All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (July 19, 2020)
Evening Prayer
The Service of Light
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Joyous light of
glory of the immortal Father,
Heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ,
We have come to the setting of the Sun
And we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
The universe proclaims your glory.
Heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ,
We have come to the setting of the Sun
And we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
The universe proclaims your glory.
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We praise you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe!
Your word brings on the dusk of evening,
your wisdom creates both night and day.
You determine the cycles of time,
arrange the succession of the seasons,
and establish the stars in their heavenly courses.
Lord of the starry hosts is your name.
Living and eternal God,
rule over us always.
Blessed be the Lord,
whose word makes evening fall.
Amen.
Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
let
my rise to you.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
let
my prayer rise to you.
1
I call out to you,
Come
quickly to my aid.
My
song cries out to you,
O
listen to me now.
I
raise my hands in off’ring to you.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
2
Let me speak your truth;
watch
over all I say.
Keep
my thoughts on you;
let
goodness rule my heart.
Keep
me far from those who do harm.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
3
Never let me dine
with
those who seek to harm.
Keep
your holy ones
always
at my side.
Plant
your wisdom deep in my soul.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
4
I look to you for help;
I
seek your loving eyes.
Guard
my life for you;
Spare
me from all wrong.
Keep
all evil far from my heart.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
5
Glory be to God
and
to God’s only Son,
glory
to the Spirit,
three
in one,
now
and for ever. Amen.
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Like
burning incense, O Lord,
(Like
burning incense, O Lord,)
let
my prayer rise to you.
(let
my prayer rise to you.)
Silence
is kept.
Let
the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your
loving kindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your
praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify
you forever and ever. Amen.
The Psalms
Praise
the Lord! Praise the Lord!
All
you nations.
Extol
him! Extol him!
All
you peoples.
For
great is his love toward us,
and
the faithfulness of the Lord
endures
forever.
Praise
the Lord! Praise the Lord!
All
you nations.
Extol
him! Extol him!
All
you peoples.
For
great is his love toward us,
and
the faithfulness of the Lord
endures
forever.
Silence
is kept.
Gracious
God,
we
praise you for your faithfulness
and
pray that every nation may find your blessing
in
the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
The Holy Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
I give you a
new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also
should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another.’
The Gospel of Christ
Praise to you, Lord
Jesus Christ.
Homily
A New Commandment
In this evening’s reading Jesus gives a new commandment,
“Love one another as I have loved you.” He goes on to say that his disciples
will be known by their love for each other. Later on in the Gospel of John,
Jesus in what is known as “I am the true vine” discourse says that those who
obey this commandment are not just his disciples but his friends.
The kind of love about which Jesus is talking is not some
vague warm fuzzy feeling we entertain toward our fellow Christians. It is
sacrificial love, the kind of love that caused a seven-year old boy to step
between his four-year-old sister and the dog that was about to attack her. It
is the kind of love that Jesus himself showed for us when he suffered a brutal
death for us on the cross at Calvary. Jesus is quite clear in pointing this to
his disciples’ attention.
The kind of love that Jesus would have us show toward each
other is a love that transcended the very real differences that divide us. One
might describe it as an attitude of the heart, an inward attitude that guides
how we think about each other and act toward each other. We can view each other
with suspicion and distrust and allow these attitudes to influence how we
relate to each other. Or we can see each other as kindred spirits who are
despite our imperfect understanding seeking to live lives pleasing to God.
I am not suggesting that we are saved irrespective of what
we may believe. Rather I am suggesting that we should be charitable in how we
see each other. I will admit that this attitude of the heart is much easier to
aspire to than it is to achieve.
It may be compared to the reorientation of our hearts and
our lives to God that we call conversion. For some of us it may be quite swift—so
sudden that we may be tempted to believe that we have arrived and have no
further to go on our journey with Jesus. For most of us it is a slow, ongoing
process like the gradual unfolding of the petals of a flower. We may not reach
full bloom in our lifetime.
Loving each other as Jesus loved us will require that we
decrease as did Jesus’ cousin John while Jesus increases in us. It also
requires humility, admitting that we are not always right and are often wrong.
It is not an easy path to tread. It goes against human nature. Human nature
seeks to claim the glory for ourselves. Human nature is prideful. Human nature
admits no wrong.
As John reminds us in one of his letters, if we do not love
our fellow Christians, we do not love God. On the other hand, those who love
God, God himself indwells them and perfects them in love.
If loving each other as Jesus loved us is a difficult path
to tread, how can we hope to go far along it. God gives us power to do what
cannot do in our own strength. He gives us this power through his presence in
our lives. His power and his presence are manifestations of his grace, his love
and his goodwill toward us, grace that we cannot earn and which we do not
deserve. Apart from God’s grace we cannot love each other, much less love each
other as Jesus loved us. But our God is a compassionate God and he does not
withhold his grace from his children.
So let us love each other as Jesus loved us secure in the
knowledge that God is at work in us both to will and to do his good pleasure.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
My
soul proclaims the Lord my God.
My
spirit sings God’s praise,
Who
looks on me, and lifts me up,
That
gladness fills my days.
All
nations now will share my joy;
For
gifts God has outpoured.
This
lowly one has been made great.
I
magnify the Lord.
For
those who fear the Holy One,
God’s
mercy will not die.
Whose
strong right arm puts down the proud,
And
lifts the lowly high.
God
fills the hungry with good things,
And
sends the rich away;
The
promise made to Abraham
Is
filled to endless day.
Then
let all nations praise our God,
The
Father and the Son,
The
Spirit blest, who lives in us,
While
endless ages run.
Intercessions
Let us complete our evening prayer to the
Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For peace from on high and for our salvation, let
us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the welfare of all churches and for the
unity of the human family, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For (name), our bishop, and (name),
our pastor, and for all ministers of the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For our nation, its government, and for all
who serve and protect us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For this city (town, university, monastery…).
For every city and community, and for all those living in them, let us pray to
the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us and
for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the safety of travelers, the recovery of
the sick, the care of the destitute and the release of prisoners, let us pray
to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For an angel of peace to guide and protect
us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a peaceful evening and a night free from
sin, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a Christian end to our lives and for all
who have fallen asleep in Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
In the communion of the Holy Spirit (and of
all the saints), let us commend ourselves and one another to the living God
through Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
Free
Prayer
In silent or spontaneous prayer all bring before God the
concerns of the day.
The
Collect
Lighten
our darkness,
Lord,
we pray,
and
in your great mercy
defend
us from all perils and dangers of this night,
for
the love of your only Son,
our
Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The
Lord’s Prayer is said
And now, as our Saviour
has taught us,
we are bold to say,
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,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dismissal
Love
is little, love is low
Love will make the spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love will make the spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love
is little, love is low
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love
is little, love is low
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love
is little, love is low
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Grow
in peace, grow in light
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Love will do the thing that’s right.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lord make his face to shine upon us
and be gracious to us.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us
and give us peace. Amen
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