All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (October 10, 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 F. Bland Tucker’s translation of the Phos hilaron, “O Gracious Light.”
O Gracious Light, Lord Jesus Christ,
In you the Father’s glory shone.
Immortal, holy, blest is he,
And blest are you, his holy Son.
Now sunset comes, but light shines forth,
the lamps are lit to pierce the night.
Praise Father, Son, and Spirit: God
Who dwells in the eternal light.
Worthy are you of endless praise,
O Son of God, Life-giving Lord;
Wherefore you are through all the earth
And in the highest heaven adored.
O Gracious Light!
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Creator of the universe,
from old you have led your people by night and day.
May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright,
for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways,
and you are the light and life of all creation.
Amen.
Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s adaptation of Psalm 141, “Let My Prayer Rise Up Like Incense Before You.”
Let my prayer rise up like incense before you,
the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.
O God, I call to you, come to me now;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise up like incense before you,
the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.
Keep watch within me, God;
deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright.
Let my prayer rise up like incense before you,
the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.
All praise to the God of all, Creator of life;
all praise be to the Christ and the Spirit of love.
Let my prayer rise up like incense before you,
the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.
Silence is kept.
May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and your love in our lives. Amen.
The Psalms
Open this link to hear Kiran Young Wimberly’s adaptation of Psalm 121, “I Lift My Eyes Up to the Hills.”
I lift my eyes up to the hills
where does my help come from?
I lift my eyes up to the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord above,
the Lord of heaven and earth.
The One who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleeps
[Instrumental interlude]
The Lord who watches over Israel
is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon harm you by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm;
and will watch over your life.
watch over you as you come and go
now and forevermore.
[Instrumental interlude]
The Lord will keep you from all harm;
and will watch over your life.
watch over you as you come and go
now and forevermore,
now and forevermore.
Silence is kept.
Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defense
and we lift our hearts to know your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
Mark 10:17-31 Jesus Shows the Danger of Riches
As he began to take the road again (after welcoming the children), a man came running up and fell at his feet, and asked him, “Good Master, what must I do to be sure of eternal life?”
“I wonder why you call me good,” returned Jesus. “No one is good—only God. You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder’, ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother’.”
“Master,” he replied, “I have kept carefully all these since I was quite young.”
Jesus looked steadily at him, and his heart warmed towards him. Then he said, “There is one thing you still want. Go and sell everything you have, give the money away to the poor—you will have riches in Heaven. And then come back and follow me.”
At these words his face fell and he went away in deep distress, for he was very rich. Then Jesus looked round at them all, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have great possessions to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were staggered at these words, but Jesus continued, “Children, you don’t know how hard it can be to get into the kingdom of Heaven. Why, a camel could more easily squeeze through the eye of a needle than a rich man get into the kingdom of God.”
At this their astonishment knew no bounds, and they said to each other, “Then who can possibly be saved?”
Jesus looked straight at them and said, “Humanly speaking it is impossible, but not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Then Peter burst out, “But look, we have left everything and followed you!”
“I promise you,” returned Jesus, “nobody leaves home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property for my sake and the Gospel’s without getting back a hundred times over, now in this present life, homes and brothers and sisters, mothers and children and land—though not without persecution—and in the next world eternal life. But many who are first now will then be last, and the last now will then be first.”
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
The Homily
God of Mercy, God of Love
In his teaching Jesus refers to God’s goodness, his mercy, his kindness, his forgiveness, and his love. He makes no mention of grace—either as God’s goodwill and favor toward us or God’s holy influence in our lives. The closest thing that Jesus comes to alluding to anything approximating grace in this reading and in the equivalent passages in the Synoptic Gospels is in this verse. “Jesus looked straight at them and said, ‘Humanly speaking it is impossible, but not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
What he tells his disciples, they cannot save themselves by their own efforts. No matter how hard they work, they cannot by the force of their effort enter the kingdom of God. They cannot put things right between God and themselves. Jesus hints that they can be only saved by God himself, by an act of mercy on God’s part.
Implicit in what Jesus says is that we must put our trust in God’s mercy and not our own efforts.
Except in the Gospel of John, Jesus says nothing about how this will come about. In John’s Gospel he tells Nicodemus that he must be spiritually born again. This spiritual rebirth is a work of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift from God. Implicit in what Jesus tells Nicodemus is what he told the disciples. We must trust God’s mercy.
Jesus’s words that we cannot enter the kingdom of God by the dint of our own effort was very unsettling to the disciples. They mistakenly believe that a rich man would have the easiest time of entering the kingdom through his own efforts. Jesus tells them that a rich man would have the hardest time. He has too much that chains him to the kingdom of the world.
As Jesus teaches the disciples about the necessity of his suffering and dying, it dawns on us that the act of mercy at which Jesus hints will be shown not just to us individually but to all humankind. The act of mercy is the cross by God in Jesus reconciled humanity to himself.
What about Jesus’ teaching and example?
We cannot save ourselves by emulating Jesus’ teaching and example. Jesus did not give them to us as ladder rungs to salvation.
Rather Jesus gave them as guideposts to a way of life that expresses our trust in God’s mercy. We trust God. We trust the one whom God sent—Jesus. We trust Jesus’ word. We show our trust in his word by keeping it.
Jesus’ teaching and example provide the guide to the actions that correspond with our faith, the life that corresponds with it.
Whatever we say this week, whatever we do, give thought to these words and act on them.
The more we show mercy to our fellow human beings—compassion, kindness, concern, forgiveness, gentleness, patience, generosity, and, yes, empathy, the more we show our trust in God, the more we express our love for God, the more we show ourselves God’s children.
They are not things just about which to talk or write. They are things to do every day. This may surprise us, but they are one of the many ways that God shows his love for our fellow human beings and us.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Joanne Boyce’s adaptation of the Magnificat, “My Soul Glorifies the Lord.”
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He looks upon me his servant,
looks on me in my lowliness.
He works marvels for me,
Hence forth all ages call me blessed,
Call me blessed.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He scatters the proud hearted,
casts the mighty from their thrones.
His mighty arm before me,
In strength he raises the lowly,
raises the lowly.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He fills the starving with plenty,
but empty sends the rich away.
From age to age his mercy,
The mercy promised us forever,
promised forever.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
Bless him, bless him.
Bless him, bless him.
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
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
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 in a new tab to hear Shirley Erena Murray’s “Go Gently, Go Lightly.”
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don't carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God's goodness,
go spreading God's kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.
Go singing, go bringing
the gifts of the Spirit,
go hopefully searching
for things that are true:
in living, in loving,
whatever befalls you,
God keep you, God bless you
in all that you do.
They are not things just about which to talk or write. They are things to do every day. This may surprise us, but they are one of the many ways that God shows his love for our fellow human beings and us.
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Joanne Boyce’s adaptation of the Magnificat, “My Soul Glorifies the Lord.”
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He looks upon me his servant,
looks on me in my lowliness.
He works marvels for me,
Hence forth all ages call me blessed,
Call me blessed.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He scatters the proud hearted,
casts the mighty from their thrones.
His mighty arm before me,
In strength he raises the lowly,
raises the lowly.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
He fills the starving with plenty,
but empty sends the rich away.
From age to age his mercy,
The mercy promised us forever,
promised forever.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be,
bless his holy name.
Bless him, bless him.
Bless him, bless him.
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
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
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 in a new tab to hear Shirley Erena Murray’s “Go Gently, Go Lightly.”
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don't carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God's goodness,
go spreading God's kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.
Go singing, go bringing
the gifts of the Spirit,
go hopefully searching
for things that are true:
in living, in loving,
whatever befalls you,
God keep you, God bless you
in all that you do.
[Instrumental interlude]
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don't carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God's goodness,
go spreading God's kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of love be our guide and path,
for all of our days. Amen.
Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don't carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God's goodness,
go spreading God's kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
May God, Creator, bless us and keep us,
may Christ be ever light for our lives,
may the Spirit of love be our guide and path,
for all of our days. Amen.
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