COMPLINE

 

 

¶ The Officiant begins:

✠ The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
People: Amen.
 

¶ Then the following may be said:

Officiant:Brethren: Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the faith.

1 Peter 5:8-9a

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
People: Thanks be to God.
Officiant:✠ Our help is in the name of the Lord.
People: Who hath made heaven and earth.

Let us humbly confess our sins unto God.

¶ Silence may be kept for a brief examination of conscience and one of the the following may be said:

¶ Officiant and people:

I confess to God, to Blessed Mary, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my own fault; I ask holy Mary, and all the Saints of God, to pray for me. Amen.

Or

We confess to God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, through our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us. Almighty God, have mercy upon us; forgive us all our sins, and deliver us from all evil; confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then follows:

Officiant: ✠ O GOD, make speed to save us.
People: O LORD, make haste to help us.

¶ The Officiant may select one or more of the appointed Psalms, or the Psalms may be distributed throughout the week as assigned.

¶ One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read:

Thou, Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy Name; leave us not, O Lord our God.
Jeremiah 14:9.

Or this:

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21

People: Thanks be to God.

Officiant:Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
People:For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.

(Click here for the longer commendation, especially for use in corporate recitation.)

¶ The Office Hymn, or another hymn suitable for the evening may be sung.

      Te lucis ante terminum

To thee before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray,
That with thy wonted favour thou
Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Withhold from us our ghostly foe,
That spot of sin we may not know.

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.
Attribution to St. Ambrose is disputed.
Hymnal 1940 #164, Translation by J. M. Neale.

Then follows the Brief Respond
Officiant:Keep me as the apple of an eye.
People:Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
 

Nunc dimittis. St. Luke ii. 29-32

Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping; * that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
 

LORD, ✠ now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, * according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen * thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared * before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

 

Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping; * that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
            Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.
 
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. Amen.

Officiant: O Lord hear our prayer.
People: And let our cry come unto thee.
Officiant: Let us pray.

The Officiant then says the following or some other suitable collect:

VISIT, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; Let thy holy Angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace, and let thy blessing be ever upon us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Or

KEEP watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give thine angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for thy love's sake. Amen.

Or

O LORD Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who at this evening hour didst rest in the sepulchre, and didst thereby sanctify the grave to be a bed of hope to thy people: make us so to abound in sorrow for our sins, which were the cause of thy Passion, that when our bodies lie in the dust, our souls may live with thee; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The following may be added:

O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done; then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

¶ The Officiant concludes:

May the almighty and merciful Lord, ✠ Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless us and keep us. Amen.


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