Fifth Sunday of Lent
Evening Prayer – Returning to God
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: Show me your ways, O Lord,*and teach me your paths. (Ps. 25.3)
Opening (from Psalm 25)
1 You are the God of my salvation;*
in you have I trusted all the day long.
2 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,*
for they are from everlasting.
3 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;*
remember me according to your love.
4 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
for my hope has been in you.
Glory to the Father…
or a suitable hymn
Psalm 31
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;*
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Incline your ear to me;*
make haste to deliver me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold;*
for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me,*
for you are my tower of strength.
5 Into your hands I commend my spirit,*
for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols,*
and I put my trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy;*
for you have seen my affliction;
you know my distress.
8 You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy;*
you have set my feet in an open place.
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;*
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
10 For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing;*
my strength fails me because of affliction,
and my bones are consumed.
11 I have become a reproach to all my enemies and
even to my neighbours,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance;*
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;*
I am as useless as a broken pot.
13 For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
fear is all around;*
they put their heads together against me;
they plot to take my life.
14 But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord.*
I have said, ‘You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand;*
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine upon your servant,*
and in your loving-kindness save me.’
17 Lord, let me not be ashamed for having called upon you;*
rather, let the wicked be put to shame;
let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be silenced which speak against the righteous,*
haughtily, disdainfully, and with contempt.
19 How great is your goodness, O Lord!
which you have laid up for those who fear you;*
which you have done in the sight of all
for those who put their trust in you.
20 You hide them in the covert of your presence from those
who slander them;*
you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord!*
for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a besieged city.
22 Yet I said in my alarm,
‘I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.’*
Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty
when I cried out to you.
23 Love the Lord, all you who worship him;*
the Lord protects the faithful,
but repays to the full those who act haughtily.
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage,*
all you who wait for the Lord.
Helper of the helpless, comfort of the afflicted, may your servants who stand in the midst of evil find strength in the knowledge of your presence, and praise you for the wonders of your love; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Conclusion (from Matthew 5)
1 Blessed are the poor in spirit,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2 Blessed are those who mourn,*
for they shall be comforted.
3 Blessed are the meek,*
for they shall inherit the earth.
4 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,*
for they shall be satisfied.
5 Blessed are the merciful,*
for they shall obtain mercy.
6 Blessed are the pure in heart,*
for they shall see God.
7 Blessed are the peacemakers,*
for they shall be called the children of God.
8 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Glory to the Father…
Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
READING
Luke 22:1-13
Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people.
Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.’ They asked him, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for it?’ ‘Listen,’ he said to them, ‘when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, “The teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ” He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.’ So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
Silence
Response (Ps. 86.15)
You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
Slow to anger, full of kindness and truth.
Full of compassion.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
You, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.
MAGNIFICAT
Magnificat Antiphons: Anyone who serves me must follow me, says the Lord;* where I am, there shall my servant be also. (John 12.26)
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)
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 (may be omitted when the Eucharist follows)
Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon us with the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ and serve you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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.
