prayer, from the Liturgy Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, published by Canterbury Press Norwich.

A sample of an Evening Prayer is laid out below, but it is only one example of how a parish might celebrate such a Service. While it would be wonderful for parishes to be able to do the full Evening Prayer of the Church as it is celebrated on each day throughout the world, it is usually neither practical nor necessary, when first introducing the Evening Prayer, to do the whole set of psalms, verses, reading and Canticle – it takes time and preparation to reach that point. The parish will doubtless have some settings of the responsorial psalms in its Sunday Mass repertoire, and there are a number of metrical or hymn-form psalm settings which are well known, and there are song forms of the Magnificat which might fit the bill. If you cannot manage three sung psalms then either miss one out or recite it instead. We want people to find the service to be a prayerful and attractive experience, so it makes sense to introduce it gradually, festina lente!

A Vespers

Entry with music

As the candles on the sanctuary are lit a short verse or hymn could be sung:

For example, James Quinn’s ‘O Light from Light’ (New Hymns for All Seasons) Or the 7^th century hymn

(Another possible short verse to accompany the lighting of the candles can be found in the Gospel Acclamation ‘I am the light of the world, says the Lord. Anyone who follows me will have the light of life’.

When the candles are lit

Let us pray

Yours is the day and yours the night, Lord God:
Let the Sun of Justice shine so steadily in our hearts,
that we may come at length
to that light where you dwell eternally.
We ask this 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.

A hymn is often sung at this point: any of the Advent hymns in the parish repertoire or verses from such as the following:

The Canticle of Ezechiel (Ezech 36: 24-28) (tune: Slane / Be thou my vision)

Hear me my people, I will call you back home
from the nations and countries in which you now roam;
the place where I’ll lead you is where you’ll be free,
for you are my chosen, your God I shall be.

Hear me, my people, I will sprinkle you all
with fresh water to cleanse you from sin and its thrall;
each falsehood and idol I’ll teach you to see,
for you are my chosen; your God I shall be.

Hear me, my people, feel the new heart I give
the new spirit and guidance for how you might live;
a heart made of flesh, not of stone , is the key;
for you are my chosen; your God I shall be.

Hear me, my people, choose to walk in my way,
to observe my commandment, respect what I say
my promise I’ll honour if you will agree,
for you are my chosen; your God I shall be.

Hear me, my people, you will prosper and grow,
no more famine or hardship in all that you sow;
your homes and your cities will flourish in me,
for you are my chosen – your God I shall be.

Hear me, my people, I’ll redeem you from guilt,
ev’ry fault will be made good, each ruin rebuilt;
the world all around you my action will see,
for you are my chosen – your God I shall be.

An alternative hymn:

Before we end our Day (tune: Belmont / O God, we give ourselves…)

Before we end our day, O Lord, we make this prayer to you,
that you continue in your love to guard your people here.

Give us this night untroubled rest and build our strength anew,
your Splendour driving far away all darkness of the foe.

Our heart’s desire to love you, Lord, watch over while we sleep,
that when the new day dawns on high we may your praises sing.

All glory be to you, O Christ, who saved mankind from death,
To share with you the Father’s love and in the Spirit live.

We sit for the psalms.

A practical approach might be to take one or more of the psalms suggested for the Sunday liturgies of Advent – the settings mentioned below are from Psalms of the Seasons (Kevin Mayhew) unless otherwise specified.

Year A:
Psalm 121: May the house of the Lord be at peace.
Ps 71: In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
Psalm 145: Come and save us, Lord.
Psalm 23: He is the king of glory. Let him enter in.

Year B:
Psalm 79: God of hosts, bring us back. Lead us and we shall be saved.
Psalm 84: Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help.
The Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-50. 53-54): various settings in the hymnbooks
Psalm 88:

Year C
Psalm 24: Lord, make me know your ways.
Psalm 24:Lord, your ways are faithfulness, your ways are love. (music below)
Psalm 125: What marvels the Lord worked for us. Indeed, we were glad.
Isaiah 12: 2-6
Psalm 79: : God of hosts, bring us back. Lead us and we shall be saved

For the 1^st psalm of an Advent Evening Prayer you could sustain the theme of the Advent Introit
(I lift my soul to you. I trust you, Lord my God) by choosing Psalm 24,
Noel Donnelly’s setting in Psalms of the Seasons or Gerry Fitzpatrick’s setting below,
either of them led by a Cantor or Psalmist until people are familiar with it:

Psalm 24: Lord, your ways are faithfulness, your ways are love.

Lord, let me know your ways. Teach me the paths to follow.
Make me walk in truth and teach me for you are God, my saviour.
Lord, your ways are faithfulness, your ways are love.

Remember your mercy, Lord, the love you have always shown.
In your love remember me for your goodness knows no limit.
Lord, your ways are faithfulness, your ways are love.

He teaches the poor his way, the humble and those who stray,
For the Lord is good and upright in faithfulness and love.
Lord, your ways are faithfulness, your ways are love.

(Words From The Psalms: A New Translation © 1963 The Grail (England) published by HarperCollins. Music © Gerry Fitzpatrick)

Let us pray:
God,
faithful shepherd of your people,
you have always shown compassion to us all,
and your goodness to those in need
inspires us to count on your love.
As we look forward to Christmas
enable us to grow in kindness for each other.
We ask this though Christ our Lord.
Amen

A 2nd and very accessible psalm for an Advent Vespers is Noel Donnelly’s setting of Psalm 145:

Psalm 145: Come and save us, Lord.

God is ever faithful, God is ever true.
God will feed the hungry, set the prisoners free.
Come and save us, Lord.

God brings light to darkness, raises up the low;
God protects the stranger, gives the weak his care.
Come and save us, Lord.

God brings love to justice, thwarts the way of sin;
God will reign for ever, rule from age to age.
Come and save us, Lord.

Psalm 145 could be followed by a prayer such as:

Shepherd of Israel,
guide all men and women to be people of good will
so that your kingdom in which ‘justice will flourish and peace abound’
may be more fully established among us,
and your children everywhere
may have lives of goodness and happiness.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

There could be a 3rd psalm which might be a metrical psalm such as Crimond (The Lord’s my Shepherd) or The Old 100^th (All People that on earth) or, instead a parish might choose a Canticle such as that from the Letter to the Ephesians, or the Canticle from Isaiah 12: 2-6 – see these latter below.

A Canticle from the Letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 1: 3-10)
(Tune: Bunessan / Christ be beside me – or a new tune below)

We bless the God and Father of Jesus

for he has blessed us freely in Christ.
He chose to lavish spiritual blessings
from highest heaven. All this through Christ.

Long before founding all of creation,
God made his plan and chose us in Christ,
that we be holy, blameless and loving,
children adopted. All this through Christ.

God’s will is always that we might love him,
source of all graces, witnessed in Christ;
love manifested, gift of redemption,
pardon for sinners. All this through Christ.

Out of his wisdom God chose to tell us
his loving purpose set forth in Christ:
time has it’s fullness; God and creation
will be united. All this through Christ.

or

The Canticle from Isaiah 12: 2-6

Response: With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation.

The Lord is my salvation.
I trust, I shall not fear.
My strength, my song, my Saviour,
the Well of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation.

May all the nations know him,
give thanks and praise God’s name.
Let all the world acclaim him,
the Well of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation.

Come, sing a psalm to Yahweh
for all his glorious deeds!
May all creation bless him,
the Well of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation.

Oh shout for joy in Zion,
for here your God is found,
the Holy One of Israel,
the Well of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation.

A short reading: can be taken from any of those suggested in The Prayer of the Church for Evening Prayer during Advent. The reading is followed by a short reflection or silence, and then some parishes might like to sing the Responsory:

The Magnificat

There are many versions of the Magnificat or the Song of Our Lady available

My soul proclaims: Words Anne Carter R.S.C.J. based on the Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55) ã 1977 Religious of the Sacred Heart /Anne Carter RSCJ 1310 Winema, Chesterfield, Mo 63017. (Tune: Amazing Grace)
My soul is filled with joy: Words: Author unknown R.S.C.J., based on the Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55) (Tune: Wild Mountain Thyme)
The Dalreogh Magnificat by Noel S Donnelly and available from St Mungo Music.
Owen Alstot’s Magnificat from Laudate.
Gerry Fitzpatrick’s Morar Magnificat for choir available St Mungo Music
Mary Dickie’s setting – available in Psalms and Songs of the Bible (St Mungo Music).
There is the popular hymn form of the Magnificat: Tell out my Soul – available in most hymn books.

Intercessions – here are some from Evening Prayer 2 Sundays of Advent 1 – 4

We pray to our Lord, who is the way, the truth and the life.
R: Come, and remain with us, Lord.

Gabriel announced your coming to the Virgin Mary:
Son of the Most High, come to claim your kingdom.
R: Come, and remain with us, Lord.

John the Baptist rejoiced to see your day:
Come, bring us your salvation.
R: Come, and remain with us, Lord.

Simeon acknowledged you, Light of the World:
Bring your light to everyone of good will.
R: Come, and remain with us, Lord.

We look for you as watchmen look for the dawn:
You are the sun that will wake the dead to new life.
R: Come, and remain with us, Lord.

Our Father . . . .;

Final prayer:
1
Grant, almighty Father,
that when Christ comes again
we may go out to meet him
bearing the harvest of good works
achieved by your grace.
We pray that he will receive us into the company of the saints
And call us into the kingdom of heaven.
We make our prayer . . . . .

Or 2
Almighty and merciful God,
let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life
prevent us from hastening to meet your Son.
Enlighten us with your wisdom
and lead us into his company.
We make our prayer . . . . .

Or 3
Grant, almighty God, that looking forward in faith
to the feast of our Lord’s birth,
we may feel all the happiness our Saviour brings,
and celebrate his coming with unfailing joy.
We make our prayer . . . . .

Or 4
Lord, open our hearts to your grace.
Through the angel’s message to Mary
we have learned to believe
in the incarnation of Christ your Son.
Lead us by his passion and cross
to the glory of his resurrection.
We make our prayer . . . . .

The blessing

Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Sources:
Prayer for the Blessing of candles is taken from ‘Celebrating Sunday Evening Prayer’ from the Liturgy Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, published by Canterbury Press Norwich.
The concluding prayers and the Intercessions are taken from the Prayer of the Church © ICEL.
O Light from Light: © James Quinn (New Hymns for All Seasons).
Creator of the Stars: the hymnals.
‘I am the light of the world, says the Lord (Psalms of the Seasons, published by Kevin Mayhew).
O God, come to our aid: (c) Gerry Fitzpatrick
Hear me my people : Words (c) Stephen E Smyth Text : Ezech 36: 24-28. Tune ‘Slane’ / Be thou my Vision – organ accompaniment is in most hymnals, and words and music can be found in ‘Psalms and Songs of the Bible Book 1’ published by St Mungo Music
Psalm 24: Noel Donnelly’s version can be found in Psalms of the Seasons, pub by Kevin Mayhew Ltd.
Psalm 24: © Gerry Fitzpatrick’s version is within the text above and is recorded on this website.
The Canticle from Isaiah 12: 2-6 © Noel S Donnelly is within the text above.
Canticle from the Letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 1: 3-10) © Stephen E Smyth: the tune Bunessan (Christ be beside Me) is available in most hymnals and the new tune is within the text above.
The Responsory ‘Show us, Lord’ is within the text above.

Material to help us grow in understanding the psalms includes:
New Light: Discovering the Psalms in the Prayer of the Church by Richard Atherton. Published by Redemptorist Publications
Praying the Sunday Psalms: a comprehensive resource for each liturgical year. By Richard Atherton. Published by Redemptorist Publications
Psalms and Canticles: Meditations and Catechesis on the Psalms and Canticles of Evening Prayer. By John Paul ll and Benedict xvl and published by the Catholic Truth Society, London
The Psalms: A new, cutting-edge translation by Nicholas King. Published by Kevin Mayhew
Praying the Psalms: A Commentary by Stanley L. Jaki. Published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.