Evening Prayer: Faithful

Transcription

1 Evening Prayer: Faithful THE PREPARATION O God make speed to save us. O Lord make haste to help us. A SONG OF GOD S SPLENDOUR 1 Sing to the Lord a new song;* sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord and bless his name;* tell out his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations* and his wonders among all peoples. 4 Honour and majesty are before him;* power and splendour are in his sanctuary. 5 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples;* ascribe to the Lord honour and strength. 6 Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name;* bring offerings and come into his courts. 7 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;* let the whole earth tremble before him. 8 Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is king;* with righteousness he will judge the world and the peoples with his truth. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever.

2 This OPENING PRAYER may be said That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind. Silence is kept As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever. THE WORD OF GOD THE PSALMODY Psalm 19 [Refrain: The commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.] 1 The heavens are telling the glory of God* and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 One day pours out its song to another* and one night unfolds knowledge to another. 3 They have neither speech nor language* and their voices are not heard, 4 Yet their sound has gone out into all the lands* and their words to the ends of the world. 5 In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun,* that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoices as a champion to run his course.

3 6 It goes forth from the end of the heavens and runs to the very end again,* and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;* the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart;* the commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever;* the judgements of the Lord are true and righteousness altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,* sweeter also than honey, dripping from the honeycomb. 11 By them also is your servant taught* and in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can tell how often they offend?* O cleanse me from my secret faults! 13 Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get dominion over me;* so shall I be undefiled, and innocent of great offence. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,* O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. [Refrain: The commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.]

4 Psalm 46 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth be moved,* and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea: 3 Though the waters rage and swell,* and though the mountains quake at the towering seas. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,* the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; therefore shall she not be removed;* God shall help her at the break of day. 6 The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken,* but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us;* the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 8 Come and behold the works of the Lord,* what destruction he has wrought upon the earth. 9 He makes wars to cease in all the world;* he shatters the bow and snaps the spear and burns the chariots in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God;* I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth. 11 The Lord of hosts is with us;* the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Each psalm or group of psalms may end with Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever.

5 The first SCRIPTURE READING Deuteronomy Now this is the commandment the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, 2 so that you and your children and your children s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11 houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant and when you have eaten your fill, 12 take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. 14 Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you. Canticle: A SONG OF GOD S ASSEMBLED Refrain: We have come before the throne of God to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 1 We have come before God s holy mountain,* to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.

6 2 We have come before countless angels making festival,* before the assembly of the firstborn citizens of heaven. 3 We have come before God, who is judge of all,* before the spirits of the just made perfect. 4 We have come before Jesus,* the mediator of the new covenant. 5 We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken:* so let us give thanks and offer to God acceptable worship, 6 Full of reverence and awe;* for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews a,28,29 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. We have come before the throne of God to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. The second SCRIPTURE READING Luke Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. Teacher, he said, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said to him, What is written in the law? What do you read there? 27 He answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself. 28 And he said to him, You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live. 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going

7 down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend. 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? 37 He said, The one who showed him mercy. Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise. Silence may be kept for reflection on the readings The RESPONSORY may be said Lead me, Lord, in the path of your commandments, for therein is my delight. Lead me, Lord, in the path of your commandments, for therein is my delight. Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to unjust gain; Lead me, Lord, in the path of your commandments. Turn away my eyes lest they gaze on vanities; O give me life in your ways. for therein is my delight. Give me understanding and I shall keep your law. Lead me, Lord, in the path of your commandments, for therein is my delight. Psalm ,34

8 The Gospel Canticle: THE MAGNIFICAT Refrain: You have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation 1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;* he has looked with favour on his lowly servant. 2 From this day all generations will call me blessed;* the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name. 3 He has mercy on those who fear him,* from generation to generation. 4 He has shown strength with his arm* and has scattered the proud in their conceit, 5 Casting down the mighty from their thrones* and lifting up the lowly. 6 He has filled the hungry with good things* and sent the rich away empty. 7 He has come to the aid of her servant Israel,* to remember his promise of mercy, 8 The promise made to our ancestors,* to Abraham and his children for ever. Luke Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. You have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation.

9 PRAYERS The following prayers may be used, or some others. These responses may be used: Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us. Silence may be kept The DIOCESAN PRAYER is said: Almighty God, source of our hope and of all good things; you call us in love to share in the work of creation in making all things new. Bless our diocese: may we be faithful in worship, confident in our discipleship, and joyful in our service, that through us, the world may catch a glimpse of the love you have for each one of us, made known in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The LORD S PRAYER is said As our Saviour taught us, so we pray 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.

10 (or) 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. THE CONCLUSION The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. Some suggestions for hymns Lord, thy word abideth There is a longing in our hearts Let us build a house Will you come and follow me Be thou my guardian and my guide Let the heavens worship Jesus, be the centre Great is thy faithfulness All my hope on God is founded Lord, for the years Acknowledgement of sources: The opening prayers, psalms and canticles are from Common Worship, copyright The Archbishop s Council 2000 The Bible passages are from the New Revised Standard Version. The Responsory (based on scripture) and prayers have been composed by Sr Maureen CSF