Call to Worship

While making the sign of the cross:

God, come to our assistance.
Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Hymn

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (1)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel.
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O Come Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily.
To us the path of knowledge show.
And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

PSALMODY

Psalm 141:1-9

Ant. Like burning incense, O Lord, let my prayer rise up to you.

I have called to you, O Lord; hasten to help me!
Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer arise before you like incense,
the raising of my hands like an evening oblation.

Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips!
Do not turn my heart to things that are wrong,
to evil deeds with those who are sinners.

Never allow me to share in their feasting.
If the good strike or reprove me it is kindness;
but let the oil of the wicked not anoint my head.
Let my prayer be ever against their malice.

Their princes were thrown down by the side of the rock:
then they understood that my words were kind.
As a millstone is shattered to pieces on the ground,
so their bones were strewn at the mouth of the grave.

To you, Lord God, my eyes are turned:
In you I take refuge; spare my soul!
From the trap they have laid for me keep me safe:
keep me from the snares of those who do evil.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. Like burning incense, O Lord, let my prayer rise up to you.

Psalm Prayer

Lord,
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
your name is worthy of all praise.
Let our prayer come like incense before you.
May the lifting up of our hands
be as an evening sacrifice
acceptable to you,
Lord, our God.

Psalm 142

Ant. Know that the Lord is coming and with him all his saints; that day will dawn with a wonderful light, alleluia.

I pray, I plead,
I cry for mercy, Lord;
I pour out all my troubles,
The story of my distress.
My spirit fails me.

You know the road I walk
And the traps hidden from me.
See what they are doing!
No one befriends me or cares for me.

There is no escape,
So I turn to you, Lord.
I know you are my refuge,
All I have in the land of the living.

I am pleading, hear me!
I have no strength.
God, rescue me!
They hunt me down and overwhelm me.

Free me from this cage!
Then I will praise your name
And gather with the just
To thank you for your kindness.

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen

Ant. Know that the Lord is coming and with him all his saints; that day will dawn with a wonderful light, alleluia.

Canticle
Philippians 2:6-11

Ant. The Lord will come with mighty power; all mortal eyes shall see him.

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

Rather, He emptied Himself
and took the form of a slave
being born in human likeness.

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

Because of this,
God highly exalted Him
and bestowed on Him a 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!

Glory to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and will be forever.
Amen.

Ant. The Lord will come with mighty power; all mortal eyes shall see him.

Reading

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians
(I Thessalonians 5:19-24 )

Do not stifle the spirit. Do not despise prophesies; test everything, retain what is good. Avoid any semblance of evil. May the God of Peace make you perfect in holiness. May God preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. The one who calls us is trustworthy, therefore God will do it.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

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

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

Luke 1:46-55
Ant. See the Lord coming from afar. His splendor fills the earth.

While making the sign of the cross:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior
for God 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 God’s Name.

God has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

God has shown the strength of his arm;
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.

God has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.

God has filled the hungry with good things,
and has sent the rich away empty.

God has come to the help of his servant, Israel,
for God has remembered the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our ancestors, 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. See the Lord coming from afar. His splendor fills the earth.

Intercessions

Jesus Christ is the joy and happiness of all who look forward to his coming. Let us call upon him and sing:
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

In joy, we wait for your coming; come, Lord Jesus.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

Before time began, you shared life with the Father; come now and save us.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

You created the world and all who live in it; come to redeem the work of your hands.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

You did not hesitate to become flesh, subject to death; come to free us from the power of death.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

You came to give us life to the full; come and give us your unending life.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

For the sick who have asked us to accompany them with our prayers, that they may experience your merciful and healing touch today.

Please pray aloud the names of those who are sick or in need of healing.

Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha.

You desire all people to live in love in your kingdom; come and bring together those who long to see you face to face.
Come, O Lord, and set us free! Maranatha. (2)

The Lord’s Prayer

And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord asked:
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.

Closing Prayer

Father in heaven,
Our hearts desire the warmth of your love,
and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of his coming may find us rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the light of his truth.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.

Blessing

While making the sign of the cross:

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

Hail Mary (5)

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
and blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Pray for us.
Sant’Angelo,
Pray for us.

Let us spend this evening in peace.
Thanks be to God.

Credits and Permissions
All text and music are in the public domain
or used with permission:
OneLicense A-726188. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all music
is published by OCP or a division of OCP.
Julian Pardo produces all audio.
Michael Aguilar, Jr. produces all videos.

1. Text: LM with refrain; Latin, 9th cent.; verses 1, 3-6, para. in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, Cologne, 1710; tr. by John M. Neale, 1818-1866; verses 2, 7, tr. fr. The Hymnal 1940, alt.
   Music: VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL; Chant, Mode 1; Processionale, French, 15th cent.; adapt. by Thomas Helmore, 1811-1890.
   Vocals: Anna May Rudolph,

2. Text: (Refrain). Based on Isaiah 35; Romans 13; James 5;
   Tim Schoenbachler, b. 1952.
   Music: Tim Schoenbachler.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

3. Text and Music: written by Carey Landry, arranged by Martha Lesinski, copyrights 1975, 1978.
   Vocals: Anna May Rudolph.