All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (December 2, 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.
When Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come
The Gospel of Christ
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept.
Homily
A Sign of Jesus’ Return
Are we living in the last days? Some Christians believe that we are. Others, taking their cue from Jesus are not so certain. Whatever we believe, we should not ignore Jesus’ warnings and should be prepared for his sudden return like a thief in the night. One of the reasons that we celebrate the season of Advent is to keep Jesus’ warnings and our need for preparation for his return foremost in our minds.
In today’s reading we encounter a number of Jesus’ warnings. These warnings can be grouped into three categories. In the first category Jesus warns us about being led astray. “Beware no one leads you astray,” he tells his disciples. In our time this warning may be the one to which we may need to pay the most heed. Jesus goes on to warn the disciples against two specific groups of people—those who claim that they are the Messiah, or the Christ, God’s Anointed One, and those who claim to have a direct pipe line to God—false prophets. Members of the first group may claim for themselves the allegiance and loyalty that rightfully belongs to Jesus alone. While they occupy the position of a spiritual leader, they may occupy the position of a political leader. Remember that the Jews were expecting the Messiah to be an earthly king who would lead the Jewish nation to victory over its enemies and establish its independence. Members of the first group may not themselves make the claim that they are God’s Anointed One. Others may make that claim for them and they will not distance themselves from that claim or otherwise deny it.
Members of the second group—false prophets—may claim that they receive special revelations from God or an angelic being or humans who achieved a higher level of spiritual enlightenment and these revelations form the basis of their teaching. They may claim that the Holy Spirit has given them a special gift of understanding the meaning of certain passages of the Bible that other people do not possess. While they may claim a supernatural origin for their teaching, they may also claim an off-worldly source for their teaching such as space aliens. They may claim superior intelligence to their fellow human beings due to a variety of reasons.
We have seen in recent times the willingness of people to believe in the most outlandish conspiracy theories and to accept the clams of individuals whose identity is concealed and whose credibility is untested. Jesus’ warning to his disciples, “Beware no one leads you astray,” applies to these individuals.
As well as the wild assertions that we read on social media websites, the findings of the Ligonier Ministries/LifeWay Research study of the beliefs of evangelical Christians show that many people who identify themselves as Christians espouse non-Christian beliefs as well as unorthodox or heretical beliefs. They point to our susceptibility to false teaching.
At some point in their faith journey these self-identified Christians went astray. They did not acquire orthodox Christian beliefs or they have abandoned those beliefs.
It is a frequent observation that many Christians do not live any differently from their non-Christian neighbors, relatives, and coworkers, except for attending church. They have either not been instructed in Jesus’ ways or they have not taken them to heart. It also shows how easy it is for us to go astray.
In the second category Jesus warns us about confusing what he describes as “the beginning of the birth pangs”—the events that will precede the last days with the last days themselves. This is a mistake that Christians have made since the early days of the Church.
“Birth pangs” are the signs that a woman who is pregnant experiences before she goes into labor and gives birth to her child. She may begin to experience contractions. They may mean that she is about to give birth. They may also be false labor. They may be painful and strong like the real thing, but they do not mean that the birth of the child is about to happen.
Among the events that Jesus describes as “the beginning of the birth pangs” are wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, and famines. In some versions of Matthew’s Gospel, they include pestilences--outbreaks of highly infectious diseases that cause great suffering and loss of life, the COVID-19 pandemic for example. We must remember that God exists outside of time. What may be centuries for ourselves may be less than a blink of an eye for God.
We are tempted to look for signs that Jesus’ return is imminent but what Jesus is telling his disciples is not to give too much attention to these events. As he will subsequently tell his disciples, we should be prepared for his return at any moment. For us it may be an eye blink away.
In the third category Jesus warns us that his followers will experience a time of great persecution. All nations will hate his followers because of his name, will arrest and torture them, and then put them to death. By name Jesus is not just talking about the word or set of words by which he is known. He is talking about his character, his teaching, and everything that he represents in people’s minds, everything for which he stands—love, truth, mercy, justice, faith, and that sort of thing.
In the third category Jesus warns us that his followers will experience a time of great persecution. All nations will hate his followers because of his name, will arrest and torture them, and then put them to death. By name Jesus is not just talking about the word or set of words by which he is known. He is talking about his character, his teaching, and everything that he represents in people’s minds, everything for which he stands—love, truth, mercy, justice, faith, and that sort of thing.
Among the consequences of this time of great persecutions will be that many will renounce their belief in Jesus. They will fight among themselves, betraying each other and hating each other. All kinds of divisions will tear them apart. It will lead to a time of great lawlessness in which people do what they believe is right in their own eyes and commit acts of cruelty and violence against each other. People will not only no longer love God and Jesus, but they will also no longer love others. They will feel no compassion for others’ suffering. They will not just callously ignore others but will go out of their way to make lives of others more miserable. They will see kindness and generosity toward others as a weakness.
We read and hear the complaints of American Christians who argue that they are experiencing persecution in our time. But what they are experiencing, if it can be called persecution, pales next to the persecution that Christians are experiencing in countries like China, India, North Korea, and Pakistan. However, the persecution against which Jesus warns the disciples will be even greater than the persecution that Christians in these countries are undergoing. What they are experiencing is a foretaste of that persecution.
In today’s reading Jesus also offers hope and encouragement to the disciples and to ourselves. Those who persevere despite the temptation to go astray, despite the calamities that beset humankind, despite the persecution and the lawlessness will be saved. This is the good news which will be proclaimed throughout the world and as a testimony to all the nations. Once that has been done, then the end will come. What Jesus is saying is “A lot of bad stuff is going to happen before I return. Watch you don’t go astray. Don’t waste your time on looking for signs. Get cracking on telling folks around the world that if they stick to me, they’ll be saved. When that is done, that will be your sign that the end is about to come. No more pain. No more suffering.” It is like the sign which Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they would receive—the sign of Jonah—people repenting. Once the gift of salvation is offered to the whole world, Jesus will return. We have a good way to go. We too need to get cracking.
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 a new tab to hear John Brownlie’s hymn, “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns.”
1 The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills,
and life to joy awakes.
2 Not as of old a little child
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
3 O brighter than the rising morn
when He, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
4 O brighter than that glorious morn
shall this fair morning be,
when Christ, our King, in beauty comes,
and we His face shall see.
5 The King shall come when morning dawns,
and light and beauty brings;
"Hail, Christ the Lord!" Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings!
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.
We read and hear the complaints of American Christians who argue that they are experiencing persecution in our time. But what they are experiencing, if it can be called persecution, pales next to the persecution that Christians are experiencing in countries like China, India, North Korea, and Pakistan. However, the persecution against which Jesus warns the disciples will be even greater than the persecution that Christians in these countries are undergoing. What they are experiencing is a foretaste of that persecution.
In today’s reading Jesus also offers hope and encouragement to the disciples and to ourselves. Those who persevere despite the temptation to go astray, despite the calamities that beset humankind, despite the persecution and the lawlessness will be saved. This is the good news which will be proclaimed throughout the world and as a testimony to all the nations. Once that has been done, then the end will come. What Jesus is saying is “A lot of bad stuff is going to happen before I return. Watch you don’t go astray. Don’t waste your time on looking for signs. Get cracking on telling folks around the world that if they stick to me, they’ll be saved. When that is done, that will be your sign that the end is about to come. No more pain. No more suffering.” It is like the sign which Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they would receive—the sign of Jonah—people repenting. Once the gift of salvation is offered to the whole world, Jesus will return. We have a good way to go. We too need to get cracking.
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 a new tab to hear John Brownlie’s hymn, “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns.”
1 The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills,
and life to joy awakes.
2 Not as of old a little child
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
3 O brighter than the rising morn
when He, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
4 O brighter than that glorious morn
shall this fair morning be,
when Christ, our King, in beauty comes,
and we His face shall see.
5 The King shall come when morning dawns,
and light and beauty brings;
"Hail, Christ the Lord!" Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings!
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.
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