Evening Prayer: Wednesday 9 April 2025

Wednesday 9 April 2025

This is the new revised order for Daily Prayer authorised for experimental use. You can find the 2006 Revised version here.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theologian and Martyr, 1945
Lent

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

Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and 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.
(Psalm 25.3)

Opening (from Psalm 143)

1. I spread out my hands to you;*
my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

2. O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me;*
do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

3. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord,*
for I flee to you for refuge.

4. Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God;*
let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Glory ...
or a suitable Hymn

Psalm 102

1. Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.

2. Incline your ear to me; *
when I call, make haste to answer me,

3. For my days drift away like smoke, *
and my bones are hot as burning coals.

4. My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
so that I forget to eat my bread.

5. Because of the voice of my groaning *
I am but skin and bones.

6. I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
like an owl among the ruins.

7. I lie awake and groan; *
I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.

8. My enemies revile me all day long, *
and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.

9. For I have eaten ashes for bread *
and mingled my drink with weeping.

10. Because of your indignation and wrath *
you have lifted me up and thrown me away.

11. My days pass away like a shadow, *
and I wither like the grass.

12. But you, O Lord, endure for ever, *
and your name from age to age.

13. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to have mercy upon her; *
indeed, the appointed time has come.

14. For your servants love her very rubble, *
and are moved to pity even for her dust.

15. The nations shall fear your name, O Lord, *
and all the rulers of the earth your glory.

16. For you, O Lord, will build up Zion, *
and your glory will appear.

17. You will look with favour on the prayer of the homeless; *
you will not despise their plea.

18. Let this be written for a future generation, *
so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord.

19. For you, O Lord, looked down from your holy place on high; *
from the heavens you beheld the earth;

20. that you might hear the groan of the captive *
and set free those condemned to die;

21. so that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, *
and your praise in Jerusalem;

22. when the peoples are gathered together, *
and the nations also, to serve the Lord.

23. You have brought down my strength before my time; *
you have shortened the number of my days;

24. And I said, ”O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; *
your years endure throughout all generations.

25. In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, *
and the heavens are the work of your hands;

26. They shall perish, but you will endure; they all shall wear out like a garment; *
as clothing you will change them, and they shall be changed;

27. But you are always the same, *
and your years will never end.

28. The children of your servants shall continue, *
and their offspring shall stand fast in your sight”.

Glory …

Conclusion

Saviour of the World - Salvator Mundi

1. Jesus, Saviour of the world, come to us in your mercy:*
we look to you to save and help us.

2. By your cross and your life laid down, you set your people free:*
we look to you to save and help us.

3. When they were ready to perish, you saved your disciples:*
we look to you to come to our help.

4. Make yourself known as our saviour and mighty deliverer;*
save and help us that we may praise you.

5. Come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus;*
hear our prayer and be with us always.

6. And when you come in your glory,*
make us to be one with you and to share the life of your kingdom.

Glory …

Antiphon: Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.

READING(S)

John 10.1-18

‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

Silence

Response (Psalm 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.

SONG OF MARY

Song of Mary Antiphon: 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)

Song of Mary Antiphon: Anyone who serves me must follow me, says the Lord; where I am, there shall my servant be also. (John 12.26)

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

Merciful God,
look upon your family as we travel to the foot of the cross:
and, by your great goodness, guide us in body;
that, by your protection,
we may also be preserved in heart and mind;
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.