While the crux of Christian worship is centered around the celebration of the Eucharist, monastic communities developed the practice of praying the Hours based on the traditional prayer times found in Judaism. This practice was established in early Coptic and Syriac communities, spreading across Eastern and Western Christianity. The response was that each compiled their own Book of Hours according to their practices and traditions. With the rise of laity finding interest in praying the Hours, many either find difficulty in coming together for corporate worship or cannot find the time to complete each Hour. Thus, several church traditions – most notably Catholicism and Orthodoxy – have developed abbreviated prayer sets modeled after the Hours.
As the formal publication of the Aifreann na hÉireann and second edition of the Portús na hÉireann draws near, an abbreviated version of the Hours of Matins and Vespers will be published as “Morning Prayer” and “Evening Prayer” respectively. These will be published in English and Irish, using the KJV and Bedell Bible as the source for the psalms. Each will also be published once per week during the month of December, to honor the birth of our Lord Christ Jesus and the celebration of Christmas.
Invitatory
Priest: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O LORD, make haste to help us.
Priest: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
People: Amen.
A Collect for after the Hour of Vespers
In the evening hours,
We call upon you, O LORD
To receive our yearly prayers
And to forgive our sins
Who reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Another
In the evening hour, let our prayers ascend to the ears of your divine majesty. Let your blessing descend upon us, O LORD, as we have hoped in you, who reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
65
Te decet hymnus
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
104
Benedic, anima mea
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
113
Laudate, pueri
Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.
Priest: God, make speed to save us.
People: O LORD, make haste to help us.
Priest: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
A Collect for after the Psalms
O God, to whom the heavenly hosts sing,
To whom the saintly church praise,
To whom all spirits worship in song,
Have mercy on all your people,
Who reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel
The Gospel According to St. Luke
Luke 4:38–41
And after Jesus left the synagogue, he went into Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was suffering with a great fever, and they besought him for her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately rising, she ministered to them. As the sun was setting, all those who were sick with diverse diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, healed them. And devils went out from many, crying out and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and suffered them not to speak, for they knew that he was Christ.
People: Amen, thanks be to God.
A Collect for after the Gospel
May the spiritual songs and delightful hymns we sing to you, O Christ, please your majesty, as we offer our spiritual sacrifice; who lives and reigns with the eternal living Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Common Prayer
Priest: Remember not the iniquities of our bygone ways and let your mercy come before us quickly,
People: For we have become exceeding poor.
Priest: Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name. LORD, deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. Do not give up to the beasts the soul that confesses to you. Forget not the souls of your poor forever. Look upon your covenant, O LORD, who reigns now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For our sins
Priest: O God, come to my aid.
People: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Priest: Make haste, O LORD, to deliver us from all our sins, who reigns now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For those to be baptized
Priest: Save your people, O LORD, and bless your heritage.
People: Rule them and lift them up forever.
Priest: Have mercy, O LORD, on your catholic church, which you have redeemed in your holy blood, who reigns now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For the clergy
Priest: Arise, O LORD, and go into your eternal peace, you and the ark of your holiness.
People: Your priests will be clothed with justice and your saints exalted.
Priest: Let all your saints rejoice in you, O LORD, who places their hope in you in all truth, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For the people and their leaders
Priest: The LORD will give strength to His people;
People: The LORD bless His people in peace.
For the martyrs
Priest: By the virtue of your eternal name, Almighty God, we pray you to make us companions of martyrs and of all your saints by the merits of your saints, equal in faith, vigorous in devotion, and like in passion, to make us equal in the resurrection of the fortunate, who reigns now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For the penitents
Priest: Have mercy on me, O God
People: Your second great mercy.
Priest: Grant us, O LORD, pardon to those who ask you out of faith your second great mercy, O God, who reigns now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Symbol of Faith
Priest and People: We believe in God, the Father almighty, unseen, creator of creatures seen and unseen. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our LORD, almighty God, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born from the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; who was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into Hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, almighty God, of one substance with the Father and Son. The holy catholic church, the forgiveness of sins, communion of saints, and the resurrection of the dead. We believe in life after death, and eternal life in the glory of Christ. All these things we believe in God. Amen.
Divine Prayer
Priest: As taught by divine instruction and guided by divine institution, we dare to say:
Priest and People: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our substantial bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Keep us from falling into temptation and deliver us from evil. Amen.
Priest: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory of the Father, and the Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thank you very very much for this. I used to love Evensong very much (I became a Catholic when I was 21)
This is a wonderful Celtic Evening Prayer to compliment the Morning Prayer.
Thank you very much
Jean Aslet in Chester UK