Septuagesima Sunday Vespers

Septuagesima Sunday Vespers
February 8, 2009

Opening Scripture Sentence

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. - I Corinthians 9:24

Opening Preces

V. O Lord, open thou our lips.
R. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

V. O God, make speed to save us.
R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

V. Praise ye the Lord.
R. The Lord's Name be praised.

The Office Hymn and Proper Versicle

V. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
R. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

All mankind fell in Adam’s fall,
One common sin infects us all;
From sire to son the bane descends,
And over all the curse impends.

Thro’ all man’s powers corruption creeps
And him in dreadful bondage keeps;
In guilt he draws his infant breath
And reaps its fruits of woe and death.

From hearts depraved, to evil prone,
Flow thoughts and deeds of sin alone;
God’s image lost, the darkened soul
Nor seeks nor finds its heav’nly goal.

But Christ, the second Adam, came
To bear our sin and woe and shame,
To be our Life, our Light, our Way,
Our only Hope, our only Stay.

As by one man all mankind fell
And, born in sin, was doomed to hell,
So by one Man, who took our place,
We all received the gift of grace.

We thank Thee, Christ; new life is ours,
New light, new hope, new strength, new powers:
This grace our every way attend
Until we reach our journey’s end!
Amen.

Psalmody with Proper Antiphons

Psalm 89
Misericordias Domini

Mercy and truth *
shall go before thy face, O Lord.

My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the Lord *
with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another.
For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever *
thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen *
I have sworn unto David my servant;
Thy seed will I stablish for ever *
and set up thy throne from one generation to another.
O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works *
and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.
For who is he among the clouds *
that shall be compared unto the Lord?
And what is he among the gods *
that shall be like unto the Lord?
God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints *
and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.
O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee *
thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
Thou rulest the raging of the sea *
thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.
Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it *
thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine *
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.
Thou hast made the north and the south *
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.
Thou hast a mighty arm *
strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat *
mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee *
they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.
Their delight shall be daily in thy Name *
and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.
For thou art the glory of their strength *
and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.
For the Lord is our defence *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.
Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst *
I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
I have found David my servant *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
My hand shall hold him fast *
and my arm shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not be able to do him violence *
the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.
I will smite down his foes before his face *
and plague them that hate him.
My truth also and my mercy shall be with him *
and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his dominion also in the sea *
and his right hand in the floods.
He shall call me, Thou art my Father *
my God, and my strong salvation.
And I will make him my first-born *
higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore *
and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
His seed also will I make to endure for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven.
But if his children forsake my law *
and walk not in my judgements;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments *
I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him *
nor suffer my truth to fail.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips *
I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.
His seed shall endure for ever *
and his seat is like as the sun before me.
He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon *
and as the faithful witness in heaven.
But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed *
and art displeased at him.
Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant *
and cast his crown to the ground.
Thou hast overthrown all his hedges *
and broken down his strong holds.
All they that go by spoil him *
and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies *
and made all his adversaries to rejoice.
Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword *
and givest him not victory in the battle.
Thou hast put out his glory *
and cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened *
and covered him with dishonour.
Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, for ever *
and shall thy wrath burn like fire?
O remember how short my time is *
wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death *
and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?
Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses *
which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have *
and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people;
Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee,
and slandered the footsteps of thine Anointed *
Praised be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; *
world without end. Amen.

Mercy and truth *
shall go before thy face, O Lord.

Deliver our souls, O Lord, from the hand of hell; who for us didst mightily break hell to pieces, that we, singing thy mercies, may be delivered from the shame of our sins and from everlasting death; for thou liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The First Lesson

Here beginneth the Book of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah.

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

Here endeth the First Lesson. - Lamentations 1:1-12

The Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Magnificat

The householder saith unto the labourers, Why stand ye here all the day idle? *
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us.
Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give you.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; *
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; *
world without end. Amen.

The householder saith unto the labourers, Why stand ye here all the day idle? *
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us.
Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give you.

The Second Lesson

Here beginneth the Twenty-Third Chapter of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew the Apostle.

At that time Jesus said unto them: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Here endeth the Second Lesson. - Matthew 23:29-24:2

The Canticle of Saint Simeon
Nunc Dimittis

The householder made agreement with the labourers for a penny a day, *
and sent them into his vineyard.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen *
thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared *
before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; *
world without end. Amen.

The householder made agreement with the labourers for a penny a day, *
and sent them into his vineyard.

The Reading

A Reading from the Homilies of Saint Gregory the Great.

Saint Matthew tells us that Jesus spake this parable unto his disciples : For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

We hear in this passage that the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning, to hire labourers into his vineyard. Who indeed is more justly to be likened to an householder than our Maker, who is the head of the household of faith, bearing rule over them whom he hath made, and being Master of his chosen ones in the world, as a Master over those that are in his house? He it is that hath the Church for a vineyard, a vineyard that ceaseth not to bring forth branches of the True Vine, from righteous Abel to the last of the elect that shall be born into the world. This householder, then, for the cultivation of his vineyard, goeth out early in the morning, and at the third hour, and the sixth hour, and the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour, to hire labourers into his vineyard. Thus the Lord, from the beginning to the end of the world, ceaseth not to gather together preachers for the instruction of his faithful people. The early morning of the world was from Adam until Noah ; the third hour from Noah until Abraham ; the sixth hour from Abraham until Moses ; the ninth hour from Moses until the coming of the Lord ; the eleventh hour from the coming of the Lord until the end of the world. At this eleventh hour are sent forth as preachers, the Holy Apostles, who have received full wages, albeit they be come in late. For the cultivation of his vineyard (that is, the instruction of his people), the Lord hath never ceased to send into it labourers. First, by the Fathers, then, by the Prophets and Teachers of the Law, and lastly, by the Apostles. He hath dressed and tended the lives of his people, as the owner of a vineyard dresseth and tendeth it by means of workmen. Whoever in whatever degree joined to a right faith the teaching of righteousness, was so far one of God's labourers in God's vineyard. By the labourers at early morning, and at the third hour, and the sixth hour, and the ninth hour, may be understood God's ancient people, the Hebrews, who strove to worship him with a right faith in company with his chosen ones from the very beginning of the world, and thus continually laboured in his vineyard. And now, at the eleventh hour, it is said unto the Gentiles also : Why stand ye here all the day idle?

Here endeth the Reading. - Homilia XIX in Evangelia post principium

V. Behold Adam is become as one of us, *
to know good and evil.
R. Let us remove him from the Garden *
lest he take of the tree of life and live for ever.
V. Unto Adam also did the Lord God make a coat of skins, *
and clothed him, and said;
R. Let us remove him from the Garden *
lest he take of the tree of life and live for ever.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Ghost.
R. Let us remove him from the Garden *
lest he take of the tree of life and live for ever.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God;
Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of very God;
Begotten, not made;
Being of one substance with the Father;
By whom all things were made:
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,
And was made man:
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered and was buried:
And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures:
And ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of the Father:
And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead;
Whose kingdom, shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, and Giver of Life,
Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son;
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;
Who spake by the Prophets:
And I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church:
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins:
And I look for the Resurrection of the dead:
And the Life of the world to come.
Amen.

The Prayers

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
V. Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.


V. O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
R. And grant us thy salvation.
V. O Lord, save the State.
R. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
V. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
R. And make thy chosen people joyful.
V. O Lord, save thy people.
R. And bless thine inheritance.
V. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
R. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
V. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
R. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

O Lord, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people; that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Almighty God, whose kingdom is everlasting and power infinite; Have mercy upon this whole land; and so rule the hearts of thy servants President Obama, Governor Culver*, and all others in authority, that they, knowing whose ministers they are, may above all things seek thy honour and glory; and that we and all the People, duly considering whose authority they bear, may faithfully and obediently honour them, according to thy blessed Word and ordinance; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

* FOR IOWA ONLY, please insert the Governor your own State

O Gracious Father, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy Catholic Church; that thou wouldst be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of him who died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may he so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities; giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Private Prayers are here offered.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men;We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may he unfeignedly thankful: and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

V. The Almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; bless and preserve us both this night and ever more.
R. Amen.