Evening Prayer: Friday 20 December 2024

Friday 20 December 2024

Friday after Third Sunday of Advent
Anticipation

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: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God; in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.

Opening (from Psalms 140 and 141)

1 I have said to the Lord, 'You are my God;*
listen, O Lord, to my supplication.'
2 O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;*
hear my voice when I cry to you.
3 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor*
and render justice to the needy.
4 Surely, the righteous will give thanks to your name,*
and the upright shall continue in your sight.

Glory to the Father
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 kings of the earth your glory.

16 For the Lord will build up Zion,*
and his glory will appear.

17 He will look with favour on the prayer of the homeless;*
he 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 the Lord looked down from his holy place on high;*
from the heavens he beheld the earth;

20 That he might hear the groan of the captive*
and set free those condemned to die;

21 That they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,*
and his praise in Jerusalem;

22 When the peoples are gathered together,*
and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.

23 He has brought down my strength before my time;*
he has 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 to the Father…

God of unchanging mercy, look with compassion upon all who suffer: the sick and the friendless, the homeless and the captive, the weary and the depressed. Be present to them in the power of your healing love; give them health, comfort, and hope; and bring them to share in the life of your risen Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Revelation 22

1 'Behold, I am coming soon*
to repay everyone for what he has done.
2 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,*
the beginning and the end.
3 'I am the root and offspring of David,*
the bright morning star.'
4 The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come';*
let anyone who hears, say, 'Come',
5 Let anyone who is thirsty come;*
let anyone who desires take the water of life without price.
6 The Lord says, 'Surely I am coming soon'.*
Amen; come, Lord Jesus!

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God; in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.

READING(S)

Luke 1.5-25

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.' Zechariah said to the angel, 'How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.' The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.' Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 'This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.'

Silence

Response Psalm Psalm 28.11

Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Shepherd them and carry them for ever.
Bless your inheritance.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Save your people and bless your inheritance.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: (O Clavis David) O Key of David Sceptre of the House of Israel, what you close none shall open, what you open none shall close: Come, lead forth from prison those who lie in chains, who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

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 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

Stir up our prayers, Lord, and hear us: that they who are sorrowful and suffering
may rejoice at the Advent of your only-begotten Son; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

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.