Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. II:
Ordinary: 1064
Proper of Seasons: 299
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 1544

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 349
Psalter: Tuesday, Week IV, 953

Evening Prayer for Tuesday of the 4th week of Lent

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.

Psalm 137:1-6
By the rivers of Babylon
The Babylonian captivity is a type of our spiritual captivity (Saint Hilary).

By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat and wept,
remembering Zion;
on the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.

For it was there that they asked us,
our captors, for songs,
our oppressors, for joy.
“Sing to us,” they said,
“one of Zion’s songs.”

O how could we sing
the song of the Lord
on alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!

O let my tongue
cleave to my mouth
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys!

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, remember your pilgrim Church. We sit weeping at the streams of Babylon. Do not let us be drawn into the current of the passing world, but free us from every evil and raise our thoughts to the heavenly Jerusalem.

Ant. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.

Ant. 2 In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.

Psalm 138
Thanksgiving
The kings of the earth will bring glory and honor into the holy city (see Revelation 21:24).

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul.

All earth’s kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:
“How great is the glory of the Lord!”

The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes.

You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands.

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

Listen to the prayers of your Church, Lord God. In the presence of the angels we praise your name. You keep the proud at a distance and look upon the lowly with favor. Stretch out your hand to us in our suffering. Perfect in us the work of your love and bring us to life.

Ant. In the presence of the angels I will sing to you, my God.

Ant. 3 Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

Canticle – Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

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. Adoration and glory belong by right to the Lamb who was slain.

READING James 2:14, 17, 18b

My brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it? Such faith has no power to save one, has it? So it is with the faith that does nothing in practice. It is thoroughly lifeless. Show me faith without works, and I will show you the faith that underlies my works!
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

To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.
— To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.

Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
— I make my prayer for mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— To you, O Lord, I make my prayer for mercy.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Now that you are well again, do not sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.

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. Now that you are well again, do not sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us praise the Lord Jesus, who, lifted high on the cross, drew all things to himself. With loving hearts let us pray:
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

Lord, may the mystery of your cross shine on all mankind,
— that all may see you as the way, the truth and the life.
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

May all who thirst for you, the living water,
— drink their fill for ever.
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

Inspire all teachers and artists,
— to prepare mankind for your kingdom.
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

Guide all estranged from you by sin or scandal,
— that they may come back to you, and remain always in your love.
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

Welcome all our deceased brothers and sisters to your home in heaven,
— to share the joy of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints.
Draw all things to yourself, Lord.

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

May the venerable exercises of holy devotion
shape the hearts of your faithful, O Lord,
to welcome worthily the Paschal Mystery
and proclaim the praises of your salvation.
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.

DISMISSAL

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