Office Hymns: Common of Ss: Apostles and Evangelists

Common of Saints

Apostles and Evangelists

Vigils and First Evensong

48

Lord of creation - An­nue Chris­te sae­cu­lor­um Do­mi­ne – Lacey

Lord of creation, bow Thine ear, O Christ, to hear
The intercession of Thy servant true and dear,
That we unworthy, who have trespassed in Thy sight,
May live before Thee where he dwells in glorious light.

O God our Savior, look on Thine inheritance,
Sealed by the favor shining from Thy countenance;
That no false spirit bring to naught the souls of price
Bought by the merit of Thy perfect sacrifice.

We bear the burden of our guilt and enmity,
Until Thy pardon lift the heart from slavery;
Then through the spending of Thy life blood, King of grace,
Grant us unending triumph in Thy holy place.

To Thee the glorious Christ, our Savior manifest,
All wreaths victorious, praise and worship be addressed,
Whom with the living Father humbly we adore,
And the life giving Spirit, God forevermore.

Verses for Proper Days

St. Andrew.

May Andrew, gentlest of the saintly company,

Implore forgiveness for our grievous trespasses ;

That we, sore burdened by offences manifold,

At his petition may obtain deliverance.

St. Thomas

May he, who, doubting probed the Saviour's pierced side,

Plead  through the ments of those wounds adorable.

Whose streams atoning cleans'd the world's iniquity,

That all the foulness of our guilt be purified.

St. John

Twin lamps, adorning Heaven's eternal palaces !

James, with thy brother John, divine Evangelist 

Entreat that pardon for his lowly suppliants.

Which Christ hath freely promised to the penitent

Conversion Of St. Paul

O by thy doctrine, Paul, thou sage illustrious,

Guide us in virtue, raise our spirits heavenwards ;

Till perfect knowledge stream on us abundantly.

And that which only is in part be done away.

St. Matthias

May just Matthias, who by lot was numbered

With thine Apostles, sharer of their dignity.

By his petitions loose the bands of wickedness.

That we inherit light and joy eternally.

St. James. 

as above on the Feast of St. John

Confession of St. Peter

Peter, good shepherd, may thy ceaseless orison

For us prevailing, break the bands of wickedness ;

For thou of old time didst receive authority

The gates to open, or to close, of Paradise.

St. Bartholomew

May thy petitions, golden star, Bartholomew,

Whose light the sunbeams far exceeds in brilliancy

Raise souls beclouded to celestial purity.

And heal the sickness of our guilty consciences.

St. Matthew

May saintly Matthew, high in twofold dignity,

To thee, O Jesu, plead with prayer importunate :

So 'mid life's tempests may thy guidance succour us.

Lest death hereafter whelm us everlastingly.

Ss. Simon & Jude

May blessed Simon, with Thaddeus glorious,

Regard our weeping, and our sighs of penitence :

And, though our trespass merit endless misery.

Win us an entrance to celestial happiness.

49

While Christ's disciples, grieving, sad - Tristes erant apostolic -

While Christ's disciples, grieving, sad,
Their Master's painful death deplore,
Whom faithless servants' cruel hands,
Had bathed in His own crimson gore;

Quick from the happy realms above,
An Angel comes on joyful wing,
And to the women tells the joy
That to His flock their Lord will bring.

As they with eager steps make haste,
Their joyous message to repeat,
Their Master's glorious form they see,
And falling clasp His sacred feet.

Cheered by this tale, His faithful flock
The Galilean mount ascend,
And there with loving awe behold
Their heart's sole wish, their truest friend.

That Thou mayst be our Paschal joy
Through happy, never-ending years,
Thine own poor children, Jesu, free
From sin's sad death with all its fears.

To God the Father, and the Son,
Who rose from death, glad praise, repeat;
Let equal praise be ever sung
To God the Holy Paraclete.

Lauds and Second Evensong

50

Let the round world with songs rejoice - Exultet celum laudibus – EH

Let the round world with songs rejoice;
let heaven return the joyful voice;
all mindful of the Apostles' fame,
let heaven 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 given
the key that shuts and opens heaven,
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 blessed,
and place us in thy endless rest.

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

51

Joy dawned again on Easter-Day - Claro paschali gaudio - Neale

Joy dawned again on Easter-Day,
The sun shone out with fairer ray,
When, to their longing eyes restored,
The apostles saw their risen Lord.

His risen flesh with radiance glowed;
His wounded hands and feet he showed:
Those scars their silent witness gave
That Christ was risen from the grave.

O Jesus, King of gentleness,
Do thou our inmost hearts possess;
And we to thee will ever raise
The tribute of our grateful praise.

Jesus, who art the Lord of all,
In this our Easter festival,
From every weapon death can wield
Thine own redeemed, thy people, shield.

All praise, O risen Lord, we give
To thee, who, dead, again dost live;
To God the Father equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise.