Evening Prayer, 3rd Tuesday in Ordinary Time

 

Please feel free to pause the service at any point if you would like more time to pray or to reflect.

 

OPENING SENTENCES

God is light,

and in him is no darkness at all.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world,

the light that no darkness can overcome.

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (Psalm 141:2)

THE GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.

THE EVENING HYMN          Phos Hilarion

O gladsome light of the holy glory

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 Ghost.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by joyful voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of Life,

and to be glorified through all the worlds.

THE SILENT PRAYER AND PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Beloved of God, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to give him thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy 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 pray with penitent and obedient hearts and confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by His infinite goodness and mercy.

Praying together, let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God:

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who pardons all who truly repent and turn to you: We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, nor loved kindness, nor walked humbly with you, our God. Have mercy on us, Father, according to your steadfast love. According to your great compassion, blot out our iniquities. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, nor take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit. Through Jesus Christ our Lord AMEN.

And now, let us silently confess our particular sins:

A brief silence is kept. Please feel free to pause the service if you would like more time. Then:

Most holy and loving Father, help us from now on to live in your light and walk in your ways, according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray, saying:

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.

THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Almighty God, who freely pardons all who repent and turn to him, now fulfill in every contrite heart the promise of redeeming grace; remitting all our sins, and cleansing us from an evil conscience, through the perfect sacrifice of Christ our Lord; and keep us evermore in the peace and joy of a holy life, that we may love and serve him always; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

THE SONG OF PRAISE          Magnificat

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever. (Luke 1:46–55)

THE PSALTER

Psalm 28

Of David.

To you, O Lord, I call;

my rock, be not deaf to me,

lest, if you be silent to me,

I become like those who go down to the pit.

Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,

when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward your most holy sanctuary.

Do not drag me off with the wicked,

with the workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbors

while evil is in their hearts.

Give to them according to their work

and according to the evil of their deeds;

give to them according to the work of their hands;

render them their due reward.

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord

or the work of his hands,

he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Blessed be the Lord!

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

The Lord is the strength of his people;

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

THE PSALM PRAYER

O God, full of all consolation, who loves equity and detests all hypocrisy and iniquity: Destroy the enterprises of all those who seek our destruction, Be the strength and shield of all those who trust in you, that in all spiritual joy, your people may sing praises, setting forth your glory. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

THE SCRIPTURE LESSON

A reading from Mark, chapter 6:

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.

And he went about among the villages teaching.

And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. (Mark 6:1-13)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

THE PRAYER FOR GRACE

Let your Gospel, O Lord, come to us, not in word only, but in power and in much assurance, and in your Holy Spirit, that we may be guided into all truth and strengthened to all obedience and doing of your will with joy. And grant that, abounding in the work of faith, the labor of love, and the patience of hope, we may finally have our inheritance with all the saints in glory. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Pause the service now if you would like more time.

THE AFFIRMATION OF OUR FAITH

I believe in God the Father
                      Almighty,
                      Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord:
                      Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost;
                      Born of the Virgin Mary;
                      Suffered under Pontius Pilate;
                      Was crucified, dead, and buried;
                      He descended into hell;
                      The third day he rose again from the dead;
                      He ascended into heaven;
                      And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
                      From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
                      The holy catholic Church;
                                  The communion of saints;
                      The forgiveness of sins;
                      The resurrection of the body;
And the life everlasting.
AMEN.

 

THE EVENING PRAYER

Almighty God, the Father of our spirits: meet with us at this, the close of day, and grant to your children, the peace that passes all understanding, which the world cannot give. Let no unholy thoughts or cares disturb the quiet of our night’s rest. Deliver us from the vain things that have such power over us, and grant that we may we learn wisdom, receive strength, gain hope, feel the influence of things unseen, and find our rest in you, our God. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

THE PERSONAL INTERCESSIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS

Let us offer our own prayers to the Lord…

Feel free to pause the service here for your personal prayers and thanksgivings for yourself, the Church, your officers, and others

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

O God, who makes all things to work together for good to those who love you and are called according to your purpose: Pour into our hearts such steadfast love for you that those desires that spring from you may not be turned aside by any temptation. Govern our wills, O Lord, and direct our steps, that every day, as we are guided by you to what is good and profitable, we may, by your help fulfil your commandments.

Lord, our Light and our Salvation, only be with us, and we shall fear no evil. We commend ourselves, all whom we love, all that is ours, and all events and changes of our lives, into your hands, you who are able to keep us, our God, our Father, our Savior. AMEN.

Keep watch, dear Lord, over those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Care for the sick, Lord Jesus; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, have mercy on the afflicted, shield the contented; all for your love’s sake. AMEN.

THE SONG OF SIMEON          Nunc Dimittis

Lord, let your servant depart in peace

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation

that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

THE CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, be our thoughts when we lie down to sleep; and when we wake, let us know and feel that we are still with you and you with us, O Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. AMEN.

THE DISMISSAL

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, until the day breaks and all these shadows flee away. AMEN