Evening Prayer: Sunday 14 January 2018

January 14, 2018

Second Sunday after Epiphany
Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, c 367
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 127

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,*
their labour is in vain who build it.
2 Unless the Lord watches over the city,*
in vain the watchman keeps his vigil.
3 It is in vain that you rise so early and go to bed so late;*
vain, too, to eat the bread of toil,
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
4 Children are a heritage from the Lord,*
and the fruit of the womb is a gift.
5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior*
are the children of one’s youth.
6 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them!*
he shall not be put to shame
when he contends with his enemies in the gate.

Gracious Father, watch over the Church, built on the foundation of your love. Help us so to live and proclaim the gospel that many may find life in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 128

1 Happy are they all who fear the Lord,*
and who follow in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of your labour;*
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house,*
your children like olive shoots round about your table.
4 The man who fears the Lord*
shall thus indeed be blessed.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion,*
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of
your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children;*
may peace be upon Israel.

Gracious God, giver of life in its fullness, you take no pleasure in human want but intend your bounty to be shared among your children. Lead us in the ways of justice and peace, for Jesus Christ’s sake.

Conclusion 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)

John 1.43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

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: Abide with us, Lord,* for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

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: Abide with us, Lord,* for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.

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 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 and eternal God,
ruler of heaven and earth:
mercifully hear the prayers of your people,
and grant your peace to our times;
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.