All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (May 6, 2021)
Evening Prayer
The Service of LightJesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Open this link to hear Carl P. Schalk’s choral arrangement “Joyous Light of Glory.”
Joyous light ,
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,
we sing to God,
we sing to God,
we sing to God
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You, you are worthy of being praised,
of being praised with pure voices forever.
O Son of God,
O Son of God,
O Son of God,
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.
Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
Lord, I cry unto thee.
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
Lord, I cry unto thee.
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Give heed to my voice, let my cry come unto thee.
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.
Open this link to hear It’s About the Word’s adaptation of Psalm 143, “Show Me the Way."
O Lord, hear my pray
Listen to my cry for mercy
In your faithfulness
Come to my relief
As your servant Lord
Save me from your judgement
For no one is righteous before you
Show me the way that I should go
Only to you I lift my soul
Your unfailing Love and mercy fill my days
Teach me to do your will much more
Than I ever have before
Let me hide myself in you
For your name sake
Show me the way
I consider the past
And the ways you have shown your mercy
I'm amazed most of all
By what your hands have done
In your steadfast Love
You shelter me from evil
For I am here to serve you, Lord
Show me the way that I should go
Only to you I lift my soul
Your unfailing Love and mercy fill my days
Teach me to do your will much more
Than I ever have before
Let me hide myself in you
For your name sake
Show me the way
Silence is kept.
Jesus, our companion,
when we are driven to despair,
help us, through the friends and strangers
we encounter on our path,
to know you as our refuge,
our way, our truth and our life.
Amen.
Open this link to hear Liz Fitzgibbons’ rendition of “Great and Marvelous Are Your Deeds, Lord
Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord
Just and true are all your ways
Who would dare to never fear you
Or bring glory to your name
For nothing compares to you
You are worthy to receive all
Of the glory, honour, and power
By you were all things created
And by you all things are sustained
You are worthy to receive all
Of the glory, honour, and power
By you were all things created
And by you all things are sustained
For nothing compares to you
No nothing compares to you
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Hallelujah cry your servants
We will worship both great and small
King of all kings
Lord of all lords
You will reign for ever more
No nothing compares to you
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Hallelujah cry your servants
We will worship both great and small
King of all kings
Lord of all lords
You will reign for ever more
For nothing compares to you
No nothing compares to you
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord!
No nothing compares to you
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Every nation rise and sing
Praises to our glorious King
Every tongue in one accord
Cry and confess
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord!
Jesus is Lord!
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
Mark 3: 20-35 Jesus and Beelzebul
And the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
The Homily
Today’s reading contains two important truths not only for Christians but also for the rest of humankind. The first truth is that all sins and blasphemies, those insults by which we show contempt, disrespect, or lack of reverence toward God or Jesus, are forgivable except for one. The unforgivable sin, the eternal sin, is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean then to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? It means to attribute what the Holy Spirit is doing or has done to an unholy spirit. In today’s reading the teachers of the Law harden their hearts against Jesus. They refuse to see that the presence of God is with him and that the power of God is working through him. Instead, they attribute Jesus’ miracles, his healings, his raising of the dead, and his exorcisms to an unclean spirit, to the ruler of demons himself. They do not deny that the miracles, the healings, the raisings from the dead, and the exorcisms happened. But they do not give credit to the One to whom it rightly belongs—the Holy Spirit. They maintain against all logic—as Jesus himself points out—that it is an evil spirit that is working through Jesus, not God. For this blasphemy, Jesus tells them and the crowd that gathered to hear him, they will not receive forgiveness.
What is bad news for the teachers of the Law who have hardened their hearts against Jesus is good news for us. God’s forgiveness has almost no bounds. The devil or some other evil spirit or own sinful human natures may try to convince us that we have committed an unforgiveable sin or blasphemy and are beyond God’s forgiveness. They are, however, seeking only to deceive us, to keep us from seeking God’s forgiveness and turning away from sin.
What if we experience uncertainty or doubts that something is God’s doing.? Are we committing the unforgiveable sin? Experiencing uncertainty and doubts when others claims that some occurrence is God’s doing is not the unforgiveable sin. If we experience uncertainty or doubts, the best thing to do is to take our uncertainty and doubts to God in prayer, to ask him for wisdom and discernment, to ask him to make plain what is not clear to us. God may not answer our prayer right away. He may make things clearer to us over time.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
Mark 3: 20-35 Jesus and Beelzebul
And the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory.
The Homily
Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters
Today’s reading contains two important truths not only for Christians but also for the rest of humankind. The first truth is that all sins and blasphemies, those insults by which we show contempt, disrespect, or lack of reverence toward God or Jesus, are forgivable except for one. The unforgivable sin, the eternal sin, is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean then to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? It means to attribute what the Holy Spirit is doing or has done to an unholy spirit. In today’s reading the teachers of the Law harden their hearts against Jesus. They refuse to see that the presence of God is with him and that the power of God is working through him. Instead, they attribute Jesus’ miracles, his healings, his raising of the dead, and his exorcisms to an unclean spirit, to the ruler of demons himself. They do not deny that the miracles, the healings, the raisings from the dead, and the exorcisms happened. But they do not give credit to the One to whom it rightly belongs—the Holy Spirit. They maintain against all logic—as Jesus himself points out—that it is an evil spirit that is working through Jesus, not God. For this blasphemy, Jesus tells them and the crowd that gathered to hear him, they will not receive forgiveness.
What is bad news for the teachers of the Law who have hardened their hearts against Jesus is good news for us. God’s forgiveness has almost no bounds. The devil or some other evil spirit or own sinful human natures may try to convince us that we have committed an unforgiveable sin or blasphemy and are beyond God’s forgiveness. They are, however, seeking only to deceive us, to keep us from seeking God’s forgiveness and turning away from sin.
What if we experience uncertainty or doubts that something is God’s doing.? Are we committing the unforgiveable sin? Experiencing uncertainty and doubts when others claims that some occurrence is God’s doing is not the unforgiveable sin. If we experience uncertainty or doubts, the best thing to do is to take our uncertainty and doubts to God in prayer, to ask him for wisdom and discernment, to ask him to make plain what is not clear to us. God may not answer our prayer right away. He may make things clearer to us over time.
It is best not to jump to hasty conclusions like the teachers of the Law did, conclusions that said more about the state of their own hearts than they did about the source of Jesus’ power.
God’s ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. God may permit something to happen for his own purposes which may have nothing to do with how we interpret the occurrence. Of one thing we can be certain. Ultimately God has our good at heart. It may not be what we desire, but it is for our good from God’s perspective.
The second truth contained in today reading is found in Jesus’ response to the crowd when they drew to his attention that his mother and his brothers and his sisters were outside, looking for him. “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother, ” Jesus tells the crowd.
Jesus sensed a teachable moment and took advantage of it. It is not kinship by blood or marriage, which makes someone his mother or his brother or his sister, but obedience to God’s will.
It may be tempting to theorize at this point about the relationship of those who were outside to Jesus and his mother, but their relationship to Jesus and his mother is not relevant to what Jesus is saying. Whatever their relationship to Jesus and his mother, they were recognized by the community to be his brothers and sisters.
What Jesus is saying is the important thing that ties someone to him is obeying God’s will. This fits hand in glove with what Jesus says about emulating God and thereby showing oneself to be a child of the Most High.
How do we know what is God’s will? We look to Jesus’ teaching and example, to what the New Testament tells us what he taught and did.
How do we know what is God’s will? We look to Jesus’ teaching and example, to what the New Testament tells us what he taught and did.
Christians believe that God himself walked the earth in the person of Jesus. Jesus was God in human flesh. He was both human and divine.
Jesus is not only our Savior and Lord but also our teacher and exemplar. God works in us to will and to do his good pleasure. God’s good pleasure is that we become more and more like Jesus in what we think, what we feel, what we say, and what we do.
God gives us an abundance of his grace, the power of his presence working in us, to enable us not only desire to become like Jesus but also to do so. It is not something that we do on our own but through God’s gracious help.
We are like seeds planted in the soil. A seed will not germinate, begin to grow and to put out shoots, until it awakens from its dormancy, until it quickens in the soil. Unlike a seed we do not have that vital ingredient that awakens us from what the New Testament describes as a death-like spiritual state. God himself must quicken us. He must cause us to come to life, to spiritual life. He awakens us from that state and causes us to begin to grow.
We are like seeds planted in the soil. A seed will not germinate, begin to grow and to put out shoots, until it awakens from its dormancy, until it quickens in the soil. Unlike a seed we do not have that vital ingredient that awakens us from what the New Testament describes as a death-like spiritual state. God himself must quicken us. He must cause us to come to life, to spiritual life. He awakens us from that state and causes us to begin to grow.
God not only causes us to begin to grow, but also God enables us to keep growing. This requires our cooperation. God gives us a measure of free will, the freedom to choose between God’s way and our own way. The more we open our hearts and minds to God’s grace, the more we will grow and flourish and bear fruit, the more God’s image will be restored in us, the more we will come to resemble our Savior and Lord, the more we will become God’s “hallows,” his holy people, Jesus’ brothers and sisters.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Ann Krentz’s choral arrangement of “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness.”
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name.
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.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
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 lonely throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things,
the rich sent off unfed.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name.
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.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name,
and holy is your name.
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 such a vision of your purpose,
and such an assurance of your love and power,
that we may ever hold fast the hope
which is in Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
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 Karen Schneider Kerner’s choral anthem, “Each Step of the Journey.”
1 God be with you in ev’ry pass,
Jesus be with you on ev’ry hill;
Spirit be with you on ev’ry stream,
headland and ridge and lawn.
2 Each sea and land, each moor and meadow,
each lying down, each rising up,
In the trough of the waves,
on the crest of the billows,
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey.
3 Cross of the saints and of the angels
ever be raised before you.
O Mary of grace, the blest Mother of Christ,
shield you by day and night.
4 God make safe ev’ry step you take,
Christ open up ev’ry narrow way.
May the Spirit inspire you
and fill you with song!
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey.
5 God enfold me, surround me,
God in my speaking and thinking;
God in my hoping and God in my heart,
God in my ev’ry breath!
6 As you were before life’s beginning,
be mine again at this journey’s end.
As you were at my soul’s design
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey,
the journey, the journey.
The Lord be with you.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Ann Krentz’s choral arrangement of “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness.”
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name.
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.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
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 lonely throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things,
the rich sent off unfed.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name.
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.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O Lord;
I sing my Savior’s praise!
Great wonders you have done for me,
and holy is your name,
and holy is your name.
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 such a vision of your purpose,
and such an assurance of your love and power,
that we may ever hold fast the hope
which is in Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
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 Karen Schneider Kerner’s choral anthem, “Each Step of the Journey.”
1 God be with you in ev’ry pass,
Jesus be with you on ev’ry hill;
Spirit be with you on ev’ry stream,
headland and ridge and lawn.
2 Each sea and land, each moor and meadow,
each lying down, each rising up,
In the trough of the waves,
on the crest of the billows,
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey.
3 Cross of the saints and of the angels
ever be raised before you.
O Mary of grace, the blest Mother of Christ,
shield you by day and night.
4 God make safe ev’ry step you take,
Christ open up ev’ry narrow way.
May the Spirit inspire you
and fill you with song!
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey.
5 God enfold me, surround me,
God in my speaking and thinking;
God in my hoping and God in my heart,
God in my ev’ry breath!
6 As you were before life’s beginning,
be mine again at this journey’s end.
As you were at my soul’s design
God, Christ, and Spirit on the journey,
the journey, the journey.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the peace of Christ be with us always. Amen.
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