Sunday: Weeks I & III (English Texts)

 

 

 

Office of Readings

 

This day the first of days was made,

When God in light the world arrayed;

Or when His Word arose again,

And, conquering death, gave life to men.

 

Slumber and sloth drive far away;

Earlier arise to greet the day;

And ere its dawn in heaven unfold

The heart’s desire to God be told.

 

Unto our prayer that He attend,

His all creating power extend,

And still renew us, lest we miss

Through earthly stain our heavenly bliss.

 

That us, who here this day repair

To keep the apostles’ time of prayer,

And hymn the quiet hours of morn,

With blessèd gifts He may adorn.

 

For this, Redeemer, Thee we pray

That Thou wilt wash our sins away,

And of Thy lovingkindness grant

Whate’er of good our spirits want.

 

That exiles here awhile in flesh

Some earnest may our souls refresh

Of that pure life for which we long,

Some foretaste of the heavenly song.

 

O Father, that we ask be done,

Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;

Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,

Doth live and reign eternally.

 

Lauds

 

Eternal Maker of the world,

The sov'reign Lord of night and day:

You give the seasons of the year

To take time's heaviness away.

 

In deepest night you never sleep,

A Lamp for trav'lers on the way;

A Light dividing night from night,

The rooster crows announcing day.

 

See, at the sound, the daystar wakes

And drives the darkness from the sky;

All those who strayed on deadly roads

Now take the path to life on high.

 

The ocean hears; the waves die down;

The sailor overcomes his fears.

Saint Peter hears; the Church's Rock

Removes denial's stain with tears.

 

To you, O Christ, most kindly King,

And to the Father, glory be;

Praise to the Spirit Paraclete,

In ev'ry age, eternally. Amen.

 

Vespers: Older use: O  Trinity, most blessed life at I Vespers; Newer use: II Vespers

 

O Trinity, most blesséd light,

O Unity of sov'reign might,

as now the fiery sun departs,

shed thou thy beams within our hearts.

 

To thee our morning song of praise,

to thee our evening prayer we raise;

then may our souls for evermore

in lovely reverence adore.

 

All praise to God the Father be,

all praise, eternal Son, to thee,

whom with the Spirit we adore,

for ever and for evermore.

Amen.

 

Newer use: I Vespers; Older use: II Vespers

 

O blest Creator of the light,

Who mak’st the day with radiance bright,

And o’er the forming world didst call

The light from chaos first of all.

 

Whose wisdom joined in meet array

The morn and eve, and named them day:

Night comes with all its darkling fears;

Regard Thy people’s prayers and tears.

 

Lest, sunk in sin, and whelmed with strife,

They lose the gift of endless life;

While thinking but the thoughts of time,

They weave new chains of woe and crime.

 

But grant them grace that they may strain

The heavenly gate and prize to gain:

Each harmful lure aside to cast,

And purge away each error past.

 

O Father, that we ask be done,

Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;

Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,

Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.