CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL, APOSTLE

January 24, 2018

SOLEMN FIRST VESPERS

INTRODUCTION

Leader: God, + come to my assistance.

All: Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

The eternal gifts of Christ the King,

The apostles’ glory, let us sing,
And all, with hearts of gladness, raise
Due hymns of thankful love and praise.

Their faith in Christ, the Lord, prevailed;

Their hope, a light that never failed;
Their love ablaze o’er pathways trod
To lead them to the eternal God.

In them the Father’s glory shone,

In them the will of God the Son,
In them exults the Holy Ghost,
Through them rejoice the heav’enly host.

To thee, Redeemer, now we cry,

That thou wouldst join to them on high
Thy servants, who this grace implore,
For ever and for ever more.

Tune: King’s Majesty L.M.

Music: Graham George, 1941
Text: Saint Ambrose, d. 397
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866

PSALMODY

Ant. 1: The Lord said to Saul: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.

Psalm 117
Praise for God’s loving compassion
 Am Em Am Dm Am

-
cccc^xxx5xx]xx^xxx8
xx7xx6xx}
O praise the Lord, all you nations, *
acclaim him all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us; *

he is faithful 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.

Ant. The Lord said to Saul: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.

Ant. 2: Go, Ananias, and seek out Saul, who is praying to me; he is the one I have chosen to
make my name known to the Gentiles and their kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

Psalm 147:12-20
The restoration of Jerusalem

Gm Dm Gm F F Gm Eb Dm Gm

-
c70ccc%xx4x]x%ccccc
6ccc7ccc*x]cc*ccccc
 7ccc6ccc%ccc]cc%ccc
cc4ccc6ccc5x}
A B C D

A O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! *

D Zion, praise your God!

A He has strengthened the bars of your gates, *

B he has blessed the children within you.
C He established peace on your borders, *
D he feeds you with finest wheat.

A He sends out his word to the earth *

B and swiftly runs his command.
C He showers down snow white as wool, *
D he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

A He hurls down hailstones like crumbs. *

B The waters are frozen at his touch;
C he sends forth his word and it melts them: *
D at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

A He makes his word known to Jacob, *

B to Israel his laws and decrees.
C He has not dealt thus with other nations; *
D he has not taught them his decrees.

A Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *

B and to the Holy Spirit:
C as it was in the beginning, *
D is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Go, Ananias, and seek out Saul, who is praying to me; he is the one I have chosen to make
my name known to the Gentiles and their kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

Ant. 3: Paul went into the synagogues and proclaimed to the Jews that Jesus was indeed the
Messiah.

Canticle: Ephesians 1:3-10

God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ *
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him *

before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.

He predestined us *
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure, †
that all might praise the glorious favor *
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *

and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous *
is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom *

to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased *
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out *

in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him, *
in the heavens and on earth.

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.

Ant. Paul went into the synagogues and proclaimed to the Jews that Jesus was indeed the
Messiah.

READING Romans 1:1-2, 7

Greetings from Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart to proclaim
the gospel of God which he promised long ago through his prophets, as the holy Scriptures
record—the gospel concerning his Son—to all in Rome, beloved of God and called to holiness,
grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
RESPONSORY

Cantor: All the world will know, you are living as I taught you.
All: All the world will know, you are living as I taught you.

Cantor: If you love one another,

All: you are living as I taught you.

Cantor: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All: All the world will know, you are living as I taught you.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. You are the chosen vessel of God, blessed apostle Paul; you preached the truth throughout
the whole world.

Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

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.

Ant. You are the chosen vessel of God, blessed apostle Paul; you preached the truth throughout
the whole world.

INTERCESSIONS

Leader: My brothers and sisters, we build on the foundation of the apostles. Let us pray to
our almighty Father for his holy people and say:

Be mindful of your Church, O Lord.

1. Father, you wanted your Son to be seen first by the apostles after the resurrection from
the dead, we ask you to make us his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

2. You sent your Son to preach your good news to the poor, help us to preach this Gospel to
every creature.

3. You sent your Son to sow the seed of unending life, grant that we who work at sowing
the seed may share the joy of the harvest.

4. You sent your Son to reconcile all to you through his blood, help us all to work toward
achieving this reconciliation.

5. Your Son sits at your right hand in heaven, let the dead enter your kingdom of joy.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Leader: Remember us, Lord, when you come into your kingdom and teach us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: O God, who taught the whole world
through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul,
draw us, we pray, nearer to you
through the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today,
and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

DISMISSAL

If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:

Priest: The Lord be with you.

All: And with your spirit.

Priest: May almighty God bless you,

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Then he adds:

Priest: Go in peace.
All: Thanks be to God.

In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:

Leader: May the Lord + bless us,

protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.

All: Amen.