All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (November 28, 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 John Scott’s arrangement of “Creator of the Stars of Night.”

Creator of the stars of night
Thy people’s everlasting light
O Jesus, Saviour of us all
Regard thy servants when they call

Thou, grieving at the bitter cry
Of all creation doomed to die
Didst come to save a ruined race
With healing gifts of heav’n’ly grace

Thou camest, bridegroom of the bride
As drew the world to eveningtide
Proceeding from a virgin shrine
The Son of Man, yet Lord divine

At thy great name, majestic now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow
And things in heav’n and earth shall own
That thou art Lord and King alone

To thee, O holy One, we pray
Our judge in that tremendous day
Preserve us, while we dwell below
From ev’ry onslaught of the foe

All praise, eternal Son, to thee
Whose advent sets thy people free
Whom with the Father we adore
And Spirit blest, for evermore. Amen.

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,
creator of light and darkness.
In this holy season.
you renew your promise to reveal among us
the splendor of your glory,
enfleshed and visible to us in Jesus Christ your Son.
Through the prophets
you teach us to hope for his reign of peace,
Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
you open our blindness to the glory of his presence.
Strengthen us in our weakness.
Support us in our stumbling efforts to your will
and free our tongues to sing your praise.
For to you all honour and blessing are due,
Now and for ever. 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 Mark Shepperd’s choral arrangement of Psalm 84, “How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place.”

O Lord, O Lord, O Lord,
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord,
how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord.

My soul, my soul, yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God,
my heart and my flesh cry out cry out for the living God.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord,
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord.

Even the sparrow, the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest,
where she may have her young,
where she may have her young.

O Lord almighty, my King and my God.
O Lord almighty, my King, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you,
ever praising you,
ever praising you, O my God,
O my God.

O Lord, O Lord, O Lord,
how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, O Lord, O Lord.

Silence is kept.

Lord God,
sustain us in this vale of tears
with the vision of your grace and glory,
that, strengthened by the bread of life,
we may come to your eternal dwelling place;
in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word

The Reading

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him.

The Gospel of Christ
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Silence is kept.

Homily

Jesus, Messiah, Promised One 

What struck me about this reading was the reaction of the crowd to the blind men. Having heard Jesus’ teaching and having witnessed Jesus’ miracles, one would have thought that they would brought the blind men to Jesus. But they tried to silence the blind men, sternly ordering them to be quiet.

Why would the crowd want to silence these two men? One may surmise that the crowd included Pharisees and teachers of the Law and it was the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in the crowd that sought to silence them. We do not know for certain.

I think that we can safely assume that what the crowd was objecting to was not the two men seeking Jesus’ attention but what they were shouting. “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” In some versions of Matthew “Lord” is omitted and the two men are shouting, “have mercy on us, Son of David.” Its omission does not affect the proper understanding of this passage. “Lord” was a common way of addressing a noted teacher or some other important personage in those times.

“Son of David,” however, is a messianic title. The Jews believed that the promised Messiah would be a descendant of King David. The two men are addressing Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One of God! This is the reason why the crowd is trying to silence them. The two men, however, shout louder.

It is noteworthy that Jesus does not deny that he is the Messiah. On several occasions Jesus is addressed as the Son of David. On none of these occasions does Jesus refuse to acknowledge this title.

It is also noteworthy that the two blind men recognize him for whom he is, two men who have likely heard about his teaching and his miracles second-hand. Hearsay! As they were blind, they most likely were not in the crowds that followed him. They certainly were unable to witness his miracles. They were blind! In this passage we find them sitting on the side of the road.

Eye diseases and blindness were very common in ancient times. Those who lost their sight, if they did not have a family or relatives to care for them, were forced to beg for a living. They would get someone to lead them to a public place such as the side of the road where they could beg from passersby. The less fortunate were forced to sleep at their usual begging place. Restoring sight to a blind person enabled them to resume a normal life. They would be able to work and would no longer be dependent upon the generosity of others.

When Jesus hears the two blind men, he stops, calls to them, and asks them what they want him to do for them. They ask him to heal them. Moved with compassion, Jesus restores their sight. Once they regain their sight, they follow him.

By now we have come to expect Jesus to show compassion toward such individuals, modeling for us the compassion which he teaches God shows toward us and which we should show toward others. Jesus’ compassion is a heart-felt compassion like God’s. It is not pretend, displayed solely for our edification.

Out of their belief that Jesus is God’s Anointed One, the two blind men turn to Jesus for healing. It is an act of faith. Restoring their sight Jesus confirms their faith in him. It is only natural that they would follow him.

We are like the two blind men. We have only heard about Jesus second-hand. We have not witnessed his miracles. Unlike the crowd we have not been with him or heard his teaching for ourselves. Unlike the crowd we have not seen Jesus heal the sick, expel demons, or raise the dead. We are faced with the same choice as the two blindmen and the crowd. We can believe that Jesus is our Savior or we can believe that he is just another itinerant teacher and wonder worker. The two blind men chose to believe that Jesus is their Savior. We do not know what was the ultimate choice of the crowd.

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, a season of the church year in which we look forward to Jesus’ promised second coming. In a way we are like the Jews awaiting the coming of the Messiah, the Son of David. What we believe, the choices that we make, and how we put those choices into practice will determine how we prepare for his second appearing.

Will Jesus find faithful disciples living their lives according to his teaching and example and ready to welcome his return. Or will he find a people who, while they are called his people, have hardened their hearts against him and turned from his ways, as the people of Israel did to the Lord in Old Testament times.

Advent is a season when we do well to consider Joshua’s charge to the tribes of Israel at Shechem. “Choose this day whom you will serve… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Silence is kept.

The Gospel Canticle

Open this link in a new tab to hear Lucien Deiss' setting of the Magnificat.

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, *
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.

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

Almighty God,
give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
In which Jesus came among us in great humility,
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 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 Marty Haugen’s rendition of Eleanor Farjeon’s beautiful Advent carol, “People, Look East.”

1. People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

2. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.

3. Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.

4. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

5. Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May the God of peace equip us with everything good for
doing his will, working in us what is pleasing to him,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.