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.

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 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 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 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.

Grow in peace, grow in light
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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