All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (August 24, 2022)

 

PROCLAMATION OF THE LIGHT

One or more candles may be lit.

You, O lord, are my hope, my trust from my youth. Upon you I have leaned since my birth. Psalm 71: 5-6

EVENING HYMN

Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s evening hymn, “O Light Whose Splendor Thrills and Gladdens.”

O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens
with radiance brighter than the sun,
pure gleam of God's unending glory,
O Jesus, blest Anointed One;

as twilight hovers near at sunset,
and lamps are lit, and children nod,
in evening hymns we lift our voices
to Father, Spirit, Son: one God.

In all life's brilliant, timeless moments,
let faithful voices sing your praise,
O Son of God, our Life-bestower,
whose glory lightens endless days.

PRAYER OF 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.

HYMN OF THE DAY

Open this link in a new tab to hear Cecil Frances Alexander’s “Jesus Calls Us! O’er the Tumult.”

1 Jesus calls us! O'er the tumult
of our life's wild restless sea
day by day his voice is sounding,
saying, 'Christian follow me':

2 As of old Saint Andrew heard it
by the Galilean lake,
turned from home and toil and kindred,
leaving all for his dear sake.

3 Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world's golden store,
from each idol that would keep us,
saying, 'Christian, love me more'.

4 In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
'Christian, love me more than these'.

5 Jesus calls us! By thy mercies,
Saviour, may we hear thy call,
give our hearts to thy obedience,
serve and love thee best of all.

SCRIPTURE

Luke 13:18-30 Parable of the Mustard Seed, Parable of the Yeast; The Narrow Door

Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”

He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

Silence

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

HOMILY

What Are You Waiting For?

In today’s reading, Luke 13: 18-30, two comparisons that Jesus uses to illustrate the Kingdom of God are juxtaposed to his response to the question, ““Lord, will only a few be saved?” The first comparison is to a mustard seed, which rabbinical literature of the time viewed as epitomizing a very tiny seed, which a man plants in a garden where it grows into a tree on whose branches birds can nest. Mustard plants usually do not grow that big with one exception—the black mustard plants that grow on the banks of the Jordan River. They grow high enough and bushy enough for birds to nest in them. The second comparison is to yeast that is used in bread-making. Only a little yeast is needed to raise bread dough. If the right conditions are present, the yeast will multiply and spread through the mixture of flour, water, and a little oil, and will produce carbon dioxide gas which causes the dough to rise. The dough is kneaded to work the yeast through the dough and put in a warm place to rise again. The dough is then formed into loaves which are baked in a hot oven or on a hot griddle. I watched my mother bake bread as well as made bread myself, so I am familiar with the process.

Jesus’ response to the question, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” is to urge the person who asked the question and whoever else was listening to make a concerted effort to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom. His reference to the “narrow door” would have brought to the minds of his listeners the postern, a secondary door or gate in the wall of a fortified city like Jerusalem or the courtyard of a large house. In that time large houses were built with a courtyard and a wall separated the house and courtyard from the street. The postern was not the main entrance. It was small and sometimes concealed. It was not an easy way to gain entrance to the city or the courtyard. It was used as a private entrance for the residents of the house and in a city wall it might be used as a sally port through which defenders of the city might exit to drive off attackers on the main gate.

It is tempting to interpret what Jesus says next as a reference to election and predestination. If we consider what else Jesus says in the Gospels, it is open to a different interpretation. Human beings have tendency to procrastinate. We apt to keep delaying something that must be done.

What Jesus is telling his listeners is that gaining entrance to God’s kingdom is not something that they can delay in doing. It is not an easy task that they can do at the last minute. It involves more than a passing acquaintanceship with Jesus. “Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’”

We must come to truly know Jesus. In the Gospel of John Jesus describes himself as the Bread of Life and to believe in him, we must consume him, chew him up, swallow him down, and digest him. In other, words, we must internalize him. He must become a part of us.

Jesus is more than an envoy of God’s Kingdom, God’s righteous reign and rule. Not only was God’s Kingdom manifest in Jesus during his earthly ministry, but also God was present in Jesus, reconciling humanity to himself. Jesus is now the Lord of God’s Kingdom. He is the Lord of all.

Entering God’s Kingdom goes beyond intellectually assenting to the belief that Jesus is humankind’s Savior and Lord. There will be no doubt in the minds of others that Jesus is the Lord of our life and the King of our heart. We show our faith in Jesus, our love for Jesus, and our devotion to Jesus in our actions, not just our words.

Believing in Jesus involves far more than responding to the invitation after the sermon, going forward, and saying a prayer. It entails a daily turning to Jesus, a choosing to live Jesus’ way and not our own every day of our life. God in the person of the Son is reigning over our lives and is the most important and controlling influence in our lives.

Our faith in Jesus, our love for Jesus, and our devotion to Jesus are the result of God’s grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. We can do nothing apart from God. We cannot enter God’s Kingdom by the strength of our own will. While it requires determination on our part, our determination comes from God. To benefit from God’s grace, we must cooperate with God’s grace. We must take advantage of his grace. We do not come by the ability to cooperate with God’s grace naturally. It too is a gift from God. God enables us to take advantage of his grace.

How then do we cooperate with God’s grace? We take Jesus at his word. We believe what he says is true. We actively pursue obedience to him with reverence and humility, showing our love for the Father by showing our love for the Son.

We avoid harming others and shun all forms of evil. We treat others with compassion, forgiveness, generosity, kindness, patience, respect, and thoughtfulness. Our entire manner of life, how we think and act at all times, is directed toward honoring God and influencing other people to honor him.

We make the most of the time we have here on earth to do good as Jesus did good.

We employ the means of grace. We gather with our fellow disciples and would-be disciples to offer God our thanks and praise on Sundays and other occasions. We listen to the Holy Scriptures read and preached. We celebrate the Holy Communion together and share the sacramental bread and cup. We read and study the Holy Scriptures on our own and in small groups. We practice fasting and abstinence. We pray individually and corporately. We hold holy conversations with our fellow disciples and would-be disciples in which we report on our progress in living our lives according to Jesus’ teaching and example and admonish and encourage each other.

These means are not the only ways that God gives us his help and has a good influence on us. We are God’s gift to our fellow disciples and would-be disciples, and they are his gift to us. God not only works in us but also God works through us to affect other people. In the same manner God works through other people to cause changes in us. The way God goes about this at times may surprise us. For example, he may put someone difficult in our lives to teach us to be patient and forgiving.

Having said that many will try to enter God’s Kingdom and will fail, latecomers will be turned away, and those listening to him will be thrown out, Jesus goes on say that people will come from all over the world to take their place in God’s Kingdom. He draws to his listeners’ attention, “Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” In the Greek, the first will be last and the last will be first. What is the order of things to which his listeners are accustomed will not be the order of things in God’s Kingdom.

I imagine Jesus’ words were disconcerting to his listeners who like the Pharisees saw themselves as righteous and favored by God. It must have given them pause. It should give us pause too. What Jesus is telling his listeners and us with them is that we need to give serious thought to our relationship with God. It is not something that we should put off. We should be asking ourselves whether our relationship with God is what it ought to be. If not, we need to do something about it.

What are you waiting for then? Now is the time to get cracking!

Silence

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles Creed.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

SONG OF PRAISE

Open this link in a new tab to hear David Haas’ adaptation of the Magnificat, “Holy Is His Name.”

My soul is filled with joy
as I sing to God my savior;
you have looked upon your servant,
you have visited your people.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

I am lowly as a child,
but I know from this day forward
that my name will be remembered,
for all will call me blessed.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

I proclaim the pow’r of God,
you do marvels for your servants;
though you scatter the proud hearted
and destroy the might of princes.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

To the hungry you give food,
Send the rich away empty;
In your mercy you are mindful
of the people you have chosen.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

In your love you now fulfill
what you promised to your people
I will praise you, Lord my savior
everlasting is your mercy.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

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 God, the Judge of all,
through the saving blood of your Son
you have brought us to the heavenly Jerusalem
and given us a kingdom that cannot be shaken:
fill us with reverence and awe in your presence,
that in thanksgiving we and all your Church
may offer you acceptable worship;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives to intercede for us, now and for ever. Amen.

RESPONSE

Open this link in a new tab Fernado Ortaga’s setting of the Trisagion, “Holy God.”

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy
have mercy

have mercy
have mercy on us.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

As our Saviour taught his disciples,
we pray:

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

The blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
remain with us always. Amen.