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

Phos Hilaron (1)

O radiant light, O sun divine,
Of God the Father's deathless face,
O image of the light sublime
That fills the heav'nly dwelling place.

O Son of God, the source of life,
Praise is your due by night and day.
Our happy lips must raise the strain
of your esteem'd and splendid name.

Lord Jesus Christ, as daylight fades,
As shine the lights of eventide,
We praise the Father with the Son,
The Spirit blest and with them one.

PSALMODY

Psalm 141:1-9

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, I am calling: hasten to help me.
Listen to me as I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep watch at the gate of my lips.
Let my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No, I will never taste their delights.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

The good may reprove me,
In kindness chastise me,
but the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Every day, I counter their malice with prayer.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

To you, Lord my God, my eyes are turned:
In you I take refuge; do not forsake me.
Keep me safe from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do evil.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all praise to the life giving Spirit.
As it was, is now, and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering. (2)

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 112

Ant. He came to bear witness to the truth.

Happy the ones who fear the Lord,
who take delight in all God’s commands.
Their children will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.

Riches and wealth are in their house;
their justice stands firm forever.
They are a light in the darkness for the upright;
they are generous, merciful and just.

The good take pity and lend;
they conduct their affairs with honor.
The just will never waver:
they will be remembered forever.

They have no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart they trust in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart they will not fear;
they will see the downfall of their foes.

Open-handed they give to the poor;
their justice stands firm forever.
Their head will be raised in glory.

The wicked see and are angry,
grind their teeth and fade away;
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.

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. He came to bear witness to the truth.

Canticle
Revelation 15:3-4

Ant. John was like a brilliantly shining light.

Mighty and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor
or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy, all nations shall come and worship in your presence.
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

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. John was like a brilliantly shining light.

Reading

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
(Acts 13:23-25)

According to the promise, God has brought forth from David’s descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John’s career was coming to an end, he would say, “What you suppose me to be, I am not. Rather, look for the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals on his feet.”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

Responsory

Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me.
Make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

The Magnificat (3)
Luke 1:46-55
Ant. This child, born to us, is greater than any prophet; the Savior said of him: There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.

While making the sign of the cross:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit sings to God, my saving God,
Who on this day, above all others, favored me
And raised me up, a light for all to see.

Through me, great deeds will God make manifest
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know and praise God’s holy name.

God’s mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.

Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.

All glory be to God, Creator blest,
To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest,
And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
All glory be, both now and evermore.

Ant. This child, born to us, is greater than any prophet; the Savior said of him: There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.

Intercessions

Let us pray joyfully to God our Father, who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You called John the Baptist from his mother’s womb to prepare the way of your Son; help us to follow in the path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as forerunner of the Christ. Teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death; help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

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.

O God, hear us; hear our prayer.

Remember those who have died, give them a place of light, happiness and peace.
O God, hear us; hear our prayer. (4)

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

God our Father,
You raised up John the Baptist to prepare
a perfect people for Christ the Lord.
Give your Church joy in spirit
and guide those who believe in you
into the way of salvation and peace.
We ask this 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.

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.

Salve Regina (5)

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist,
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. Phos Hilaron, 3rd cent.
   Translation: William George Storey.
   Tune: Jesu Dulcis Memoria.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

2. Text: Based on Psalm 141:1-5,8-9, Doxology; Paul Inwood, b. 1947.
   Music: Paul Inwood; Text and Music copyright, 1984-1985.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

3. Lyrics: Based on Luke 1:68-79;
   Owen Alstott, b. 1947. Copyright 1993.
   Music: Bernadette Farrell, b. 1957.
   Copyright 1993.
   Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark.
   Other Vocals: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm., Alondra Garza, Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Nick Ritacco.
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

4. Text: “Intercessions.” James A. Wilde, copyright 1996.
   Music: Michael Joncas, copyright 1996.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

5. Text: Latin, attr. to Hermannus Contractus, 1013-1054; English, Paul F. Ford, b. 1947, © 1995, Paul F. Ford.
   Music: Chant, Mode V; guitar acc.© 1993, OCP.
   Vocals: The Carmelites, including Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Carl Markelz, O.Carm., Ryan J. Resurreccion, O. Carm., Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.