Evening Prayers
We should never neglect our night prayers. First, it is only proper that, when the day is over, we return thanks to God for His help and protection during the day, even for the crosses He may have sent to prove and sanctify us; and secondly, we ought to offer up fervent supplications that we may be protected from harm while we rest. Each night may be our last one here below. We should think of this when saying our evening prayers.
IN the name of the Father, ✠ and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
AN ACT OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD
O ALMIGHTY and eternal God, Whose majesty filleth heaven and earth, I firmly believe that Thou art here present; that Thine all-seeing eye is upon me; that Thou knowest all things, and art most intimately present in the very center of my soul. I desire to bow down all the powers of my soul to adore Thee; I desire to join my voice with all Thy blessed angels and saints, to praise Thee and glorify Thee now and forever.
AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING
I MOST heartily thank Thee, O Lord, for all Thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon me and upon Thy whole Church; and particularly for those I have received from Thee this day, in watching over me, and preserving me from so many evils, and favoring me with so many graces and inspirations. [Here pause and meditate on God’s mercies.] Oh, let me never more be ungrateful unto Thee, my God, Who art so good and gracious unto me.
PRAYERS OF SŒUR THÉRÈSE
Love of God
AT the close of evening I shall appear before Thee with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that Thou wouldst count my works. All our justice is tarnished in Thy sight. It is therefore my desire to be clothed with Thine own justice and to receive from Thy love the eternal possession of Thyself. I crave no other throne or other crown but Thee, O my Beloved.
Gratitude
O MY God, how good Thou art to me, the victim of Thy merciful love. Now even though Thou dost join physical suffering to the trials of my soul, I cannot say: “The sorrows of death have encompassed me.” But I cry out in my gratitude: “I have gone down into the valley of the shadow of death, yet I fear no evil, because Thou, O Lord, art with me.”
Hope
A DAY . . . an hour . . . and we shall have reached the port! My God, what shall we see then? What is that life which will never have an end? . . . Jesus will be the soul of our soul. Unfathomable mystery! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man what great things God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
O MY Lord Jesus Christ, Judge of the living and the dead, before whom I must appear one day to give an exact account of my whole life; enlighten me, I beseech Thee, and give me an humble and contrite heart, that I may see wherein I have offended Thine infinite Majesty, and judge myself now with such a just severity, that then Thou mayest judge me with mercy and clemency.
Here pause a moment and consider where and in what company you have been this day. Call to mind the sins committed against God, your neighbor, or yourself; and reflect whether you have fulfilled the duties of your state of life.
Offenses against God: Omission or negligence in religious duties; irreverence and wilful distractions in prayer; lack of confidence and resignation; cursing, swearing, etc.
Against the neighbor: Want of obedience or respect; scandal, hatred, quarreling; stealing, injuries; lies, false reports; jealousy, desire of revenge, etc.
Against self: Vanity, human respect; thoughts, desires or language against purity; intemperance in eating or drinking; laziness and neglect of one’s duties.
The Confiteor
I CONFESS to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May Almighty God have mercy on me, forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.
May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, ✠ absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.
AN ACT OF CONTRITION
O MY God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
PRAYER FOR THE LIVING
O GOD, hear my prayers on behalf of our Holy Father, the Pope, our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, I beseech Thee, the whole Catholic Church; protect our country; send down Thy benediction, on my parents, my relatives, friends, and benefactors. Protect my home; comfort the poor, the sick, the afflicted, and the agonizing; convert and enlighten heretics and infidels.
PRAYER FOR THE DEPARTED, ESPECIALLY
OUR FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS
The De Profundis[1]
(Psalm CXXIX)
OUT of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If thou, O Lord, shalt mark iniquities; Lord, who shall stand?
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of Thy law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him plentiful redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
O Lord! hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let us Pray
O GOD! the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed, the remission of all their sins, that, through pious supplications, they may obtain that pardon, which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
ACTS OF PETITION
VOUCHSAFE, O Lord, this night,
To keep us without sin.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord.
Have mercy upon us.
Let Thy mercy, be upon us, O Lord.
As we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, hear our prayer.
And let our cry come unto Thee.
Let us Pray
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 may Thy blessing be always upon us, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Save us, O Lord, when we are awake, and keep us while we sleep, that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace, Amen.
PRAYER OF ST. ALPHONSUS
LORD Jesus Christ, my God, I adore Thee and thank Thee for all the blessings which Thou hast conferred upon me this day. I offer Thee my rest and all the moments of this night, and I beseech Thee to protect me from all sin. Therefore I place myself within the most sacred wound of Thy side, and under the protecting mantle of Mary my Mother.
May Thy holy angels assist me and preserve me in peace. May Thy blessing be upon me forevermore.
(Ind. of 60 days, once a day. — Leo XIII. June 30, 1893.)
After retiring say:
INTO Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, I lay me down to rest. May He bless, govern and protect me; and, after this short pilgrimage, bring to me everlasting happiness. Amen.
O LORD Jesus Christ, Whose unwearied eye neither slumbers nor sleeps, but continually watches in defense of Thy servants; take me and mine, I beseech Thee, into Thy protection, and grant, that whilst my body is asleep, my soul may be awake to Thee, and that I may hereafter behold Thee in that blessed and heavenly country, where Thou, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, rulest eternally, and where all the angels, with the blessed saints, are citizens forever. Amen.
- ↑ The Psalms quoted have been newly translated from the Vulgate in the light of the original Hebrew by the authors.