It is good to give thanks to the Lord
to sing praise to your name, O Most High
to herald your love in the morning,
your truth at the close of the day.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit
Into your hands I commend my spirit
You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth
Into your hands I commend my spirit
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my cry.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
In righteousness I shall see you;
when I awake, your presence will give me joy.
Be present, merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of life may find our rest in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Excerpts from the very old service of Compline.
May you rest this evening in peace.
Blessed sabbath.
6 comments:
I am assuming I am supposed to speak out loud the bolded text, right?
(I really haven't been in church in a while, I forget.)
For five years- from 1990-1995, I very regularly visited a monastery of Dominican nuns. I even discerned a vocation. (which you can see I did not follow up on.)
I have such wonderful memories of going to the chapel each night for Compline at 8pm. The nuns would sing the service and whatever few of us (there was room for 4 visitors at a time) were staying would be there.
These words touch my heart in such a special place and in a special way.
After the service, I or we would quietly walk back to our rooms in the dimly lit halls.
The Great Silence had begun.
wyld -- yes, that's the congregation's part.
fran -- your reflections add so much.
I love...love...compline.
mompriest, me too. I wish there were more opportunities for praying compline...I like to chant it.
This is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. I was, for a while, praying "the hours," but had gotten out of the habit. I may just add this prayer in at the close of the day.
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