Evening Prayer

SourceBCP p. 115

Daily Evening Prayer:
Rite Two

May 4, 2024

The Officiant begins the service with one or more of the following sentences of Scripture;

or with the Service of Light, and continuing with the appointed Psalmody;

or with the versicle “O God, make speed to save us.”

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.Psalm 118:24

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 15:57

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.Colossians 3:1

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.Hebrews 9:24

Easter Season, including Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.Acts 1:8

Evening

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.Psalm 141:2

Evening

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Philippians 1:2

Evening

Worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.Psalm 96:9

Evening

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.Psalm 74:15,16

Evening

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.Psalm 16:7,8

Evening

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.Amos 5:8

Evening

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.Psalm 139:10,11

Evening

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”John 8:12

The following Confession of Sin may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with “O God make speed to save us.”

Confession of Sin

The Officiant says to the people

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to set forth his praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Officiant and People together, all kneeling

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Priest alone stands and says

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

A deacon or lay person using the preceding form remains kneeling, and substitutes “us” for “you” and “our” for “your.”

The Invitatory and Psalter

All stand

OfficiantO God, make speed to save us.

PeopleO Lord, make haste to help us.

Officiant and People

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Alleluia.

The following, or some other suitable hymn, or an Invitatory Psalm, may be sung or said

O Gracious Light

Phos hilaron

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 by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Then follows

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed

23

Dominus regit meBCP p. 612

1The Lord is my shepherd; *I shall not be in want.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures *and leads me beside still waters.

3He revives my soul *and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

4Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.

6Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

27

Dominus illuminatioBCP p. 617

1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? *the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.

3Though an army should encamp against me, *yet my heart shall not be afraid;

4And though war should rise up against me, *yet will I put my trust in him.

5One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; *that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life;

6To behold the fair beauty of the Lord *and to seek him in his temple.

7For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; *he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock.

8Even now he lifts up my head *above my enemies round about me.

9Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness; *I will sing and make music to the Lord.

10Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; *have mercy on me and answer me.

11You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *Your face, Lord, will I seek.

12Hide not your face from me, *nor turn away your servant in displeasure.

13You have been my helper; cast me not away; *do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.

14Though my father and my mother forsake me, *the Lord will sustain me.

15Show me your way, O Lord; *lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.

16Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those who speak malice.

17What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the Lord *in the land of the living!

18O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *wait patiently for the Lord.

At the end of the Psalms is sung or said

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Lessons

The First Lesson

Wisdom 19:1-8,18-22

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The Word of the Lord.

PeopleThanks be to God.

9

The First Song of Isaiah

Ecce, Deus

Isaiah 12:2-6

Surely, it is God who saves me; *I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Second Lesson

Matt. 7:13-21

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The Word of the Lord.

PeopleThanks be to God.

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The Song of Mary

Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers, *to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed

Officiant and People together, all standing

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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 the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

The People stand or kneel

OfficiantThe Lord be with you.

PeopleAnd also with you.

OfficiantLet us pray.

Officiant and People

The Lord’s Prayer

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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Then follows one of these sets of Suffrages

A

V.Show us your mercy, O Lord;

R.And grant us your salvation.

V.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

R.Let your people sing with joy.

V.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

R.For only in you can we live in safety.

V.Lord, keep this nation under your care;

R.And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

V.Let your way be known upon earth;

R.Your saving health among all nations.

V.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

R.Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

V.Create in us clean hearts, O God;

R.And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

B

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.

That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.

That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.

That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.

That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of [___________ and] all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

The Officiant then says one or more of the following Collects

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Monica

Deepen our devotion, O Lord, and use us in accordance with your will; that inspired by the example of your servant Monica, we may bring others to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then, unless the Eucharist or a form of general intercession is to follow, one of these prayers for mission is added

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in companionship with one another your abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.

Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.

Before the close of the Office one or both of the following may be used

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Then may be said

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Officiant may then conclude with one of the following

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.2 Corinthians 13:14

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Romans 15:13

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:20,21

✕

A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon.

1 But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger, for God knew in advance even their future actions: 2 how, though they themselves had permitted your people to depart and hastily sent them out, they would change their minds and pursue them. 3 For while they were still engaged in mourning, and were lamenting at the graves of their dead, they reached another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to leave. 4 For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end, and made them forget what had happened, in order that they might fill up the punishment that their torments still lacked, 5 and that your people might experience an incredible journey, but they themselves might meet a strange death. 6 For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew, complying with your commands, so that your children might be kept unharmed. 7 The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves, 8 where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvellous wonders. 18 For the elements changed places with one another, as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm, while each note remains the same. This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place. 19 For land animals were transformed into water creatures, and creatures that swim moved over to the land. 20 Fire even in water retained its normal power, and water forgot its fire-quenching nature. 21 Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, nor did they melt the crystalline, quick-melting kind of heavenly food. 22 For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people, and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.