Evening Prayer: Friday 25 September 2015

September 25, 2015

Finnbar of Caithness, Bishop, c.610
Evening Prayer – Week B

O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.
Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?* where can I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139.6)

Opening (from Psalm 139)

1 I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
2 My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
3 How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
4 If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand;* to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

Glory to the Father…

or a suitable hymn

Psalm 38
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;*
do not punish me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have already pierced me,*
and your hand presses hard upon me.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of your indignation;*
there is no soundness in my body, because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities overwhelm me;*
like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink and fester*
by reason of my foolishness.
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;*
I go about in mourning all the day long.
7 My loins are filled with searing pain;*
there is no health in my body.
8 I am utterly numb and crushed;*
I wail, because of the groaning of my heart.
9 O Lord, you know all my desires,*
and my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart is pounding, my strength has failed me,*
and the brightness of my eyes is gone from me.
11 My friends and companions draw back from my affliction;*
my neighbours stand afar off.
12 Those who seek after my life lay snares for me;*
those who strive to hurt me speak of my ruin
and plot treachery all the day long.
13 But I am like the deaf who do not hear,*
like those who are mute and do not open their mouth.
14 I have become like one who does not hear*
and from whose mouth comes no defence.
15 For in you, O Lord, have I fixed my hope;*
you will answer me, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, ‘Do not let them rejoice at my expense,*
those who gloat over me when my foot slips.’
17 Truly, I am on the verge of falling,*
and my pain is always with me.
18 I will confess my iniquity*
and be sorry for my sin.
19 Those who are my enemies without cause are mighty,*
and many in number are those who wrongfully hate me.
20 Those who repay evil for good slander me,*
because I follow the course that is right.
21 O Lord, do not forsake me;*
be not far from me, O my God.
22 Make haste to help me,*
O Lord of my salvation.

Conclusion (from 1 Timothy 3)

1 Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
2 He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
3 Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
4 Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit?
where can I flee from your presence?

READING(S)

Matthew 6:7-15
‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
‘Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Response (Ps. 105.5)

Call to mind what wonders he has done!
Call to mind what wonders he has done!
His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
What wonders he has done!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Call to mind what wonders he has done!

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the mighty* and lifted up the lowly.

1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father… (may be said by all)

Magnificat Antiphon: God has cast down the mighty* and lifted up the lowly.

PRAYERS

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

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.
Do not bring us to to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and ourselves in your image. Teach us to discern your hand in all your works and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!

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