Wednesday 21 September 2022: Evening Prayer
PREPARATION
OPENING SENTENCE
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:2
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES
Blessed be the Lord our God,
By whose grace we are yet alive.
Blessed be His Son Jesus Christ,
By whose rising we are yet set free.
Blessed be the Spirit of God,
In whom is our hope and our joy.
OPENING PRAYER
Father, we come together in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, to offer you our worship, praise and thanksgiving. To you belong all power and glory. You are the source of all goodness. Let our worship bear witness to your peace and saving power. Through your Spirit may we ever rejoice in the abiding presence of our risen and ascended Lord. Amen.
CANTICLE (SAID)
O Gracious Light
O Gracious light, pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times
to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be
glorified through all the worlds.
PENITENCE
Have mercy upon us,
most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon you,
pardon, and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD
PSALM
Psalm 119: 33-40, 89-96
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes ♦︎
and I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I shall keep your law; ♦︎
I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, ♦︎
for therein is my delight.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies ♦︎
and not to unjust gain.
37 Turn away my eyes lest they gaze on vanities; ♦︎
O give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise, ♦︎
which stands for all who fear you.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread, ♦︎
because your judgements are good.
40 Behold, I long for your commandments; ♦︎
in your righteousness give me life.
89 O Lord, your word is everlasting; ♦︎
it ever stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness also remains from one generation to another; ♦︎
you have established the earth and it abides.
91 So also your judgements stand firm this day, ♦︎
for all things are your servants.
92 If your law had not been my delight, ♦︎
I should have perished in my trouble.
93 I will never forget your commandments, ♦︎
for by them you have given me life.
94 I am yours, O save me! ♦︎
For I have sought your commandments.
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me, ♦︎
but I will meditate on your testimonies.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection, ♦︎
but your commandment knows no bounds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
A READING
Matthew 19: 16-30
Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’
Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold,* and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
MEDITATION
THE GOSPEL CANTICLE
MAGNIFICAT The Song of the Virgin Mary Luke 1: 46-55
1 My soul proclaims the | greatness · of the | Lord, ♦︎
my spirit re•joices · in | God my | Saviour,
2 who has looked with favour on his | lowly | servant; ♦︎
from this day all gene|rations · will | call me | blessèd;
3† the Almighty has done | great things | for me ♦︎
and | holy | is his | name.
4 God has mercy on | those who | fear him, ♦︎
from gene|ration · to | gene|ration.
5 The Lord has shown | strength · with his | arm ♦︎
and scattered the | proud in | their con|ceit,
6 casting down the mighty | from their | thrones ♦︎
and | lifting | up the | lowly.
7 God has filled the hungry with | good | things ♦︎
and sent the | rich a|way | empty.
8 He has come to the aid of his | servant | Israel ♦︎
to re|member · the | promise of | mercy,
9 The promise | made to · our | forebears, ♦︎
to Abraham | and his | children · for | ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYER
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed by our Name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Lord, reveal your love among us;
That we may know the joy of your salvation.
Grant peace within and among all nations;
And teach our leaders wisdom.
Endow your Church with faithfulness;
And her servants with knowledge and true godliness.
Defend, O Lord, the rights of the poor and the oppressed;
That your justice may be known among all people.
Lord, renew your Spirit within us;
That in us and through us your will may be done.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
Give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COLLECTS AT EVENING PRAYER
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past so be with us in the coming night. Free us from all evil, sin and fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen.
O Lord, support us all day long of this troublous life, until the shades lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then, Lord, in mercy grant us safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Grant, Lord, that we may be faithful to you without turning aside, worship you without growing weary, serve you without failing; diligently seek you, happily find you, and forever possess you, the one and only God, blessed for ever and ever. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we pray for people of every race, and in every kind of need; make your ways known on earth, your saving presence among all nations. (Especially we pray for ___________)
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for your Church throughout the world: Guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. (Especially we pray for ___________)
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are in any way afflicted or distressed in body, mind or spirit; comfort and relieve them in their necessities; give them patience under their sufferings and bring good out of their afflictions. (Especially we pray for ___________)
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Almighty God, we thank you
for the gift of your Holy Word.
May it be a lantern to our feet,
A light to our paths,
And a strength to our lives.
Take us and use us to love
and serve all persons
in the power of the Holy Spirit
and in the Name of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE ENDING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us evermore. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14