All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (August 7, 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 Michael John Trotta’s choral arrangement of “O Gracious Light.”

O gracious Light,
pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven.
O Jesus, Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times
to be praised,
You are worthy at all times
to be praised,
You are worthy at all times,
worthy to be praised,
praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, Giver of light,
you are worthy to be glorified
through all the worlds.

O gracious Light,
O gracious Light,
pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven.
O Jesus, Christ, holy and blessed!
O gracious Light, gracious Light,
pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven.
Jesus, Christ, holy and blessed!
Holy and blessed!
Holy and blessed!

Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
our light and our salvation,
eternal creator of day and night,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
Now, as darkness is falling,
hear the prayer of your faithful people.
As we look for your coming in glory,
wash away our transgressions,
cleanse us by your refining fire
and make us temples of your Holy Spirit.
By the light of Christ,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
and make us ready to enter your kingdom,
where songs of praise for ever sound.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever. Amen.

Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Peter Inwood’s responsorial 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 Timothy Dudley Smith’s adaptation of Psalm 84, For God My Spirit Longs.”

For God my spirit longs
within his courts to come,
while in my heart I hear the songs
that speak to me of home.

The sparrow builds her nest,
the swallow lays her young:
may my long home be with the blest
who hear God's praises sung.

Ah…
Ah…

My journey be with those
whose pilgrim feet have trod
where water in the desert flows,
a highway home to God.

To him, when life is past,
my song shall still be praise;
our Sun and Shield while time shall last,
and to eternal days.

Ah…
Ah…

For God my spirit longs
within his courts to come,
while in my heart I hear the songs
that speak to me of home.

The sparrow builds her nest,
the swallow lays her young:
may my long home be with the blest
who hear God's praises sung.

Ah…
Ah…
Ah!

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

Open this link in a new tab to hear George Herbert’s “Antiphon.”

Let all the world, in every corner, sing:
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly,
The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow,
Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King!

Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King!
The church with psalms must shout, no door can keep them out;
But, above all, the heart must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner,
every corner sing,
my God and King!
My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing, my God and King!

The Proclamation of the Word

The Reading

Ephesians 4: 25-5:2 Rules for the New Life

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Silence is kept.

May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory

The Homily

Three Principles for Christian Living

In today’s reading the apostle Paul offers the Ephesians a series of principles to guide them in their new life as followers of Jesus Christ. I am going to look at a number of these principles, particularly those which are most relevant for us in our time. All these principles are relevant to us. Some, however, may be more relevant to us than others due to our particular circumstances.

First, Paul urges the Ephesians to be truthful with each other, not just our fellow Christians but our neighbors as well, the people we interact with in our daily lives—friends, coworkers, fellow students, family members and relatives, and strangers. This may prove very challenging. We live in a culture where lying and deceitfulness are commonplace. By lying I mean not telling the truth. By deceitfulness I mean the practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

Small children learn to lie and deceive at an early age to avoid the disapproval of their parents. It may have helped them to survive in an abusive environment. They may observe their parents lying to others and deceiving them and conclude that lying and deceitfulness are a normal way to behave, a normal way for people to act toward each other.

We tell white lies, seemingly harmless or unimportant lies, to keep from disappointing someone or otherwise hurting their feelings. We may tell small lies to avoid an awkward or uncomfortable situation. We may tell larger lies to exploit or manipulate someone, to gain something at the expense of the one whom we are deceiving.

A repeated pattern of lying and deceitfulness, however, will erode the trust of others in us as will repeatedly making promises and not keeping them. Those with whom we are untruthful may forgive us, but they may also come to trust and respect us less. We may lose their confidence. They may conclude that they cannot count on us, rely on us when they need to.

We may lie and deceive because it helps us feel important. We may be able to gather around us a group of people who believe what we are saying and who stroke our egos, reinforcing our feelings of self-worth. We may be untruthful because telling lies and half-truths helps us control our anxiety. The more anxious and fearful we become in a situation, the more we tell lies and half-truths. It may has become a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior. We may have a loose grip on reality and may believe our own lies and half-truths.

Truthfulness and honesty, however, are musts for disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself told the truth. He set the example for us. He taught that lying and deceitfulness came from an evil heart and were a work of the devil. He also taught that he himself was the truth and that the Holy Spirit was the spirit of truth. He farther taught us not to swear oaths, but to make our yes, yes, and our no, no. In other words, our word would be so trustworthy that there would be no need to take an oath that we were telling the truth, that we would do what we said we would do.

Being truthful and trustworthy are very high standards to live by. They are countercultural. In our culture public figures such as politicians and pastors are not viewed as honest and therefore we may conclude erroneously that it is acceptable to be dishonest ourselves. However, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are expected to live in accordance with his example and teaching. Whatever other people in our culture may think, we are called to represent Jesus Christ in the world. We are called to be truthful in what we say and to be worthy of trust of others.

Secondly Paul urges the Ephesians to be angry but not to sin when they are angry. He goes on to roughly quote what Jesus himself said, "… do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil.” Further on in today’s reading he writes, “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice….” While what Paul writes further on is pretty clear, his statement “be angry but do not sin” is more puzzling. What exactly does he mean? Jesus’ teaching that he quotes provides us with a clue.

Essentially Paul is saying it is okay to get angry but what we do with our anger is another matter. Jesus teaches that if we get angry with someone, we should not hang onto our anger. We should seek reconciliation with whoever we are angry if it is possible as quickly as possible. We should forgive them and seek their forgiveness. We should not provide an opportunity for the devil to exploit our anger to do harm to us, to do harm to them, to do harm to our relationship with them, to do harm to others.

What Paul enumerates further on in today’s reading is what happens when we hang onto anger. Disagreement over something quite minor have led to feuds that have lasted generations and cost many lives. Anger that is not dealt with immediately has a way of breeding more anger, greater misunderstanding, and more ill-will.

Different people handle anger differently. Some people may have explosive tempers. They blow up at the slightest provocation, real or imagined. They collect what in Transaction Analysis, "a system of popular psychology," is called “anger stamps,” slights and that sort of thing.

If no one wrongs them, they will collect counterfeit anger stamps. They will imagine someone wronged them. They hold grudges and avenge themselves on those who they perceive to have wronged them regardless of whether they did.

They will also use their angry outbursts to bully and intimidate those around them and to get their own way.

Other people bottle up their anger. They may be afraid of anger, their own or others’. They may have learned to hide their anger out of fear of parental disapproval or abuse. They may also have learned that they would be ignored and neglected if they showed their anger toward a parent or caretaker.

When they are angered, these people may respond with anxiety or fear in place of anger. 

Because they bottle up their anger, the anger that they may be experiencing may be related to past experiences and not the present one. It may cloud their judgment, causing them to misunderstand transactions between themselves and others and to get the wrong idea.

Their bottled-up anger may manifest itself in a variety of ways.  It may bleed into their interactions with other people. They themselves may not be aware of it. 

No good can come from allowing anger to fester within us. It can poison us and cripple us. It may eventually destroy us.

The third principle that Paul encourages the Ephesians to follow is stated in these words.

“…be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

I believe that we can safely pair this principle with what Paul earlier in today’s reading.

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

When we are kind toward each other, we are sympathetic and helpful toward each other. We are patient with each other. We put up with wrongs whether intentional or unintentional. We do not harbor anger or resentment toward each other. We are affectionate and loving toward each other.

To be tenderhearted is to be kind, gentle, and caring toward each other. We are concerned for each other’s welfare, for each other’s health, happiness, and well-being. We look out for each other. We may not be related by blood, but we see each other as family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

When we forgive someone, we do not hold what they may have said or done against them. We choose to stop feeling angry or resentful toward them for a wrongdoing, a flaw, or a mistake. We choose to let go of any desire to get even with them or to get back at them. 

Anger and resentment can turn to hatred, to extreme dislike or disgust. Hatred has no place in the heart of a follower of Jesus Christ. Neither does ill-will. 

As Jesus in his teaching draws to our attention, anyone who hates someone else in their heart is guilty of breaking God’s commandment against murder. “You shall not kill.” We do not have to act on our hatred, only to allow it to flourish within us.

This may come as a shock to us. We may have ourselves or heard or read someone else who professes to be a Christian express what can be described only as hatred toward an individual or a group. 

The fact that we do not like this individual or this group and they may have given us cause to not like them does not excuse us from harboring ill-will toward them. Jesus taught his disciples and the multitude to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them, to return good for evil, to bless, not to curse.

Paul urges the Ephesians to not let any evil talk come out of their mouths. He does not qualify what he means by evil talk. However, he does encourage them to speak words that build up when there is a need, to speak words which give grace to those who hear them.

Here again Paul provides us with another clue to what he means. Evil talk is the opposite of the kind of talk which he encourages the Ephesians and us to make ours as disciples of Jesus Christ. Words that tear down. Words that do not convey grace to the those who hear them. Unkind words that inflict injury to the listener. Careless words that undermine someone’s reputation. Hateful words that stir up animosity toward someone. Salacious words which are intended to arouse or appeal to lust.

Unwise words from well-meaning family members, friends, fellow students, or coworkers that encourage us to do the wrong thing may fall into this category. It may sound harsh but words that encourage us to do ill, and not good, are not neutral even though they are intended to be helpful.

Evil may be too stronger word to describe unwise words, but if the motivation for these words is retaliation or their result is intentional injury to someone else, it may be a fitting description for such words.

As Christians it is good idea for us to weigh the advice that we are given against what Jesus taught and practiced. For example, some advice that Psych2 Go videos on YouTube give their viewers is sound from the perspective of humanistic psychology, but it does not jibe with Jesus’ teaching and example.

When family members, friends, fellow students, or coworkers urge us to take a particular course of action, we need to evaluate that course of action in the light of what Jesus taught and practiced. If it is at odds with his teaching and example, we have an obligation as his followers to consider a different course of action, one that is in keeping with Jesus’ teaching and example.

Often but not always we may be responding to what is a misunderstanding or a wrong impression, to something that does not require the drastic action that we may be entertaining. We may need to heed the Holy Spirit’s nudging to do something kinder, gentler, more loving, more generous.

Let me make clear, however, that I am not suggesting victims of domestic violence should not leave the abusive spouse or partner, obtain a restraining order, and take other measures to protect themselves and any children. My own mother was a victim of domestic violence and left her husband for her own safety and the safety of my older brother and her unborn child, myself. 

At this point I have three reactions to the principles that Paul urges the Ephesians and us to follow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not easy. It requires us to be far more mindful of what we say and do than to what we may be accustomed. We tend to respond to each other in a habitual and unthinking way. 

We live our lives on automatic. We do not take the time to consider whether what we are saying or doing is the appropriate thing for a disciple of Jesus Christ to say or do and whether the possible consequences of what we say or do, as well as our words and actions themselves, are in line with what Paul and Jesus himself said about being imitators of God as beloved children and living in love. 

However, if we are going to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, we must make this way of thinking, this way of living, our default, what we always fall back on whatever the circumstances may be. We need at all times to be open and responsive to the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit, God himself present in us to guide us in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

We are all works in progress! None of us has arrived! Being older in years does not automatically make us more spiritually mature than our younger brothers and sisters in Christ. While Christian perfection may be possible—nothing is impossible for God—none of us has received that gift. 

 We may like to think that we have but….we can be very deceitful toward ourselves as well as toward others. Indeed, we have a marked proclivity to lie to ourselves. We are no better than anyone else. While we may hide our sins from ourselves and others, we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 

We all need God’s grace. Without his grace we can do nothing on our own. God’s grace, God’s merciful kindness, God’s holy influence—they are our daily bread which we need to nourish and sustain us. Without God’s grace we have no hope of growing and flourishing as a disciple of Jesus Christ, of blooming where God has planted us. It is as simple as that.

God who is generous as well as merciful and forgiving will supply us with an abundance of grace if we ask him. Every day we should pray for grace, not just for ourselves, for those dear to us, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, but for all people, friend and stranger; grace to come to the knowledge and love of our Lord and to grow in that love and knowledge; grace to be more loving, kinder, more forgiving, gentler, and more compassionate; grace to show that we are truly children of the Most High.

One way we can show our love of God and our love of others is pray for others each day, to ask God’s grace for them. While we may not be able to serve Christ in them, offer them a helping hand, or comfort them in their hour of need, we can lift them up to the throne of grace and ask God to bless them and to keep them in his everlasting love and care, not only in this life but also in the life to come.

Silence is kept.

The Gospel Canticle

Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s adaptation of the Magnificat, “My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of God.” 

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,
Rejoicing in God my Savior.
The Holy One has raised me up,
I live in God’s love and favour.

1 The Mighty One works great thinks in me:
My soul rejoices in God.
All faithful servants God’s mercy shall see:
My soul rejoices,
sings and rejoices,
gladly rejoices in God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,
Rejoicing in God my Savior.
The Holy One has raised me up,
I live in God’s love and favour.

2 The arm of God is justice and might:
My soul rejoices in God.
God puts the proud and the scheming to flight:
My soul rejoices,
sings and rejoices,
gladly rejoices in God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,
Rejoicing in God my Savior.
The Holy One has raised me up,
I live in God’s love and favour.

3 God topples ev’ry tyrant and crown:
My soul rejoices in God.
The lowly raised and the mighty brought down:
My soul rejoices,
sings and rejoices,
gladly rejoices in God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,
Rejoicing in God my Savior.
The Holy One has raised me up,
I live in God’s love and favour.

4 With wondrous things God’s banquet is spread:
My soul rejoices in God.
The rich go hungry; the hungry are fed:
My soul rejoices,
sings and rejoices,
gladly rejoices in God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,
Rejoicing in God my Savior.
The Holy One has raised me up,
I live in God’s love and favour.

[Coda]

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

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech you,
the spirit to think and do always such things as are right,
that we, who cannot do anything that is good without you,
many by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Timothy Dudley Smith’s hymn, “Jesus My Breath, My Life, My Lord.”

1 Jesus my breath, my life, my Lord,
take of my soul the inmost part;
let vision, mind and will be stored
with Christ the Master of my heart,
my breath, my life, my Lord.

2 Jesus my Lord, my breath, my life,
my living bread for every day,
in calm and comfort, storm and strife,
Christ be my truth, as Christ my way,
my Lord, my breath, my life.

3 Jesus my life, my Lord, my breath,
the pulse and beat of all my years,
constant alike in life and death;
and when eternal day appears,
my life, my Lord, my breath.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord,
Thanks be to God.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Walker’s choral benediction, “May God Bless and Keep You.”

May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.

May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.

[Instrumental interlude]

May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.

May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.