Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
Proper of Seasons: 197
Psalter: Sunday, Week II, 793

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 64
Psalter: Sunday, Week II, 775

Evening Prayer I for the Second Sunday 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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

Psalm 119
XIV (Nun)
This is my commandment: that you should love one another (John 15:12).

Your word is a lamp for my steps
and a light for my path.
I have sworn and have made up my mind
to obey your decrees.

Ant. New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

Lord, I am deeply afflicted:
by your word give me life.
Accept, Lord, the homage of my lips
and teach me your decrees.

Ant. New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

Though I carry my life in my hands,
I remember your law.
Though the wicked try to ensnare me
I do not stray from your precepts.

Ant. New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

Your will is my heritage for ever,
the joy of my heart.
I set myself to carry out your will
in fullness, for ever.

Ant. New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

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

Let your Word, Father, be a lamp for our feet and a light to our path, so that we may understand what you wish to teach us and follow the path your light marks out for us.

Ant. New city of Zion, let your heart sing for joy; see how humbly your King comes to save you.

Ant. 2 Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

Psalm 16
The Lord himself is my heritage
The Father raised up Jesus, freeing him from the grip of death (Acts 2:24).

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: “You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone.”

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

He has put into my heart a marvellous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
Never will I offer their offerings of blood.
Never will I take their name upon my lips.

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight:
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

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 Jesus, uphold those who hope in you and give us your counsel, so that we may know the joy of your resurrection and deserve to be among the saints at your right hand.

Ant. Have courage, all of you, lost and fearful; take heart and say: Our God will come to save us, alleluia.

Ant. 3 The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

Canticle – Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant

Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Ant. The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.

Ant. The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!

Ant. The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

Ant. The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

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. The law was given to Moses, but grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls us is trustworthy, therefore he will do it.
The audio for this hour uses a longer reading taken from the single volume Christian Prayer book, while this abbreviated text is from the 4 volume Liturgy of the Hours.

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

Lord, show us your mercy and love.
— Lord, show us your mercy and love.

And grant us your salvation,
— your mercy and love.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Lord, show us your mercy and love.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Come to us, Lord, and may your presence be our peace; with hearts made perfect we shall rejoice in your companionship for ever.

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. Come to us, Lord, and may your presence be our peace; with hearts made perfect we shall rejoice in your companionship for ever.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus is Lord, born of the Virgin Mary. Let us pray to him with joyful hearts:
Come, Lord Jesus!

Son of God, you will come again as the true messenger of the covenant,
— help the world to recognize and accept you.
Come, Lord Jesus!

Born in your Father’s heart, you became man in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
— free us from the tyranny of change and decay.
Come, Lord Jesus!

In your life on earth, you came to die as a man,
— save us from everlasting death.
Come, Lord Jesus!

When you come to judge, show us your loving mercy,
— and forgive us our weaknesses.
Come, Lord Jesus!

Lord Jesus, by your death you have given hope to those who have died,
— be merciful to those for whom we now pray.
Come, Lord Jesus!

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 and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance to his company.
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.