Night Prayer
INTRODUCTION
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.
Examination of Conscience
A brief examination of conscience may be made. In the communal celebration of the Office, a Penitential Rite using the formulas of the Mass may be inserted here.
[I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
And, striking their breast, they say:
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Then they continue:
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The absolution by the presider follows:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.]
HYMN
To you before the close of light,
Creator of all things, we pray:
Be our protector, keep us safe
in your unfailing clemency.
Incline our hearts to dream of you,
to sense your presence as we sleep;
as light returns, so let us sing
your praise and glory evermore.
Grant us the grace of health and strength,
renew our warmth and joy of life;
and let your radiant light dispel
the dreaded darkness of the night.
Almighty Father, grant our prayer
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who reigns with you from age to age,
one with the Spirit, ever blest. Amen.
Tune: TALLIS’ CANON, 8 8 8 8
Music: Thomas Tallis, ca. 1505-1585
or Mode VIII, melody 92; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983.
Text: Te lucis ante terminum, 5-6th c., © 2023 ICEL.
Or:
O Christ, resplendent as the day,
you clear away the dark of night;
by faith we know you, Light from Light,
proclaiming light to all the blest.
O holy Lord, we humbly pray:
Watch over us throughout this night
and grant us calm and silent hours,
that we may find our rest in you.
And when our eyes are closed in sleep,
still let our hearts keep watch for you;
protect and guard by your right hand
the faithful, filled with love for you.
O strong defender, see our plight,
subdue our foes, who lie in wait;
direct and guide your servants, Lord,
whom you have purchased with your blood.
To you, O Christ, most loving King,
and to the Father, glory be,
one with the Spirit Paraclete,
from age to age for evermore. Amen.
Tune: As above
Text: Christe, qui, splendor et dies, 5-6th c., © 2023 ICEL.
PSALMODY
Ant. Day and night I cry to you, my God.
Psalm 88
Prayer of a very sick person
This is your hour when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).
Lord my God, I call for help by day; *
I cry at night before you.
Let my prayer come into your presence. *
O turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is filled with evils; *
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb: *
I have reached the end of my strength,
like one alone among the dead; *
like the slain lying in their graves;
like those you remember no more, *
cut off, as they are, from your hand.
You have laid me in the depths of the tomb, *
in places that are dark, in the depths.
Your anger weighs down upon me: *
I am drowned beneath your waves.
You have taken away my friends *
and made me hateful in their sight.
Imprisoned, I cannot escape; *
my eyes are sunken with grief.
I call to you, Lord, all the day long; *
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead? *
Will the shades stand and praise you?
Will your love be told in the grave *
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark *
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
As for me, Lord, I call to you for help: *
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me? *
Why do you hide your face?
Wretched, close to death from my youth, *
I have borne your trials; I am numb.
Your fury has swept down upon me; *
your terrors have utterly destroyed me.
They surround me all the day like a flood, *
they assail me all together.
Friend and neighbor you have taken away: *
my one companion is darkness.
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. Day and night I cry to you, my God.
READING
Jeremiah 14:9a
You are in our midst, O Lord,
your name we bear:
do not forsake us, O Lord, our God!
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
— I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Canticle of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, + now you let your servant go in peace; *
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation *
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations *
and the glory of your people Israel.
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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
All-powerful God
keep us united with your Son
in his death and burial
so that we may rise to new life with him,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
— Amen.
BLESSING
May the all-powerful Lord
grant us a restful night
and a peaceful death.
— Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Or:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Or:
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve,
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes occulos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.
Or:
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
******
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