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Liturgy of the Hours for December 23

Evening Prayer for

Please Note

This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 23. Your local date is .

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
Proper of Seasons: 375
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 1148

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 135
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 984

Evening Prayer for Friday, December 23, in the Season of Advent

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

Of the Father’s love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega —
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see
evermore and evermore.

O that night forever blessed,
When the Virgin full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bear the Savior of our race;
and the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore.

O ye heights of heaven adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing:
powers, dominions, bow before him
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert ring
evermore and evermore.

𝄞"Of the Father's Love Begotten" by Kathleen Lundquist • Title: Of the Father's Love Begotten; Text: Corde natus ex parentis by M.A.C. Prudentius, 5th c. ; Translation: John M. Neale, 1818-1877; Music: Plainsong - Divinum Mysterium, 11th c.; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Recording copyright 2016 by Surgeworks, Inc.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Our King will come from Zion; the Lord, God-is-with-us, is his mighty name.

Psalm 145
Praise of God’s majesty

Lord, you are the Just One, who was and who is (Revelation 16:5).

I

I will give you glory, O God my king,
I will bless your name for ever.

I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.

Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendor and glory,
tell the tale of your wonderful works.

They will speak of your terrible deeds,
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness;
age to age shall ring out your justice.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,

to make known to all your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendor of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule lasts from age to age.

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.

Ant. Our King will come from Zion; the Lord, God-is-with-us, is his mighty name.

Ant. 2 Wait for the Lord and he will come to you with his saving power.

II

The Lord is faithful in all his words
and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall
and raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
grant the desires of all who live.

The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts.

He grants the desires of those who fear him,
he hears their cry and he saves them.
The Lord protects all who love him;
but the wicked he will utterly destroy.

Let me speak the praise of the Lord,
let all peoples bless his holy name
for ever, for ages unending.

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.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, be near to all who call upon you in truth and increase the dedication of those who revere you. Hear their prayers and save them that they may always love you and praise your holy name.

Ant. Wait for the Lord and he will come to you with his saving power.

Ant. 3 Eagerly I watch for the Lord; I wait in joyful hope for the coming of God my Savior.

Canticle – Revelation 15:3-4
Hymn of adoration

Mighty and wonderful are your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor,
or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy,
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence.
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

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.

Ant. Eagerly I watch for the Lord; I wait in joyful hope for the coming of God my Savior.

READING 2 Peter 3:8b-9

In the Lord’s eyes, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day. The Lord does not delay in keeping his promise – though some consider it “delay”. Rather, he shows you generous patience, since he wants none to perish but all to come to repentance.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.

Let your face shine upon us and we shall be saved,
Lord God of power and might.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Come and set us free, Lord God of power and might.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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.

Ant. O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

INTERCESSIONS

To our Redeemer who came to bring good news to the poor, let us earnestly pray:
Let all men see your glory.

Show yourself to those who have never known you,
let them see your saving work.
Let all men see your glory.

Let your name be preached to the ends of the earth,
that all may find the way to you.
Let all men see your glory.

You came first to save the world,
now come again and save those who believe in you.
Let all men see your glory.

You brought freedom to us by saving us,
continue to save us and make us free.
Let all men see your glory.

You came once as a man; you will return in judgment,
bring eternal reward to those who have died.
Let all men see your glory.

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

Almighty ever-living God,
as we see how the Nativity of your Son
according to the flesh draws near,
we pray that to us, your unworthy servants,
mercy may flow from your Word,
who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary
and establish among us his dwelling,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

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