Evening Prayer: Saturday 28 March 2020

Saturday 28 March 2020

Patrick Forbes, Bishop, 1635, and the Aberdeen Doctors, Teachers of the Faith.
Week 4 of Lent
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. (Psalm 25.3)

Opening (from 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 143
1 Lord, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications;*
answer me in your righteousness.

2 Enter not into judgement with your servant,*
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3 For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground;*
he has made me live in dark places like those who are long
dead.

4 My spirit faints within me;*
my heart within me is desolate.

5 I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds;*
I consider the works of your hands.

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

7 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.

8 Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you;*
show me the road that I must walk,
for I lift up my soul to you.

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

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

11 Revive me, O Lord, for your name's sake;*
for your righteousness' sake, bring me out of trouble.

12 Of your goodness, destroy my enemies
and bring all my foes to naught,*
for truly I am your servant.

Glory to the Father…

God of our hope, when we are distracted by care and sickness, help us to recognize your image in ourselves and others, that we may be made whole and the world become the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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)

Mark 9.14-29

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so." He answered them, "You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you are able!-All things can be done for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You spirit that keep this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!" After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "This kind can come out only through prayer."

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:

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:

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

Almighty God,
grant that we, who are weighed down by our sins,
may be relieved and encouraged by your grace;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
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.