Ad Vesperas
The Opening Invocation
The office begins with a call to prayer and a reflection on the worthiness of the Lamb who was slain.
O God, come to my aid, etc.✦ Antiphon. You are worthy, Lord, to take the book and open its seven seals, because you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood. Psalm 29.1 I will exalt you, Lord, for you have lifted me up, etc.✦ Chapter. We see Jesus crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.✦ R.2
Hymn of the Suffering Savior
A meditative hymn reflecting on the physical agony and blood shed by Christ for the salvation of all.
Thanks be to God. Hymn. You who, by the hard agony of death, broke the bonds of our sins: lead us to true peace, Jesus, crown of virgins. Under the scourges, you drank the cup of gall most bitterly for sins that had been committed, eternal King most high.✦ To every people that remembers the torment of your death, give strength and salvation, Jesus, redeemer of all. On the bitter altar of the cross, you poured out rivers of blood, worthy Jesus, kind King, sharer in the Father's light. Blood of Christ, you who destroyed the envious enemy: bring us safely to the banquet of the provident Lamb.✦3 Praise and honor to Christ, who was sold and betrayed without cause, and who suffered death for the people on the harsh cross.✦ Amen.
The Shepherd's Sacrifice
A reflection on the healing power of Christ's wounds and his role as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life.
Versicle. The discipline that won us peace was upon him.✦4 Response. Because by his bruises we have been healed.✦5 At the Magnificat. Antiphon. Our good Shepherd has gone away, the fountain of living water, because he laid down his life for his sheep and deigned to die for his flock.✦ Lord, have mercy.
The Evening Prayer of Deposition
The concluding prayers, specifically focusing on the deposition of Christ from the cross at the evening hour.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, who at the evening hour, already slain for the salvation of humankind, willed to be taken down from the cross and received into your Mother's hands, as is devoutly believed: graciously grant that, having laid down the burdens of our sins, we may be able to be presented before the face of your divine Majesty.6 You who live and reign, etc.
Read the original Latin
Deus, in adiutorium meum intende etc. Antiph. Dignus es, Domine, accipere librum et aperire septem signacula eius, quoniam occisus es et redemisti nos Deo in sanguine tuo. Psalmus 29. Exaltabo te, Domine, quoniam suscepisti me etc. Capitulum. Videmus Iesum propter passionem mortis gloria et honore coronatum, ut gratia Dei pro omnibus gustaret mortem. R.
Deo gratias.
Hymnus. Qui pressura mortis dura Solvisti nexus criminum, Nos ad pacem duc veracem, Iesu, corona virginum. In flagellis potum fellis Bibisti amarissime Pro peccatis perpetratis, Aeterne Rex altissime. Omni genti recolenti Tuae mortis supplicium Da virtutem et salutem, Iesu, redemptor omnium. In amara crucis ara Fudisti rivos sanguinis, Iesu digne, Rex benigne, Consors paterni luminis. Sanguis Christi, qui fuisti Peremptor hostis invidi, Fac secure nos venire Ad coenam Agni providi. Laus, honor Christo vendito Et sine causa prodito, Mortem passo pro populo In aspero patibulo. Amen.
V. Disciplina pacis nostrae super eum. R. Quia livore eius sanati sumus. Ad Magnificat. Antiph. Recessit pastor noster bonus, fons aquae vivae, quia animam suam posuit pro ovibus suis et pro suo grege mori dignatus est. Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. Oratio. Domine Iesu Christe, qui hora vespertina pro humana salute iam morte peremptus de cruce deponi et in tuae Matris manibus, ut pie creditur, recipi voluisti: concede propitius; ut depositis peccatorum nostrorum sarcinis, ante conspectum divinae Maiestatis tuae praesentari valeamus. Qui vivis et regnas etc.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.70.2;Ps.71.1 — O God, come quickly to save me; O LORD, hurry to help me. Ps.71.1 — In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.
- ↩Ps.30.2;Ps.31.1 — I will exalt you, O LORD, for you drew me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. Ps.31.1 — To the chief musician. A Psalm of David.
- ↩Heb.2.9 — But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
- ↩Matt.27.34;Ps.69.21 — They gave him wine to drink mixed with gall; and when he tasted it, he was not willing to drink. Ps.69.21 — Reproach has broken my heart, and I am sick with grief; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found no one.
- ↩Rev.19.9;1Pet.1.18-1Pet.1.19 — And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." 1Pet.1.18 — knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things—silver or gold—from your futile way of life handed down from your fathers, 1Pet.1.19 — but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
- ↩Matt.26.14-Matt.26.16;Isa.53.8;John.11.50 — Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. Matt.26.15 — and he said, 'What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?' And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. Matt.26.16 — And from that time he sought an opportunity to betray him. Isa.53.8 — By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and who among his generation considered that he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? John.11.50 — You do not consider that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.
- ↩Isa.53.5 — But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
- ↩Isa.53.5 — But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
- ↩Jer.2.13;John.7.38 — For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold the water. John.7.38 — The one who believes in me, just as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within him.
Notes
- 1 ↩Vulgate numbering: Psalm 29 here is Hebrew/English Psalm 30.
- 2 ↩Liturgical response cue; the following section supplies the response (Deo gratias).
- 3 ↩providi taken as genitive of providus modifying Agni ('the provident/foreseeing Lamb'); the related Easter hymn Ad cenam Agni providi is sometimes parsed differently, but here the syntax points to the Lamb.
- 4 ↩Latin disciplina pacis nostrae is the Vulgate construct from Isaiah 53:5: the chastening/discipline by which our peace comes, laid on him.
- 5 ↩livore can mean bruise, livid mark, or wound from scourging; bruise keeps the bodily Passion image without modern medical paraphrase.
- 6 ↩ut pie creditur marks Mary's receiving Christ's body as pious belief (Pietà tradition), not as a strictly narrative Gospel claim.
Office of the Passion (Long Hours of the Passion) companion
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