PASCHAL VESPERS
Evening Prayer or Baptismal Vespers to conclude the Triduum is recommended in the Circular Letter concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts # 98, the Ceremonial of Bishops #371 and the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours #213. It reconvenes the community and the neophytes to prolong the prayer of Easter joy. It is one of the principal liturgies of the Triduum.
At heart, this Evening Prayer is a return to the font to contemplate the mystery celebrated there. The prayer is a meeting with the risen Christ, who breathes on us the gift of peace. The service, like others in the Triduum, emphasizes movement and can include items used at the other processions of the Triduum. The atmosphere of the prayer is gentle, almost informal.
The good thing is that Easter Sunday Evening Prayer doesn’t require much in terms of environment – all is already in place, except perhaps incense pots.
A Principal Paschal Liturgy
As the disciples met and touched the risen Lord and received their commission, so the Church gathered this evening in the peace of the risen Christ to usher out the Triduum and to begin living in the Fifty Days, the foretaste of paradise. Thanks to its history, some people regards paschal vespers, along with the Mass of the Lord’s supper, the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, and the Easter Vigil, as the principal liturgy of the Triduum. Like these liturgies, Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday is an occasion for once-a-year rites.
Afterward, be sure to have Easter treats to share. Also traditional afterward (and through the week) at sunset time is an “Emmaus Walk,” a walk through the neighborhood in search of spring – and of Christ’s presence in the world.
The liturgy may be stational. Components maybe celebrated in different locations (stations) in the church complex. the people might gather at the paschal candle for the opening service, for example, move to the font during the singing of the psalm and canticles, hear readings and sing a responsory at the font, and finally go to the altar while singing the Magnificat. Intercessions, the Lord’s Prayer, concluding Prayer, and blessing would follow at the altar, and the community would be dismissed.
The prayer echoes many of the profound moments of the Vigil and the Easter mysteries, in music, movement, and sacred signs, summing up and bringing to close this incomparable day.
According to tradition the Paschal Candle remains burning without interruption throughout Easter Sunday, from the vigil until this evening. It burns as people gather for Evening Prayer (Vespers).
Here is a suggested order of service (psalms, hymns, and other music maybe drawn from the parish’s repertory).
Gathering: Assembly gathers near the Paschal Candle.
Service of the Light:
Presider: Christ our light.
All: Thanks be to God.
Assembly’s candles and all church candles are lit from the Paschal Candle.
Hymn
Thanksgiving for Light, sung by cantor or presider. The assembly’s candles may be extinguished as the lights needed for psalmody are turned on.
Psalmody: The psalms should be sung.
During the canticle or psalm a congregational alleluia is repeated as cantors sing verses, and the assembly processes to the font, led by incense-bearer, minister with paschal candle, and presider. Take the route used last night. Depending on the size and location of the baptistry, all remain there until after the baptismal commemoration or until the end of the service.
Sunday, Evening Prayer II,
Week 1
Antiphon 1: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the Lord’s tomb, alleluia.
Psalm 110: 1-5, 7
The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
“Sit on my right;
Your foes I will put beneath your feet.”
The Lord will yield form Zion
Your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A price from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm–Prayer
Father we ask You to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at Your right hand. We look forward to praising You in the fellowship of all Your saints in our heavenly homeland.
Antiphon 1: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the Lord’s tomb, alleluia.
Antiphon 2: Come and see the place where the Lord was buried, alleluia.
Psalm 114
When Israel came forth from Egypt,
Jacob’s sons from an alien people,
Judah became the Lord’s temple
Israel became his kingdom.
The sea fled at the sight:
the Jordan turn back on its course,
the mountains leapt like rams
and the hills like yearling sheep.
Why was it, sea, that you fled,
that you turned back, Jordan, on your course?
Mountains, that you leapt like rams,
hills, like yearling sheep?
Tremble, O earth, before the Lord,
in the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool
and flint into a spring of water.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-Prayer
Almighty God, ever living mystery of unity and trinity, You gave life to the new Israel by birth from water and the Spirit, and made it a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people set apart as Your eternal possession. May all those You have called to walk in the splendor of the new light render You fitting service and adoration.
Antiphon 2: Come and see the place where the Lord was buried, alleluia.
Antiphon 3: Jesus said: Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see Me, alleluia.
Revelation 19: 1-7
Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:
(R. Alleluia.)
His Judgments are honest and true.
R. Alleluia. (alleluia).
Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all You His servants,
(R. Alleluia.)
All who worship Him reverently, great and small
R. Alleluia. (alleluia).
Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King;
(R. Alleluia.)
Let us rejoice and give Him glory.
R. Alleluia. (alleluia).
Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,
(R. Alleluia.)
And His bride is prepared to welcome Him
R. Alleluia. (alleluia).
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon 3: Jesus said: Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see Me, alleluia.
Reading: Luke 24: 13-35 (Lectionary for Mass, #46) or Luke 24: 35-48 (#47)
Patristic Selection from the Easter Octave texts in the Liturgy of the Hours, or a brief homily on symbols of Easter, or silent prayer and reflection.
Sung responsory as at Morning Prayer: “This is the day the Lord has made”
In place of the responsory the following is said:
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia.
Thanksgiving over the water (adapt RCIA, #222D or E) or form C of the Rite of Sprinkling in the Sacramentary.
Rite of Sprinkling in the Sacramentary.
Dear friends,
this water will be used
to remind us of our baptism.
ask God to bless it,
and to keep us faithful
to the Spirit He has given us.
After a brief silence , he joins his hands and continues:
Lord God almighty,
hear the prayers of Your people:
we celebrate our creation and redemption.
Hear our prayers and bless + this water
which gives fruitfulness to the fields,
and refreshment and cleansing to men and women.
You chose water to show Your goodness
when You led Your people to freedom
through the Red Sea
and satisfied their thirst in the desert
with waters from the rock.
Water was the symbol used by the prophets
to foretold Your new covenant with us.
You made the water of baptism holy
by Christ’s baptism in the Jordan: by it You give us a new birth
and renew us in holiness.
May this water remind us of our baptism
and let us share us the joy
of all who have been baptized at Easter.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Signing: All approach the font to sign themselves or each other while singing the antiphon, as at the Blessing of Water at the Vigil.
I saw water flowing
from the right side of the temple, alleluia.
It brought God’s life and His salvation,
and the people sang in joyful praise:
Alleluia, alleluia. (See Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 9)
Canticle of Mary (Magnificat): sung with proper antiphon while all are honored with incense. Procession to the altar may take place during the canticle.
Antiphon: On the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors; suddenly, Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you, alleluia.
Luke 1: 46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior
For He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
He has mercy on those who fear Him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of His servant Israel
for He has remembered His promise of mercy,
the promise He made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: On the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors; suddenly, Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you, alleluia.
Intercessions from the Liturgy of the Hours.
With joy in our hearts, let us call upon Christ the Lord, Who died and rose again, and lives always to intercede for us:
Victorious King, hear our prayer.
Light and Salvation of all peoples,
- send into our hearts the fire of Your Spirit, as we proclaim Your resurrection.
Let Israel recognize in You her longed-for Messiah,
- and the whole world be filled with the knowledge of Your glory.
Keep us in the communion of Your saints,
- and grant us rest from our labors in their company.
You have triumphed over death, Your enemy; destroy in us the power of death,
- that we may live only for You, victorious and immortal Lord.
Savior Christ, You were obedient even to accepting death, and were raised up to the right hand of the Father,
- in Your goodness welcome Your brothers and sisters into the kingdom of Your glory.
Lord’s Prayer
Presider: Now let us offer together the prayer our Lord Jesus Christ taught us:
or
Now let us pray as Christ the Lord has taught us:
or
With longing for the coming of God’s kingdom, let us offer our prayer to the Father:
or
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ Himself taught us:
or
Let us make our prayers and praise complete by offering the Lord’s prayer:
or
Let us conclude our prayers with the Lord’s prayer
or
Let us again offer our praise to God and pray in the words of Christ.
To Christ:
Remember us, Lord, when You come into Your kingdom and teach us how to pray:
or
And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord asked:
or
And now let us pray as the Lord told us:
or
We pattern our prayer on the prayer of Christ our Lord, and say:
or
Now let us offer the prayer Christ has given us as the model for all prayer:
Concluding Prayer of Easter Sunday
Presider: God our Father,
by raising Christ Your Son
You conquered the power of death and opened for us the way of eternal life.
Let our celebration today
raise us up and renew our lives by the spirit that is within us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit
one God for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Solemn Blessing
Presider: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Presider: May almighty God bless you on this solemn feast of Easter, and may He protect you against all sin.
All: Amen.
Presider: Through the resurrection of His Son, God has granted us healing. May He fulfill His promises, and bless you with eternal life.
All: Amen.
Presider: You have mourned for Christ’s sufferings; now you celebrate the joy of His resurrection. May you come with joy to the feast which lasts for ever.
All: Amen.
Presider: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Dismissal: Easter tone with alleluia.
Presider: Go in the peace of Christ, alleluia, alleluia.
or
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.
All: Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!
Closing Hymn or although proper to Night Prayer, close with the Marian antiphon for the Easter season, “Regina Caeli”
REGINA COELI
Gregory V
Regina coeli, laetare. Alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare. Alleluia.
Resurexit, sicut dixit. Alleluia.
Ora pro nobis, Deum. Alleluia.
Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria. Alleluia.
Quia surrexit Dominus vere. Alleluia.
The Easter Triduum ends with the conclusion of Evening Prayer.
