A Western Rite Orthodox Daily Office for 11/30/2023

(1928 BCP, 1892 Psalter, elements from Anglican Breviary)0T0L50x

Evening Prayer for Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle

Thursday after the Sunday Before Advent

Use 1943 LectionaryUse 1928 Lectionary

Opening Sentence

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm xix. 14, 15.

Opening Versicles & Invitatory

℣. O Lord, open thou our lips.
℟. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
℣. O God, make speed to save us.
℟. O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

℣. Praise ye the Lord.
℟. The Lord's Name be praised.

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed

This is my commandment, † that ye love one another, * as I have loved you.

PSALM 147. Laudate Dominum

1   O PRAISE the LORD, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God:
yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.
2   The LORD doth build up Jerusalem:
and gather together the outcasts of Israel.
3   He healeth those that are broken in heart:
and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.
4   He telleth the number of the stars:
and calleth them all by their names.
5   Great is our Lord, and great is his power:
yea, and his wisdom is infinite.
6   The LORD setteth up the meek:
and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground.
7   O sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving:
sing praises upon the harp unto our God:
8   Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth:
and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;
9   Who giveth fodder unto the cattle:
and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.
10   He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse:
neither delighteth he in any man's legs.
11   But the LORD'S delight is in them that fear him:
and put their trust in his mercy.
12   Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem:
praise thy God, O Sion.
13   For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates:
and hath blessed thy children within thee.
14   He maketh peace in thy borders:
and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.
15   He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth:
and his word runneth very swiftly.
16   He giveth snow like wool:
and scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.
17   He casteth forth his ice like morsels:
who is able to abide his frost?
18   He sendeth out his word, and melteth them:
he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow.
19   He showeth his word unto Jacob:
his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
20   He hath not dealt so with any nation:
neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws.

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.

This is my commandment, † that ye love one another, * as I have loved you.

Greater love has no man † than this, * that a man lay down his life for his friends.

PSALM 148. Laudate Dominum

1   O PRAISE the LORD of heaven:
praise him in the height.
2   Praise him, all ye angels of his:
praise him, all his host.
3   Praise him, sun and moon:
praise him, all ye stars and light.
4   Praise him, all ye heavens:
and ye waters that are above the heavens.
5   Let them praise the Name of the LORD:
for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.
6   He hath made them fast for ever and ever:
he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.
7   Praise the LORD upon earth:
ye dragons and all deeps;
8   Fire and hail, snow and vapours:
wind and storm, fulfilling his word;
9   Mountains and all hills:
fruitful trees and all cedars;
10   Beasts and all cattle:
worms and feathered fowls;
11   Kings of the earth, and all people:
princes, and all judges of the world;
12   Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the LORD:
for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.
13   He shall exalt the horn of his people; all his saints shall praise him:
even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.

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.

Greater love has no man † than this, * that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Ye are My friends, † if ye do whatsoever I command you, * saith the Lord.

PSALM 149. Cantate Domino

1   O SING unto the LORD a new song:
let the congregation of saints praise him.
2   Let Israel rejoice in him that made him:
and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3   Let them praise his Name in the dance:
let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4   For the LORD hath pleasure in his people:
and helpeth the meek-hearted.
5   Let the saints be joyful with glory:
let them rejoice in their beds.
6   Let the praises of God be in their mouth:
and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7   To be avenged of the heathen:
and to rebuke the people;
8   To bind their kings in chains:
and their nobles with links of iron;
9   That they may be avenged of them, as it is written:
Such honour have all his saints.

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.

Ye are My friends, † if ye do whatsoever I command you, * saith the Lord.

Blessed are the children of God, † even the peace-makers and the pure in heart, * blessed indeed are they, for they shall see God.

PSALM 150. Laudate Dominum

1   O PRAISE God in his holiness:
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2   Praise him in his noble acts:
praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3   Praise him in the sound of the trumpet:
praise him upon the lute and harp.
4   Praise him in the cymbals and dances:
praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5   Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals:
praise him upon the loud cymbals.
6   Let every thing that hath breath:
praise the LORD.

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.

Blessed are the children of God, † even the peace-makers and the pure in heart, * blessed indeed are they, for they shall see God.

This is my commandment, † that ye love one another, * as I have loved you.

PSALM 137. Super flumina

1   BY the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered thee, O Sion.
2   As for our harps, we hanged them up:
upon the trees that are therein.
3   For they that led us away captive, required of us then a song, and melody in our heaviness:
Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
4   How shall we sing the LORD'S song:
in a strange land?
5   If I forget thee, O Jerusalem:
let my right hand forget her cunning.
6   If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth:
yea, if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.

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.

This is my commandment, † that ye love one another, * as I have loved you.

Greater love has no man † than this, * that a man lay down his life for his friends.

PSALM 138. Confitebor tibi

1   I WILL give thanks unto thee, O LORD, with my whole heart:
even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2   I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth:
for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy word, above all things.
3   When I called upon thee, thou heardest me:
and enduedst my soul with much strength.
4   All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD:
for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
5   Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD:
that great is the glory of the LORD.
6   For though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly:
as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me:
thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8   The LORD shall make good his loving-kindness toward me:
yea, thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.

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.

Greater love has no man † than this, * that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Ye are My friends, † if ye do whatsoever I command you, * saith the Lord.

The Lessons

Here beginneth the 33rd verse of the 2nd Chapter of 2 Esdras

I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go unto Israel; but when I came unto them, they set me at nought, and despised the commandment of the Lord. And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, that hear and understand, look for your Shepherd, he shall give you everlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world. Be ready to the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you for evermore. Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my Saviour openly. O receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks unto him that hath led you to the heavenly kingdom. Arise up and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord; Which are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments of the Lord. Take thy number, O Sion, and shut up those of thine that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. The number of thy children, whom thou longedst for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed. I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these? He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands? So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.

Here beginneth the 21st verse of the 2nd Chapter of Joel

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Here endeth the First Lesson.

Office Hymn

Hymn: Exultet Caelum Laudibus

Let the round world with songs rejoice;
Let Heaven return the joyful voice;
All mindful of th'Apostles' fame,
Let Heav'n and earth their praise proclaim.

Ye servants who once bore the light
Of Gospel truth o'er heathen night,
Still may your work that light impart,
To glad our eyes and cheer our heart.

O God, by Whom to them was giv'n
The key that shuts and opens Heav'n,
Our chains unbind, our loss repair,
And grant us grace to enter there.

For at Thy will they preached the Word
Which cured disease, which health conferred:
O may that healing power once more
Our souls to grace and health restore.

That when Thy Son again shall come,
And speak the world's unerring doom,
He may with them pronounce us blest,
And place us in Thy endless rest.

To Thee, O Father; Son, to Thee;
To Thee, blest Spirit, glory be!
So was it ay for ages past,
So shall through endless ages last.

Here beginneth the 1st verse of the 1st Chapter of 2 Peter

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Here beginneth the 10th verse of the 2nd Chapter of 2 Peter

Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Here endeth the Second Lesson.

Second Canticle

The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55

Be ye valiant * in the warfare, and fight against the ancient serpent: and ye shall receive an everlasting kingdom.

MY soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.

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.

Be ye valiant * in the warfare, and fight against the ancient serpent: and ye shall receive an everlasting kingdom.

The Apostles' Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
The holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints:
The Forgiveness of sins:
The Resurrection of the body:
And the Life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
℣. Let us pray.

℣. Lord, have mercy upon us.℣. Kyrie eleison
℟. Christ, have mercy upon us. or  ℟. Christe eleison
℣. Lord, have mercy upon us.℣. Kyrie eleison

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.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

℣. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
℟. And grant us thy salvation.
℣. O Lord, save the State.
℟. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
℣. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
℟. And make thy chosen people joyful.
℣. O Lord, save thy people.
℟. And bless thine inheritance.
℣. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
℟. For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
℣. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
℟. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

The Collect of the Day

Almighty God, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him without delay; Grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy Word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commemoration of Sunday Before Advent

STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants the peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of all enemies, may pass our time in
rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our
Savior. Amen.

A Collect for Aid against Perils

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may he unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

2 Cor. xiii. 14.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

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