Evening Prayer: Saturday 18 March 2023

Saturday 18 March 2023

Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 386
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.

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 42
1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks,*
so longs my soul for you, O God.

2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God;*
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,*
while all day long they say to me,
‘Where now is your God?’

4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things:*
how I went with the multitude and led them into the
house of God,

5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving,*
among those who keep holy-day.

6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?

7 Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

8 My soul is heavy within me;*
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.

9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts;*
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.

10 The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime;*
in the night season his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

11 I will say to the God of my strength,
‘Why have you forgotten me?*
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?’

12 While my bones are being broken,*
my enemies mock me to my face;

13 All day long they mock me*
and say to me, ‘Where now is your God?’

14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?

15 Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Glory to the Father…

Gracious God, in the night of distress we forget the days of sun and joy. Even when we do not know your presence, preserve us from the dark torrent of despair. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 43
1 Give judgement for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people;*
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.

2 For you are the God of my strength;
why have you put me from you?*
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?

3 Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me,*
and bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling;

4 That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness;*
and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God.

5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?*
and why are you so disquieted within me?

6 Put your trust in God;*
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

God of mercy, deliver those who are weighed down by fear and depression, and give them joy and gladness in your presence. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Conclusion


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(S)

John 8.47-59

Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’ The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

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.

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat Antiphon: Lord, you are indeed the Saviour of the world. Give us living water, that we may not thirst.

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: Lord, you are indeed the Saviour of the world. Give us living water, that we may not thirst.

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 Father,
we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves:
when we are discouraged by our weakness,
give us strength to follow Christ, our pattern and our hope;
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.