All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (August 5, 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 Carl P. Daw Jr.’s metrical version of the Phos hilaron,
“O Light Whose Splendor Thrills and Gladdens.”
O
Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens
with
radiance brighter than the sun,
pure
gleam of God's unending glory,
O
Jesus, blest Anointed One;
as
twilight hovers near at sunset,
and
lamps are lit, and children nod,
in
evening hymns we lift our voices
to
Father, Spirit, Son: one God.
In
all life's brilliant, timeless moments,
let
faithful voices sing your praise,
O
Son of God, our Life-bestower,
whose
glory lightens endless days.
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.
O
God, my Lord, on thee I call,
do
thou make hast to me:
and
hearken thou unto my voice,
when
I cry unto thee.
And
let my prayer directed be
as
incense in thy sight:
my
hands uplifted unto thee
as
sacrifice at night.
Jehovah,
oh that thou would’st set
a
watch my mouth before:
as
also of my lips with care
O
do thou keep the door.
Bow
not my heart to evil things;
to
do the wicked deed
with
wicked workers: and let not
me
of their dainties feed.
Like
unto one who on the earth
doth
cut and cleave the wood,
even
so our bones at the graves mouth
are
scatter’d all abroad.
But
unto thee O God, the Lord
directed
are mine eyes;
my
soul, O leave not destitute,
on
thee my hope relies.
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
My Shepherd will supply my need;
Jehovah is His Name:
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Does still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thy oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, or a guest,
But like a child at home.
Silence
is kept.
O
God, our sovereign and shepherd,
who
brought again your Son Jesus Christ
from
the valley of death,
comfort
us with your protecting presence
and
your angels of goodness and love,
that
we also may come home
and
dwell with him in your house for ever.
Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The
Reading
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Eph. 5:1-2)
Therefore be
imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The
Homily
Live in Love
This short passage in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians comes at the end of a series of longer passages (Eph. 4:1-32) in which Paul pleads with the members of the church at Ephesus to lead a life worthy of the calling to which they were called. It prefaces a series of longer passages (Eph. 5: 3-20) in which he urges them to renounce their former ways and to be careful how they live, making most of the time, because the days are evil. In the passage Paul’s echoes the words of Jesus. He urges the Ephesians to model their own character on God’s. He also urges them to show the same kind of self-sacrificing love that Jesus showed.
In
a time when many of us are so caught up in the controversies of the day that we
are indistinguishable from those who are not followers of Jesus, it is a message
that we need to hear and to hear again. It is also a message that we need to
heed.
Take
time during the next few days to read not only this passage but also the ones
that precede and follow it and reflect on them. There is much to learn from
them about how we should live as followers of Jesus. Many of the controversies
in which Christian are becoming embroiled are no more than “fruitless works of
darkness.” They need to be exposed for what they are.
As
Paul drew to the attention of the church at Ephesus, “For once you were darkness, but now in the
Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the
fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Refrain:
My soul proclaims with wonder
the
greatness of the Lord;
rejoicing
in God's goodness,
my
spirit is restored.
For God has looked with favor,
on one the world thought frail;
and blessings through the ages will echo
the
angel's first "All hail." [Refrain]
God's
mercy shields the faithful
and gives them safe retreat
to arms that turns to scatter
the
proud in their conceit. [Refrain]
The
mighty have been vanquished;
the
lowly lifted up.
The
hungry find abundance;
the
rich, an empty cup. [Refrain]
To
Abraham's descendants
the
Lord will steadfast prove,
for
God has made with Israel
a
covenant of love. [Refrain]
Intercessions
Let us complete our evening prayer to the
Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For peace from on high and 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
Open this link in a new tab to hear Robert Lowry's, "My Life Flows on in Endless Song"
1 My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Refrain:
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
2 Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing;
It sounds and echoes in my soul;
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
3 What though the tempest 'round me roar,
I hear the truth it liveth.
What though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth. [Refrain]
4 When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
And hear their death knells ringing;
When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
5 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing.
All things are mine since I am his;
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
1 My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Refrain:
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
2 Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing;
It sounds and echoes in my soul;
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
3 What though the tempest 'round me roar,
I hear the truth it liveth.
What though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth. [Refrain]
4 When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
And hear their death knells ringing;
When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
5 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing.
All things are mine since I am his;
How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
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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