Evening Prayer: Thursday 1 May 2014

May 1, 2014

Philip and James, Apostles

FESTIVALS

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: Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful. (Ps. 149.1)

Opening (from Psalm 149)

1 Let Israel rejoice in his maker;*
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.
2 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people*
and adorns the poor with victory.
3 Let the faithful rejoice in triumph;*
let them be joyful on their beds.
4 Let the praises of God be in their throat*
and a two-edged sword in their hand.

Glory to the Father…

or a suitable hymn

Psalm 34

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;*
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 I will glory in the Lord;*
let the humble hear and rejoice.
3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord;*
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me*
and delivered me out of all my terror.
5 Look upon him and be radiant,*
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me*
and saved me from all my troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him,*
and he will deliver them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;*
happy are they who trust in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints,*
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger,*
but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.
11 Come, children, and listen to me;*
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who among you loves life*
and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?
13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking*
and your lips from lying words.
14 Turn from evil and do good;*
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,*
and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,*
to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them*
and delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted*
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
19 Many are the troubles of the righteous,*
but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.
20 He will keep safe all his bones;*
not one of them shall be broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,*
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 The Lord ransoms the life of his servants,*
and none will be punished who trust in him.

Hear us, Lord, when we cry to you. Calm our bodies and minds with the peace which passes understanding, and make us radiant with the knowledge of your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Conclusion (from Revelation 4 and 5)

1 Glory and honour and power*
are yours by right, O Lord our God;
2 For you created all things*
and by your will they have their being.
3 Glory and honour and power*
are yours by right, O Lamb who was slain;
4 For by your blood you ransomed us for God,*
from every race and language,
from every people and nation.
5 To make us a kingdom of priests*
to stand and serve before our God.
6 To God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb*
be praise and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Antiphon: Sing to the Lord a new song; sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

READING(S)

Proverbs 4:7-18

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever else you get, get insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honour you if you embrace her.
She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.’

Hear, my child, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you will not stumble.
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

John 12:20-26

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

Silence

Response (from Ps. 132.15 or 147.12)

Zion shall be your resting place for ever.
Zion shall be your resting place for ever.
Here will you dwell for you delight in her.
Your resting place for ever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Zion shall be your resting place for ever.
or
You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.
You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.
Who wait in hope for your mercy.
Those who fear you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
You delight, Lord, in those who fear you.

MAGNIFICAT

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 and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who is alive 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.