Fillan, Abbot, c.750
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?
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 52
1 You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness*
against the godly all day long?
2 You plot ruin; your tongue is like a sharpened razor,*
O worker of deception.
3 You love evil more than good*
and lying more than speaking the truth.
4 You love all words that hurt,*O you deceitful tongue.
5 Oh, that God would demolish you utterly,*
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
and root you out of the land of the living!
6 The righteous shall see and tremble,*
and they shall laugh at him, saying,
7 ‘This is the one who did not take God for a refuge,*
but trusted in great wealth and relied upon wickedness.’
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;*
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9 I will give you thanks for what you have done*
and declare the goodness of your name in the presence of the godly.
God of the oppressed, we pray for all those who suffer injustice at the hands of cruel and indifferent rulers, especially for the innocent victims of war. Give them strength and patience, and hasten the day when the kingdoms of this world will own the perfect law of love, made known to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 54
1 Save me, O God, by your name;*
in your might, defend my cause.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;*
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,*
those who have no regard for God.
4 Behold, God is my helper;*
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
5 Render evil to those who spy on me;*
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
6 I will offer you a freewill sacrifice*
and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For you have rescued me from every trouble,*
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
God of mercy, hear our prayer and come to our aid, that from the rising of the sun to its setting we may offer you a pure sacrifice of praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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 19:13-22
Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
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: My soul proclaims* the greatness of the Lord
(not repeated in canticle).
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: My soul proclaims* the greatness of the Lord
(not repeated in canticle).
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
O Lord, in your mercy hear our prayers: and as you give us the desire to pray, grant us your help and protection; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. 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.
