All Hallows Evening Prayer for Ash Wednesday (February 17, 2021)
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 Louis Bourgeois’ hymn, “O Gladsome Light, O Grace.”
1 O gladsome Light, O Grace
of God the Father’s face,
The eternal splendour wearing;
celestial, holy, blest,
our Saviour Jesus Christ,
joyful in Thine appearing.
2 Now, ere day fadeth quite,
we see the evening light,
our wonted hymn outpouring;
Father of might unknown,
Thee, His incarnate Son,
and Holy Ghost adoring.
3 To Thee of right belongs
all praise of holy songs,
O Son of God, Lifegiver;
Thee, therefore, O Most High,
the world doth glorify,
and shall exalt for ever.
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,
the Shepherd of Israel,
their pillar of cloud by day,
their pillar of fire by night.
In these forty days you lead us
into the desert of repentance
that in this pilgrimage of prayer
we may learn to be your people once more.
In fasting and service you bring us back to your heart.
Open our eyes to your presence in the world
and free our hands to lead others
to the radiant splendour of your mercy.
Be with us in these journey days
for without you we are lost and will perish.
To you alone be dominion and glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Thomas Armstrong and Robert Philip Goodenough’s setting of Psalm 141.
Lord, I call upon thee, haste thee unto me: and consider my voice when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense: and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and keep the door of my lips.
O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing: let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them.
Let the righteous rather smite me friendly: and reprove me.
But let not their precious balms break my head: yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness.
Let their judges be overthrown in stony places: that they may hear my words, for they are sweet.
8 Our bones lie scattered before the pit: like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.
But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul.
Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me: and from the traps of the wicked doers.
Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together: and let me ever escape them.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
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 Carl F. Schalk’s choral arrangement of Psalm 130, “Out of the Depths.”
Out of the depths I have called to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice,
Lord, hear my voice,
Lord, hear my voice;
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
If you, Lord, you, Lord, were to note
what is done amiss,
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you,
therefore you shall be feared,
I wait for the Lord;
my soul wait for him;
in his word,
in his word is my hope.
what is done amiss,
O Lord, who could stand?
For there is forgiveness with you,
therefore you shall be feared,
I wait for the Lord;
my soul wait for him;
in his word,
in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord,
wait for the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy,
with him there is plenteous redemption,
and he shall redeem Israel
from all their sins.
Silence is kept.
Father, we commend to your faithful love
those who are crying from the depths;
help them to watch and pray
through their time of darkness,
in sure hope of the dawn of your
forgiveness and redemption;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
1 Peter 2: 1-10 The Living Stone and a Chosen People
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,”
and
“A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence is kept.
Homily
For some of you a dismissal song with alleluias may come as a bit of a surprise. In the Western Church it has become customary to bury the alleluia during the season of Lent. In the Eastern Church, however, Lent is the season of the alleluia. This particular song fits closely with today’s reading from the First Letter of Peter, the fisherman who left everything to follow Jesus and to catch people instead of fish, the disciple who three times denied his Lord, the apostle whom Jesus forgave and commanded to feed his sheep. It is a reading which warrants our attention as we begin the holy season of Lent.
In this reading the apostle Peter is telling us that we have a special relationship with God. Like Jesus, we are living stones which God is building one by one into a spiritual house, a house for which our Lord is the foundation stone. A foundation stone is the stone on which the weight of a building rests. Those whom God is building into this house are to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus.
In the first part of the reading Peter urges those who have not yet been built into this spiritual house to turn to Jesus and in turning to Jesus to become one of the living stones out of which God is building this spiritual house. Turning to Jesus requires trusting in Jesus. When we trust in Jesus, we become suitable material to go into the construction of the house.
When you lay a brick wall, you carefully choose each brick to make sure it will support the weight of the next course of bricks and eventually the weight of the entire wall. One or two flawed bricks can cause the wall to buckle and collapse. The bricks do not need to be perfect, but they do need to be sound enough to support the weight of the wall. A master brick layer knows what bricks that he can use and those which he must discard. God is the master of everything that he does.
In the second part of the reading Peter is addressing those who have believed, those who have turned to Jesus and have trusted in him.
Before God called us, we were nobodies. We were no people. If God had not shown us mercy, we would still be nobodies. We would still be no people. We are God’s people due to God’s grace and due to God’s grace alone. The mercy that God has shown us calls for one response—humble gratitude.
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord,
wait for the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy,
with him there is plenteous redemption,
and he shall redeem Israel
from all their sins.
Silence is kept.
Father, we commend to your faithful love
those who are crying from the depths;
help them to watch and pray
through their time of darkness,
in sure hope of the dawn of your
forgiveness and redemption;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
1 Peter 2: 1-10 The Living Stone and a Chosen People
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,”
and
“A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
Silence is kept.
Homily
Spiritual Sacrifices
For some of you a dismissal song with alleluias may come as a bit of a surprise. In the Western Church it has become customary to bury the alleluia during the season of Lent. In the Eastern Church, however, Lent is the season of the alleluia. This particular song fits closely with today’s reading from the First Letter of Peter, the fisherman who left everything to follow Jesus and to catch people instead of fish, the disciple who three times denied his Lord, the apostle whom Jesus forgave and commanded to feed his sheep. It is a reading which warrants our attention as we begin the holy season of Lent.
In this reading the apostle Peter is telling us that we have a special relationship with God. Like Jesus, we are living stones which God is building one by one into a spiritual house, a house for which our Lord is the foundation stone. A foundation stone is the stone on which the weight of a building rests. Those whom God is building into this house are to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus.
In the first part of the reading Peter urges those who have not yet been built into this spiritual house to turn to Jesus and in turning to Jesus to become one of the living stones out of which God is building this spiritual house. Turning to Jesus requires trusting in Jesus. When we trust in Jesus, we become suitable material to go into the construction of the house.
When you lay a brick wall, you carefully choose each brick to make sure it will support the weight of the next course of bricks and eventually the weight of the entire wall. One or two flawed bricks can cause the wall to buckle and collapse. The bricks do not need to be perfect, but they do need to be sound enough to support the weight of the wall. A master brick layer knows what bricks that he can use and those which he must discard. God is the master of everything that he does.
In the second part of the reading Peter is addressing those who have believed, those who have turned to Jesus and have trusted in him.
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”We should not let Peter’s words go to our heads. They are not a reason to walk around with our nose in the air, looking down on other people, thinking to ourselves, “I’m one of God’s chosen.” “I’m better than them.” We must not overlook what else Peter says. God called us out of darkness into marvelous light to proclaim his might acts. We were called out of darkness for a purpose, a purpose which we cannot ignore. One of God’s mighty acts was sending his only begotten Son Jesus so all who believe in him might not perish but have everlasting life. We are called to testify to what God has done through Jesus.
Before God called us, we were nobodies. We were no people. If God had not shown us mercy, we would still be nobodies. We would still be no people. We are God’s people due to God’s grace and due to God’s grace alone. The mercy that God has shown us calls for one response—humble gratitude.
How do we display this gratitude?
We carry out the purpose for which God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We proclaim his might acts. We testify to what he has done for us. We testify to what he is doing in us. We not only testify with our words but also with our deeds. We show and share the love of Jesus. These are the spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus. We not only shout alleluia to the Lord with our lips, but we also shout alleluia to him in our lives. We live our lives to God’s glory!
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear a Thomas Tallis setting of the Magnificat.
My soul doth magnify the Lord:
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded:
the lowliness of his hand-maiden.
For behold, from henceforth:
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me:
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him:
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat:
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things:
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. 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
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
We carry out the purpose for which God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We proclaim his might acts. We testify to what he has done for us. We testify to what he is doing in us. We not only testify with our words but also with our deeds. We show and share the love of Jesus. These are the spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus. We not only shout alleluia to the Lord with our lips, but we also shout alleluia to him in our lives. We live our lives to God’s glory!
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear a Thomas Tallis setting of the Magnificat.
My soul doth magnify the Lord:
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded:
the lowliness of his hand-maiden.
For behold, from henceforth:
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me:
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him:
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat:
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things:
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. 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
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 Karen Schneider Kirner and Steven C. Warner’s "Come to the Living Stone."
Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
1 Built up as living stones
into a holy house,
a holy house,
we are a priesthood
created for praise
of our God above.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
2 We are a nation made
to glorify the Lord,
the living God;
ours is the joy to
resound and proclaim
the glorious works of God.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
3 Out of the darkness God
has called us into light,
a glorious light;
once we were lost and
alone in this world,
now we belong to God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Come to the living!
Sing alleluia!
Come to the living!
Sing alleluia!
Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
*4 Once we were not within
the mercy of our God,
the loving God,
now is the gift of
a promise unfurled;
God’s mercy for the world!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
*5 Give praise to God above,
and Jesus Christ the Lord,
Redeemer Lord,
and to the Spirit
who dwells in our hearts,
now and forever more:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Final Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our Father,
comfort our hearts and establish them
In every good work and word. Amen
Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
1 Built up as living stones
into a holy house,
a holy house,
we are a priesthood
created for praise
of our God above.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
2 We are a nation made
to glorify the Lord,
the living God;
ours is the joy to
resound and proclaim
the glorious works of God.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
3 Out of the darkness God
has called us into light,
a glorious light;
once we were lost and
alone in this world,
now we belong to God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Come to the living!
Sing alleluia!
Come to the living!
Sing alleluia!
Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
*4 Once we were not within
the mercy of our God,
the loving God,
now is the gift of
a promise unfurled;
God’s mercy for the world!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Refrain
*5 Give praise to God above,
and Jesus Christ the Lord,
Redeemer Lord,
and to the Spirit
who dwells in our hearts,
now and forever more:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Final Refrain:
Come to the living stone,
Christ our Lord, who is our strength.
The Lord is our strength, he lives!
Rejected by others but chosen by God!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our Father,
comfort our hearts and establish them
In every good work and word. Amen
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