All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (January 29, 2022)
One or more candles may be lit.
Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord
Thanks be to God
EVENING HYMN
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!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Dear Jesus,
as hen covers her chicks with her wings
to keep them safe, do thou this night
protect us under your golden wings. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Let Love Be Your Guide
I may speak in different languages, whether human or even of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy, I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.
Love will never end. But all those gifts will come to an end—even the gift of prophecy, the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages, and the gift of knowledge. These will all end because this knowledge and these prophecies we have are not complete. But when perfection comes, the things that are not complete will end.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. It is the same with us. Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see him right before our eyes. Now I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me. So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
HOMILY
Love with a Difference
I had been thinking about writing a homily on agape, the kind of love that Christians are expected to show other people and one another when I discovered much to my surprise that the epistle appointed for this Sunday is 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13. Coincidence? Or God-incidence?
I had been thinking about the one particular way that agape differs from the other kinds of love. It is a very important difference.
“What difference is that?” You may ask. When we love someone with agape, our love for them is not predicated on liking them. It depends on God’s love for them. We love them because God values them greatly as he values us. We love them because God dearly loves them and treasures them as he dearly loves and treasures us. They are special to God as we are special to God. Therefore, they are special to us because they are special to God. Our love for them is not tied to our feelings for them.
When we love someone with agape, we do not cuddle with them. We do not share spit with them. We love them in the way that God loves us.
We are compassionate, forgiving, generous, honorable, kind, patient, and trustworthy. We do not hold things against them. We do not harbor grudges toward them or nurse ill-will toward them. We do not ignore them or avoid them. If we experience a rift with them, we do not deny them any way of repairing or salvaging the situation. We leave open a way for them to reconcile any differences or clear up any misunderstandings. We copy God who opened a way of reconciliation for us with himself through his Son, Jesus Christ.
We can love someone with agape because we have God’s grace enabling us, giving us the will and power to love them. If loving others was dependent upon liking them, I suspect that we would love very few people. Human beings have a bias hardwired into their brains, which causes them to look at people negatively, to believe that bad things that hear about them more than the good things, to focus on their negative qualities rather than their positive ones, and to imagine the worst about them.
It is God’s grace that helps us to overcome this bias and to see them as he sees them. To make use of this grace, which God abundantly supplies, we must open our hearts and minds to it. We do that when step forward in faith and begin to love them as God loves them. The greater the effort that we make to love them, the more God’s grace will enable us to do so.
On the other hand, if we treat others as valueless, not worthy of our attention, or we are unkind or even cruel to them, then we are not loving them as God loves us. As apostle John points to our attention, how can we say we love God whom we have not seen, if we do not love our brother or sister whom we have seen. John’s words may make us uncomfortable, but John has a point. Jesus in his teaching ties our love of God to our love of others.
John’s intention is not to make people feel bad about themselves but to take loving others, whether their fellow human beings or their brothers and sisters in Christ, with more seriousness. It is all well and good for us to talk about loving God and loving others. However, as the apostle James points out, we need to show our love for them in our actions and not just our words. A living faith is known by the loving actions which spring from it.
Whether we are at the grocery store or at church, all the people who see around us are people whom God values greatly, whom God dearly loves and treasures, just like God does us. They are the people whom God has put into our lives to love in the same way as he loves us.
Silence is kept.
SONG OF PRAISE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Chaz Bower’s choral arrangement of “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness, Lord.”
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.
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 lowly throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things,
the rich sent off unfed.
To Israel, your servant blest,
(To Israel, your servant blest,)
your help is ever sure;
(your help is ever sure;)
the promise to our parents made
(the promise to our parents made)
their children will secure.
(their children will secure.)
Sing glory to the Holy One,
(Sing glory to the Holy One,)
give honor to the Word,
(give honor to the Word,)
and praise the Pow’r of the Most High,
(and praise the Pow’r of the Most High,)
one God, by all adored,
(one God by all adored,)
on God, by all adored.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
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
O Lord,
you have taught us
that all our doings without love are worth nothing:
send your Holy Spirit,
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you;
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen
RESPONSE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Joncas’ choral arrangement of Timothy Dudley Smith’s hymn, “Not for Tongues of Heaven’s Angels.”
1. Not for tongues of heaven's angels,
not for wisdom to discern,
not for faith that masters mountains,
for this better gift we yearn.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
2. Love is humble; love is gentle;
love is tender, true and kind;
love is gracious, ever patient,
generous of heart and mind.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
3. Never jealous, never selfish,
love will not rejoice in wrong;
never boastful, nor resentful,
love believes and suffers long.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
4. Soon will fade the word of wisdom
faith and hope be one day past:
When we see our Savior clearly
love it is alone will last.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
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.
BLESSING
May the One who began a good work in us
bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ
and may the blessing of God Almighty, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with us and remain with us always. Amen.
We can love someone with agape because we have God’s grace enabling us, giving us the will and power to love them. If loving others was dependent upon liking them, I suspect that we would love very few people. Human beings have a bias hardwired into their brains, which causes them to look at people negatively, to believe that bad things that hear about them more than the good things, to focus on their negative qualities rather than their positive ones, and to imagine the worst about them.
It is God’s grace that helps us to overcome this bias and to see them as he sees them. To make use of this grace, which God abundantly supplies, we must open our hearts and minds to it. We do that when step forward in faith and begin to love them as God loves them. The greater the effort that we make to love them, the more God’s grace will enable us to do so.
On the other hand, if we treat others as valueless, not worthy of our attention, or we are unkind or even cruel to them, then we are not loving them as God loves us. As apostle John points to our attention, how can we say we love God whom we have not seen, if we do not love our brother or sister whom we have seen. John’s words may make us uncomfortable, but John has a point. Jesus in his teaching ties our love of God to our love of others.
John’s intention is not to make people feel bad about themselves but to take loving others, whether their fellow human beings or their brothers and sisters in Christ, with more seriousness. It is all well and good for us to talk about loving God and loving others. However, as the apostle James points out, we need to show our love for them in our actions and not just our words. A living faith is known by the loving actions which spring from it.
Whether we are at the grocery store or at church, all the people who see around us are people whom God values greatly, whom God dearly loves and treasures, just like God does us. They are the people whom God has put into our lives to love in the same way as he loves us.
Silence is kept.
SONG OF PRAISE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Chaz Bower’s choral arrangement of “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness, Lord.”
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.
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 lowly throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things,
the rich sent off unfed.
To Israel, your servant blest,
(To Israel, your servant blest,)
your help is ever sure;
(your help is ever sure;)
the promise to our parents made
(the promise to our parents made)
their children will secure.
(their children will secure.)
Sing glory to the Holy One,
(Sing glory to the Holy One,)
give honor to the Word,
(give honor to the Word,)
and praise the Pow’r of the Most High,
(and praise the Pow’r of the Most High,)
one God, by all adored,
(one God by all adored,)
on God, by all adored.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
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
O Lord,
you have taught us
that all our doings without love are worth nothing:
send your Holy Spirit,
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you;
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen
RESPONSE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Joncas’ choral arrangement of Timothy Dudley Smith’s hymn, “Not for Tongues of Heaven’s Angels.”
1. Not for tongues of heaven's angels,
not for wisdom to discern,
not for faith that masters mountains,
for this better gift we yearn.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
2. Love is humble; love is gentle;
love is tender, true and kind;
love is gracious, ever patient,
generous of heart and mind.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
3. Never jealous, never selfish,
love will not rejoice in wrong;
never boastful, nor resentful,
love believes and suffers long.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
4. Soon will fade the word of wisdom
faith and hope be one day past:
When we see our Savior clearly
love it is alone will last.
May love be ours, O Lord;
may love be ours.
May love be ours, O Lord.
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.
BLESSING
May the One who began a good work in us
bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ
and may the blessing of God Almighty, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with us and remain with us always. Amen.
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