layout: true class: middle --- class: center # Evening Prayer ## For the Fourth Sunday in Lent ### _from the Book of Common Prayer, pp. 115ff._ ??? emacs was destroying my two-space line breaks. Use M-: to evaluate: (remove-hook 'before-save-hook 'delete-trailing-whitespace) Also: M-x electric-indent-mode (to turn off?) --- Officiant: > 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. .smaller[_Psalm 139:10, 11_] ## Confession of Sin Officiant: > Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. ##### The people kneel or stand as able. Silence may be kept. --- > Officiant and **People**: > **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.** --- > Priest: > 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 Officiant: > O God, make speed to save us. **People:** > **O Lord, make haste to help us.** **All:** **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.** --- ### O Gracious Light — _Phos hilaron_ **All:** > **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.** --- ## The Psalm Appointed ##### The People are seated. ##### The Psalm is sung or said in a suitable manner (e.g., responsively by verse, in unison, or read by the lector). **Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22** _Confitemini Domino_ 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, \* and his mercy endures for ever. **2 Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim \* that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.** 3 He gathered them out of the lands; \* from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. **17 Some were fools and took to rebellious ways; \* they were afflicted because of their sins.** --- 18 They abhorred all manner of food \* and drew near to death's door. **19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, \* and he delivered them from their distress.** 20 He sent forth his word and healed them \* and saved them from the grave. **21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy \* and the wonders he does for his children.** 22 Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving \* and tell of his acts with shouts of joy. > **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 _Numbers 21:4-9_ Lector: > A reading from the book of Numbers. > From Mount Hor the Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. --- > The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. > The word of the Lord. **People:** > **Thanks be to God.** ##### Silence may be kept. --- **Canticle 15**: The Song of Mary – _Magnificat_ .smaller[(Luke 1:46-55) (BCP 119)] **All:** > **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 Second Lesson _Ephesians 2:1-10_ Lector: > A reading from the epistle to the Ephesians. > You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-- by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him --- > and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. > The word of the Lord. **People:** > **Thanks be to God.** ##### Silence may be kept. --- **Canticle 17**: The Song of Simeon — _Nunc Dimittis_ .smaller[(Luke 2:29-32) (BCP 120)] **All:** > **Lord, you now have set your servant free \* to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, \* whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, \* and the glory of your people 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 Third Lesson _John 3:14-21_ Lector: > A reading from John’s Gospel. > Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. > “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. --- > “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” > The word of the Lord. **People:** > **Thanks be to God.** ##### Silence may be kept. A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here. --- ## 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.** Officiant: > The Lord be with you. **People:** > **And also with you.** Officiant: > Let us pray. --- Officiant and **People:** > 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.** --- ## Suffrages Officiant: > That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** Officiant: > That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** --- Officiant: > That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** Officiant: > That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** --- Officiant: > That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** Officiant: > That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Blessed Thomas, and all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, **People:** > **We entreat you, O Lord.** --- ### The Collect of the Day Officiant: > Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. **People:** > **Amen.** --- ### A Collect for Sundays > O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. **Amen.** --- ### 20. For the Sick (modeled after BCP 260) > Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants, and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those suffering from Covid-19 and its secondary harms may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. **Amen.** --- ### A Prayer for Mission > Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. **Amen.** ##### Intercessions and thanksgivings may follow. --- ### A Prayer of St. Chrysostom .smaller[_(BCP 102)_] Officiant: > 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. **People:** > **Amen.** --- Officiant: > Let us bless the Lord. **People:** > **Thanks be to God.** ##### The Officiant then concludes with the following sentence of scripture: > Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do inifinitely 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.** .smaller[_(Ephesians 3:20,21)_]