All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (July 1, 2020)
Evening Prayer
The Service of Light
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Open this link in a new tab to hear the ancient lamp-lighting hymn, “O Radiant Light, O Son Divine.”
O radiant Light, O Sun divine
of God the Father's deathless face,
O image of the light sublime
that fills the heav'nly dwelling place.
O Son of God, the source of life,
praise is your due by night and day.
Our happy lips must raise the strain
of your esteemed and splendid name.
Lord Jesus Christ, as daylight fades,
as shine the lights of eventide,
we praise the Father with the Son,
the Spirit blest, and with them one.
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe! You
led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ. May his word be a
lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are full of loving kindness
for your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
1.
Lord, I am calling:
hasten
to help me.
Listen
to me as I cry to you.
Let
my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
2.
Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep
watch at the gate of my lips.
Let
my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to
sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No,
I will never taste their delights.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
3.
The good may reprove me,
in
kindness chastise me,
but
the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Ev’ry
day I counter their malice with prayer.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
4
To you, Lord, my God, my eyes are turned:
in
you I take refuge;
do
not forsake me.
Keep
me from the traps they have set for me,
from
the snares of those who do evil.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my
hands like an evening offering.
5
Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all
praise to the life-giving Spirit.
As
it was, is now and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.
O
Lord, let my prayer rise before you as incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
Silence is kept.
God our protector and guide, incline our hearts to turn from evil and do good, that our lives
may be a prayer for the coming of your kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Psalms
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
Who abide in His shadow for life
Say to the Lord: "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"
Who abide in His shadow for life
Say to the Lord: "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
The snare of the fowler will never capture you
And famine will bring you no fear
Under His wings your refuge, His faithfulness your shield
And famine will bring you no fear
Under His wings your refuge, His faithfulness your shield
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
You need not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day
Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come
Nor the arrow that flies by day
Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
For to His angels He's given a command
To guard you in all of your ways
Upon their hands they will bear you up
Lest you dash your foot against a stone
To guard you in all of your ways
Upon their hands they will bear you up
Lest you dash your foot against a stone
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
And hold you, hold you in the psalm of His
hand.
Silence is kept.
Gracious God, in times of anxiety and stress, teach us to wait in
quietness for your protection and defense, made known to us in Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Walker’s choral setting of “How Worthy Is the Lamb.”
How worthy is the Lamb,
who was slain,
to receive power
to receive power and divinity,
and wisdom and strength
and honour.
To him belong glory and power
for ever and ever,
glory and power
for ever. Amen.
For ever more.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Soon afterwards Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his
disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the
town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son,
and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When
the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not
weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood
still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up
and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of
them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and
‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread
throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
The Gospel of Christ
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
God’s
Miracles
In this passage the physician Luke records one of the many
miracles that Jesus performed during his earthly ministry. He drove out evil
spirits. He healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. He cleansed lepers. He
gave hearing to the deaf. He gave the ability to walk to the lame. He raised
the dead. He not only performed miracles but he also brought good news to the
poor.
The miracles that he performed reveal Jesus’ compassion for
the suffering. The woman who was morning the death of her son was a widow. She
had lost her husband. He was her only son and she had no other children. To
lose a child is bad enough but to lose an only child is worse. Since she was a
widow, her son would have been her support in her old age. His death not
deprived her of her only child but also of her only means of support. The lot
of a widow in those days was not an easy one. The lot of a childless widow was
even more difficult.
Jesus’ heart went out to her. He knew what she was facing.
He approaches the bier on which the bearers were carrying the young man to his
final resting place and touches it with his hand, causing the bearers to stop.
He then restores life to the young man and returns him to his mother. Those who
witnessed the miracle were filled with fear and they gave glory to God.
Awe—fear mixed with reverence and wonder—is a natural
reaction to one of God’s miracles.
God’s miracles are happening all around us. But we do not
notice them. In fact, we may take them for granted. The sun rises. The birds
sing. A flower blooms. A baby smiles. Someone shows us a kindness. All these
things are God’s miracles. They may not catch attention like Jesus’ miracles.
But they are God’s miracles. They are his handiwork. They are evidence of his
graciousness toward us.
Take time to notice these things. Let yourself be filled
with reverence and wonder and fear. And then join your voice with those who
have gone before us in the faith and those who will come after us and glorify
God.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
My soul
proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
And from this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty handed.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
And from this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty handed.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
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 will be for ever. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Intercessions
That this evening may be holy, good and
peaceful:
we
entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in the
paths of peace and goodwill:
we
entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our
sins and offences:
we
entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace in your Church and
for the whole world:
we
entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy
Spirit,
in communion with the ever-blessed Virgin
Mary and with all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to
Christ:
we entreat you, O Lord.
Let us commend ourselves, and all for whom we
pray,
to the mercy and protection of God.
Open prayer may be
offered and silence is kept.
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
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you and give you peace.
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