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Wednesday 22 February 2012   (wrong day?)
Ash Wednesday
About today
Come, today, and listen to his voice: do not harden your hearts.
Office of Readings · Morning Prayer · Evening Prayer · [Night Prayer]
Mass · Calendar · Daytime: Terce · Sext · None
Click here to go to the main Universalis site · General Calendar (change)
Tomorrow: Thursday after Ash Wednesday
(commemoration of Saint Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr)


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Compline (Night Prayer)


Introduction
O God, come to my aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.


Hymn
Christ, thou who art the light and day,
Who chasest nightly shades away,
Thyself the Light of Light confessed,
And promiser of radiance blest:
O holy Lord, we pray to thee,
Throughout the night our guardian be;
In thee vouchsafe us to repose,
All peaceful till the night shall close.
O let our eyes due slumber take,
Our hearts to thee forever wake:
And let thy right hand from above
Shield us who turn to thee in love.
O strong defender, hear our prayers,
Repel our foes and break their snares,
And govern thou thy servants here,
Those ransomed with thy life-blood dear.
Almighty Father, this accord
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord,
Who with the Holy Ghost and thee
Doth reign through all eternity.

Psalm 30 (31)
Trustful prayer in time of adversity
O God, be my protector and my refuge.
In you, Lord, I put my trust: may I never be put to shame.
  In your justice, set me free,
Turn your ear to me,
  make haste to rescue me.
Be my rampart, my fortification;
  keep me safe.
For you are my strength and my refuge:
  you will lead me out to the pastures,
  for your own name’s sake.
You will lead me out of the trap that they laid for me –
  for you are my strength.
Into your hands I commend my spirit:
  you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
O God, be my protector and my refuge.

Psalm 129 (130)
Out of the depths
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord:
  Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears listen out
  for the voice of my pleading.
If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord –
  Lord, who would be left?
But with you is forgiveness,
  and for this we revere you.
I rely on you, Lord,
  my spirit relies on your promise;
my soul hopes in the Lord,
  more than the watchman for daybreak.
More than the watchman for daybreak,
  let Israel hope in the Lord:
for with the Lord there is kindness
  and abundant redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
  from all its transgressions.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.

ReadingEphesians 4:26-27 ©
Even if you are angry, you must not sin: never let the sun set on your anger, or else you will give the devil a foothold.

Short Responsory
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CanticleNunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.
  You have fulfilled your promise.
My own eyes have seen your salvation,
  which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.
A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;
  the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
  world without end.
Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ,
  meek and humble of heart,
you offer to those who follow you
  a yoke that is good to bear,
  a burden that is light.
Accept, we beg you, our prayer and work of this day,
  and grant us the rest we need
  that we may be ever more willing to serve you,
  who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

AMEN


Ave Regina Caelorum

Hail, Queen of the heavens,
  hail, Lady of the angels.
Root of our salvation
  and our gateway to heaven,
  the light of the world was born to you.
Be joyful, Virgin of glory,
  most beautiful of all in heaven.
We greet you now, true beauty –
  pray for us to Christ.
Ave, Regína cælórum,
ave, Dómina angelórum,
salve, radix, salve, porta,
ex qua mundo lux est orta.
Gaude, Virgo gloriósa,
super omnes speciósa;
vale, o valde decóra,
et pro nobis Christum exóra.

The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The Universalis downloads do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.

February 2012
Tue 21  Tuesday of week 7 of the year
or Saint Peter Damian, Bishop, Doctor
Wed 22  Ash Wednesday
Thu 23  Thursday after Ash Wednesday
(commemoration of Saint Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr)
Fri 24   
Sat 25   
Sun 26  1st Sunday of Lent
Mon 27  Monday of the 1st week of Lent
Tue 28   
Wed 29   
Calendar used: General Calendar

Copyright © 1996-2011 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.

 
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