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January
30, 2000
1.
The solemn and community celebration of the Vespers for Sunday, January
30, 2000 is proposed as the first encounter in preparation for the Jubilee of
the Consecrated Life. 2.
Where possible, it is advisable that the community celebration, with the
participation of both consecrated persons and the faithful, be held in the
Cathedral or an important Sanctuary. 3.
The celebration of the Sung Vespers will follow the normal rubrics. To
add solemnity to the communal choral prayer, some elements are proposed that can
be used "ad libitum", following indications that
are included in the "Principles
and Rules of the Liturgy of the Hours". 4.
After the celebration of Vespers, it might be appropriate to have a
moment of communal "agape", thus encouraging
acquaintance and encounter between the various participants so that they can
share the grace and the joy of vocation and consecration within the Church. After
the processional entrance, which should be accompanied by the organ, the person
who presides at the Vespers, intones the initial verse: O
God, come to my assistance... The
President greets those present with these or similar words: May
God, who is rich in mercy, be blessed. He has done great things for us and for
the whole church. In
everything we thank God the Father who, through Christ, has given everything to
us. Over
us, his sons and daughters, he has poured the richness of his grace, He has made
us participants in his project of love, witnesses of his love for all mankind,
the epiphany of the love of the Trinity who desires to be in communion with all
people. "The consecrated life reflects
the splendour of this love because, by its fidelity to the mystery of the Cross,
it confesses that it believes and lives by the love of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit" (VC, 24). God, freeing us from the power of
darkness, has transferred us into the reign of the Son of his love, the reign of
light. After having heard in this Sunday's Gospel, the story of the vocation of the disciples (Mk 1:14-20) we are now reunited, at the end of this day of Our Lord, to thank the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit, with the Vespers hymn, for the gifts of vocation and consecration. We do this in communion with all the Church that in this hour is glorifying the Father, in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. II.
Psalmody The
psalms and the canticle of the III Sunday of the Psalter are sung. Before the
antiphon of each psalm and of the canticle it is possible to give a brief
admonition. Following each psalm and canticle with its antiphon, all rise and
the celebrant proclaims the psalm prayer. These
examples are proposed: Admonition: The
Risen Christ who is seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father, is the
Priest and King forever. He has called the Church to follow his footsteps and to
glorify the Father with our lives. Psalm
109:1-5,7:
The Messiah King is priest Psalm
Collect Let
us pray: Admonition: The
Church, the people of God, gives continuous thanks to our Lord for his gifts.
Gifts of beauty, of grace and of holiness. The consecrated life is also a gift
from God for His people, through which He continually renews his alliance of
fidelity and love with the various charisms. Psalm
110:
Great are the works of the Lord Psalm
Collect Let
us pray: Admonition: The
pilgrim Church on earth unites itself with the heavenly Church singing together
the new canticle of Alleluia. In the Holy Spirit it praises the Father for the
work of redemption in Christ, the Lamb without stain, who calls the Church, his
bride, to the eternal joy of his Kingdom. Canticle
Rev. 19:1-7:
The Marriage of the Lamb Collect
after the Canticle Let
us pray: III.
Brief Reading, Homily, Responsorial Psalm The
brief reading of the Day (1 Pt 1:3-5) may be elongated so as to read 1 Pt
3-7,13-23. After
the reading the President of the Assembly or another priest may deliver a brief
homily. This may be inspired by what has just been read. All or part of the
proposed text, Vocation-Consecration, may also be read. (App. I.A). After the homily and a short silence, the brief response of the Vespers or another hymn adapted to the Word that has just been heard, may be sung. IV.
The Magnificat, Intercessions The
solemn Magnificat is now sung with the proper antiphon of Sunday. During the
singing of the Magnificat the altar and the assembly are incensed. The
day's intercessions follow. Before the last intercession for the dead it is
possible to add some prayers of thanks and intercession for the gift of the
consecrated life. These should follow the outline of the other Vespers
intentions. The singing of the Lord's prayer and the collect of the day should come after this. Before
the final benediction, the President addresses this or a similar word of
exhortation to those present: Brothers
and sisters, I exhort you in the name of our Lord: through the power of His
Spirit be witnesses of his love in the midst of his people. Harmonise your life
with the dignity of your vocation. Be in name and in deed servants of our Lord
and imitators of the Mother of God. Be whole in faith, firm in hope, fervent in
charity. Be prudent and vigilant, hold in the humility of your heart the great
treasure that has been entrusted to you. Nourish
your life with the body of Christ, fortifying it with fasting and penance,
nurturing it with meditation on the Word, with assiduous prayer and with works
of mercy. Occupy yourselves with the things of our Lord, hide your life with
Christ in God, have in your heart constant intercession for the propagation of
the faith and the unity of Christians. Remember
those who, forgetting the love of the Father, have gone away from Him, that they
may be saved by his mercy. Remember that you are at the service of the Church
and the brethren, love everyone, particularly the poor, succour them according
to your strength; care for the infirm, teach the ignorant, give to all the
charity of the truth, protect the children, support the youths, help the old,
console the afflicted, let your light shine before men. Do
the will of God as and with Jesus his Son, co-operating with love in the advent
of his Kingdom into the world. Christ shall be your joy and crown upon the
earth, until he conducts you to the eternal wedding where, singing the new song,
you will follow the Lamb wherever he goes. The
celebrant blesses the assembly with the solemn blessing that is found in the
Roman Missal I (Num 6:24-26): The
Lord bless you and keep you. Glorify
God with your life and go in peace. A
hymn to Mary may be sung as the final moment of the prayer. |
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