Evening Prayer

Wednesday, January 3^rd, 2024

Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Celebrant: The Most Reverend W. Shawn McKnight

Bishop of Jefferson City

God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Christ, Redeemer of us all,

the Father’s Sole-begotten Son,

in myst’ry born alone from him,

so wondrously before all time,

The Father’s splendor and true Light,

O everlasting hope for all,

bend low to hear your servants’ prayers

poured forth to you throughout the earth.

O author of all saving grace,

recall that once you took our flesh

and from the Virgin pure and chaste

assumed by birth our human form.

This feast today now testifies,

within the cycle of the year,

that you as Savior of the world

alone came from the Father’s throne.

The sky above, the earth, the sea,

and all creation held therein

extol with joyous hymns of praise

the Author of your advent here.

We also, whom you came to save

and by your holy blood redeem,

all sing a new and joyful hymn

to celebrate your day of birth.

To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,

the Virgin Mother’s newborn Son,

with God the Father, ever blest,

and Loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.

Tune: PUER NOBIS NASCETUR, 8 8 8 8

Music: Adapted from Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621, in Musae Sionae, VI, 1809

PSALMODY

Ant.1 The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?

Psalm 27
God stands by us in dangers

Side 1: The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?

Side 2: When evil-doers draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.

Side 1: Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.

Side 2: There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.

Side 1: For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.

Side 2: And now my head shall be raised
above my foes who surround me,
and I shall offer within his tent
a sacrifice of joy.

I will sing and make music for the Lord.

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 forever. Amen.

All: The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?

Ant. 2 I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.

Side 1: O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek his face.”

Side 2: It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.

Side 1: Do not abandon or forsake me,
O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.

Side 2: Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
When they lie in ambush, protect me
from my enemy’s greed.
False witnesses rise against me,
breathing out fury.

Side 1: I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!

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 forever. Amen.

All: I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.

Ant. 3 He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.

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 fullness 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 forever. Amen.

All: He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.

READING

1 John 1:5b, 7

God is light,

in him there is no darkness.

If we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

RESPONSORY

The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.
— The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.

He lived among us.
— Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. Let us dance with delight in the Lord and let our hearts be filled with rejoicing, for eternal salvation has appeared on the earth, alleluia.

Canticle of Mary

Luke 1:46-55

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 forever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Let us dance with delight in the Lord and let our hearts be filled with rejoicing, for eternal salvation has appeared on the earth, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

Presider: At the coming of Christ, God’s holy people were made sharers in new life. With joy and gratitude let us say to our Savior: