All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (August 26, 2020)



Evening Prayer

The Service of Light

Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.


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.

God our Father, we give you thanks
for all your gifts freely bestowed upon us;
for the beauty and wonder of your creation,
in earth and sky and sea; for all that is gracious
in the lives of men and women, revealing the light of Christ;
for minds to muse and hearts to love and hands to serve;
for health and strength to work,
for leisure to rest and play;
for communion with your saints,
in all times and places,
and above all for the great promises and mercies
given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To him be praise and glory,
with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.


Like burning incense, O Lord,
let my prayer 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

A reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Silence is kept.

The Homily

Are You Walking by the Spirit?

Paul in the first four verses of this passage from his letter to the Galatians appears to suggest that thinking and acting in a way that pleases God to some extent requires our cooperation. In his letter to the Philippians Paul states that God works in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). This would suggest that God enables us to cooperate with him in thinking and acting in a way that pleases him. We can choose to respond to God’s promptings in the internal struggle between God and our sinful state or we can ignore them.

Our task appears to be to recognize what are God’s desires and what are our own sinful desires and to make the right choice between them. Since God indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit, he exerts an influence upon that choice: he enables us to recognize what are his desires and what are the desires that arise from our sinful state. He nudges us not only to make the right choices but also to persevere in these choices once we have made them.

Anyone who has battled with the desires that arise from our sinful state—what Paul calls the “flesh”—knows that choosing what God desires over what the flesh desires involves more than one decision. It requires a chain of decisions to do what pleases God. God not only encourages us to persevere but also to enables us to do so. Apart from God’s presence and power in us, we would not even recognize our pitiable state, much less do anything about it. The desires of the flesh would be our only desires.

In the next verse Paul provides a list of what he calls “acts of the flesh.” It is an incomplete list. Its primary purpose appears to be draw attention to the kinds of acts that arise from our sinful state. Many of us are likely to recognize sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, drunkenness, and orgies as acts of the flesh due to the tendency to identify the flesh with our physical and sexual cravings.

We are less likely to recognize witchcraft and idolatry and even more less likely to recognize hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy. While we may loathe to admit it, many of us subscribe to religious practices that involve magic albeit we may not view it as magic. While we may not bow down to graven images and make offerings to them, many of us worship idols. We elevate wealth, power, influence, personal appearance, and the like above God. Our political views dominate our thoughts and determine our actions rather than God’s good pleasure.

What may be the most common acts of the flesh even among Christians are hatred, discord, jealousy, fits rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy. One has only to read the posts of self-identified Christians on social media and in the comment threads of Christian websites to see the truth of this statement. Indeed, we appear to be living in a time when many people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ are not walking by the Spirit. Rather they are indulging the flesh.

This should trouble us. If it doesn’t trouble us, we should be even more troubled. Our consciences may have become “seared,” as Paul puts it. They may have been burned away.

If it does trouble us—we feel a sense of unease within ourselves at hearing these words, all may not be lost. We can pray to the Lord that he will increase his influence in our hearts and open our hearts to his influence. The Lord does not turn away from those who turn away from him. Like the father of the prodigal son he is eagerly awaiting our return. He is not only waiting but is calling us to return home. Though we may be far off, he comes to meet us. He is the quiet voice speaking in our inner being, urging us to turn back from the ways of the flesh and to return to him.

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

In peace let us pray to the Lord,

Lord, have mercy.

For God’s holy Church, that it may be filled with truth and love,
and be found without fault at the day of his coming, let us pray
to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the ministers of. the Church (especially …………), that they
may be faithful to the Gospel and worthy servants of the people
of God, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For all who fear God and believe in the Lord Jesus, that our
divisions may cease, and that all may be one, as he wills, let us
pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach
the Gospel to the ends of the earth, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost
their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel, let us
pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the world, that respect and understanding may
grow among nations and peoples, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For those in positions of public trust (especially ………...), that
they may serve justice and truth, and promote the dignity and
freedom of every person, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For our families and all those who are dear to us; for the aged and
for the young that they may have a future to hope in, let us pray
to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for
refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger, that they may be
relieved and protected, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For our enemies, and those who wish us harm; and for all whom
we have injured or offended, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

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

Every promise we can make
Every prayer and step of faith
Every difference we can make
Is only by His grace.

Every mountain we will climb
Every ray of hope we shine
Every blessing left behind
Is only by His grace

Grace alone
Which God supplies
Strength unknown He will provide
Christ in us, our cornerstone
We will go forth in grace alone.

Every soul we long to reach
Every heart we hope to teach
Everywhere we share His peace
Is only by His grace,
Is only by His grace.

Every loving word we say
Every tear we wipe away
Every sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace.

Grace alone
Which God supplies
Strength unknown He will provide
Christ in us, our cornerstone,
Cornerstone,
We will go forth,
We will go forth,
We will go forth,
We will go forth in grace alone.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The God of all grace bless us now and forever. Amen.

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