EASTER WEEK 5 FRDIAY EVENING PRAYER
SAINT GABRIEL HOURS
The Good News:
Praying with Christ Every Day.
Anytime. Anywhere. With Anyone.
FRIDAY EVENING PRAYER
EASTER WEEK 5
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MAY 23 OF LAST YEAR
PSALTER WEEK I
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DIVINE OFFICE / LITURGY OF THE HOURS
is the Prayer of Christ and the Church
"Christ Jesus, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile that hymn which is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven. He joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #86)
"For he continues His priestly work through the agency of His Church, which is ceaselessly engaged in praising the Lord and interceding for the salvation of the whole world. She does this, not only by celebrating the Eucharist, but also in other ways, especially by praying the Divine Office." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #86)
"Lauds as Morning Prayer and Vespers as Evening Prayer are the two hinges on which the daily office turns; hence they are to be considered as the chief hours and are to be celebrated as such." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #89)
"Christ Jesus, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile that hymn which is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven. He joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #86)
"For he continues His priestly work through the agency of His Church, which is ceaselessly engaged in praising the Lord and interceding for the salvation of the whole world. She does this, not only by celebrating the Eucharist, but also in other ways, especially by praying the Divine Office." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #86)
"Lauds as Morning Prayer and Vespers as Evening Prayer are the two hinges on which the daily office turns; hence they are to be considered as the chief hours and are to be celebrated as such." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #89)
"Lauds as Morning Prayer and Vespers as Evening Prayer are the two hinges on which the daily office turns; hence they are to be considered as the chief hours and are to be celebrated as such." (Vatican II Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, #89)
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VIRTUAL RESOURCES
Virtual resources provide more than the dry bones of the liturgical text. They celebrate the Hours with sounds and images. Most importantly they provide community, both community with those who produced the sounds and images, and community among those who celebrate the Hours with the same sounds and images at various times and places.
This website contains two posts each day. one for Morning Prayer and one for Evening Prayer. Evening Prayer begins with a HYMN, followed by a Two PSALMs, an New Testament Canticle, a READING, Responsory, GOSPEL CANTICLE, Litany, LORD'S PRAYER, and concludes with a Collect.
The post for each hour contains the complete official text in two forms: a link (DivineOffice.org) with the complete visual and audio text of the Hour recited by a small group, and a link (SingtheHours.org) with the complete sung text of the Hour, mostly by a single cantor. By clinking on either of these two links you can celebrate the Hour without making any other choices. You do not need any other book or booklet or any other virtual resources including the ones in this post. Praying Evening Prayer can be that simple, one click.
However, you can customize your experience by using the additional or alternative virtual resources 3 HYMNS, 2 PSALMS, LONGER READINGS, GOSPEL CANTICLE, LORD'S PRAYER.
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FULL ROMAN RITE SERVICES
Three Models/Options for Evening Prayer (Vespers):
The Instruction for the Liturgy of the Hours promotes both recitation in common as well as singing the Hours.
RECITATION IN COMMON MODEL
DIVINE OFFICE.ORG OPTION
Excellent model of small (household size) community reciting the office with sung hymn at the beginning. Experience the Hours as community prayer even when praying alone.
OR IF THE ABOVE IS UNAVAILABLE
Hymn: "Angel of the Agony" *******************************************************
OR IF THE ABOVE IS UNAVAILABLE
Hymn: "Angel of the Agony"
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COMPLETELY SUNG MODEL
SING THE HOURS OPTION
Excellent model of totally sung office, mostly by one very talented young person. His father is an excellent translator of Latin hymns. Although they use some Latin, there is always an English translation.
OR IF THE ABOVE IS UNAVAILABLE
Hymn: "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing."English Gospel Canticle & LATIN Lord's Prayer*******************************************************
Excellent model of totally sung office, mostly by one very talented young person. His father is an excellent translator of Latin hymns. Although they use some Latin, there is always an English translation.
OR IF THE ABOVE IS UNAVAILABLE
Hymn: "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing."
English Gospel Canticle & LATIN Lord's Prayer
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PERSONAL MEDITATION MODEL
WORD ON FIRE OPTION
Bishop Barron's organization produces a monthly booklet that contains Morning, and Evening Prayer for each day. It reads straight through like a book except for the beginning hymns for each hour which are all in the back of the booklet. Try using a prayer card instead of a ribbon or simply use any of the hymns on this website.
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BEGINNING HYMN OPTIONS
WORD ON FIRE BOOKLET: MAY 2025, pages 230-239
At the Lamb's High Feast
328,830 views / May 2, 2015
HYMN SELECTED FROM MY PERSONAL FAVORITES
This fourth hymn option is strongly influenced by this blog author's musical interests and collection (first vinyl discs, then cassettes, then CDs). Essentially the author has been using a musical collection for decades to do what anyone can do with YouTube videos. Anyone also can start a blog like this to record for themselves and others their musical choices.
This fourth hymn option is strongly influenced by this blog author's musical interests and collection (first vinyl discs, then cassettes, then CDs). Essentially the author has been using a musical collection for decades to do what anyone can do with YouTube videos. Anyone also can start a blog like this to record for themselves and others their musical choices.
At the Lamb's High Feast (Hymn with lyrics)
North Stoneham and Bassett parish
At the Lamb's High Feast (Hymn with lyrics)
North Stoneham and Bassett parish
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THE FOUR WEEK PSALTER
The psalms were the prayers of Jesus and his disciples. Under the influence of monasticism, praying the whole 150 psalms each week became the norm in both Eastern and Western Christianity. The liturgical reform of Vatican II spread the psalter over four weeks.
As noted in the General Instruction, there is an ancient tradition of personal meditation and prayer at the end of each psalm. There are many videos on the internet with psalms sung in a variety of ways, using different languages and translations, and drawing from different musical and spiritual traditions. Some presentations have beautiful slides or videos that enhance and interpret the psalm.
VIDEOS FOR MEDITATING ON TODAY'S PSALMS
PSALM 41
PSALM 46
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LONGER READINGS
FROM TOMORROW'S MASS
FIRST READING: Acts 16:1-10
During the night Paul had a vision.
A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us.
GOSPEL READING: John 15:18-21
Remember the word I spoke to you,
'No slave is greater than his master.'
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
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THE GOSPEL CANTICLE
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THE LORD'S PRAYER
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