All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (November 25, 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. Schalk choral setting of the Phos Hilaron, “Joyous Light of Glory.”

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.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Peter Inwood’s setting of Psalm 141, “O Lord, Let My Prayer Rise Before You Like Incense.”

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.

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

Open this link in a new tab to hear Corner Music’s adaptation of Psalm 67, “May God Be Gracious to Us.”

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad
and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Silence is kept.

In the face of Jesus Christ
your light and glory have blazed forth,
O God of all the nations;
with all your people,
may we make known your grace
and walk in the ways of peace;
for your name’s sake.
Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word

The Reading

A reading from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Silence is kept.

Homily

A Thankful and Generous Heart 

Like several other passages in the New Testament today’s reading urges followers of Jesus to adopt an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving toward God. The reading echoes Jesus’ instruction to his disciples that they should not be anxious but put their trust in God’s provision.

Christians returning from short-term mission trips to the poorer nations in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world are greatly moved by the abject poverty that they find in these countries. While they themselves may not be wealthy by American or Canadian standards, they realize how blessed that they are not only in material possessions but also in health services and the other things that the people of these nations lack. For them it is a life-transforming experience.

In some cases this experience has led to a deeper commitment to serve God and to serve others in this country as well in other countries. Those making such a commitment have come to realize that generosity is a corollary of gratitude and thankfulness—generosity with their time, generosity with their resources, generosity with themselves. One such couple whom I know became involved in Eight Days of Hope—a disaster relief non-profit.

We do have much to be thankful for even in the midst of a serious pandemic, not just materially but also more importantly spiritually. We have been reconciled to God by our Lord’s suffering and death on the cross. We have God himself working in us to will and do what pleases him. We have the teaching of our Lord and his example to guide us in our lives and to show us the path in which we should walk. We have the fellowship of our fellow-Christians to accompany us on this path and to encourage and support us. We also have many opportunities to serve God and others and to do as much good as we can.

Both the United States and Canada have their pockets of poverty. Due to the pandemic many people have been thrown out of work. Many families are not only facing food insecurity, not knowing from where their next meal will come, but also the possibility of eviction, losing the roof over their head. We ourselves may face reduced circumstances. Many young families and single parents had been struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic. It is a time not only to be grateful and thankful for what little we do have but also to be generous with it. It is a time to help others and each other. Everything that we possess is God’s. It is on loan to us from God. We may have earned it by hard work but God gave us the opportunity to earn it by hard work.

Thanksgiving is more than a time to share a meal with friends and family, a meal that we may eat separately while spending time together on Zoom or some other videoconferencing platform. It is a time to recognize that what God has given us is not solely for our use but to share with others. God has given it to us in order that we might do good with it. It is a time not just to reflect on how God has blessed us but to give thought to how we may use what God has given us to bless others.

Silence is kept.

The Gospel Canticle

Open this link in a new tab to hear Chaz Bower’s choral arrangement of “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness, Lord.”

My soul proclaims your greatness, Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
You looked upon my lowliness,
and I am full of grace.
Now ev’ry land and ev’ry age
this blessing shall proclaim—
great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name.

To all who live in holy fear
Your mercy ever flows.
With mighty arm you dash the proud,
Their scheming hearts expose.
The ruthless you have cast aside,
the lowly throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things,
the rich sent off unfed.

To Israel, your servant blest,
your help is ever sure;
the promise to our parents made
their children will secure.
Sing glory to the Holy One,
give honor to the Word,
and praise the Pow’r of the Most High,
one God, by all adored,
on God, by all adored.

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 to hear Martin Rinkart’s stirring hymn of thanksgiving, “Now Thank We All Our God.”

1 Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

2 O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.

3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven--
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heav'n adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

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