Evening Prayer: Thursday 15 November 2018

Thursday 15 November 2018

Thursday after Pentecost 25
Week B

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: Where can I go from your Spirit?*
where can I flee from your presence?
(Psalm 139.6)

Opening (from 139)

1 I will thank you because I am marvellously made;*
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.
2 My body was not hidden from you,*
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
3 How deep I find your thoughts, O God!*
how great is the sum of them!
4 If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand;* to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

Glory to the Father
or a suitable Hymn

Psalm 78.18-39
18 They tested God in their hearts,*
demanding food for their craving.

19 They railed against God and said,*
"Can God set a table in the wilderness?




20 True, he struck the rock, the waters gushed out, and the
gullies overflowed;*
but is he able to give bread
or to provide meat for his people?"

21 When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath;*
a fire was kindled against Jacob,
and his anger mounted against Israel;

22 For they had no faith in God,*
nor did they put their trust in his saving power.

23 So he commanded the clouds above*
and opened the doors of heaven.

24 He rained down manna upon them to eat*
and gave them grain from heaven.

25 So mortals ate the bread of angels;*
he provided for them food enough.

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens*
and led out the south wind by his might.

27 He rained down flesh upon them like dust*
and wingd birds like the sand of the sea.

28 He let it fall in the midst of their camp*
and round about their dwellings.

29 So they ate and were well filled,*
for he gave them what they craved.


30 But they did not stop their craving,*
though the food was still in their mouths.

31 So God's anger mounted against them;*
he slew their strongest men
and laid low the youth of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they went on sinning*
and had no faith in his wonderful works.

33 So he brought their days to an end like a breath*
and their years in sudden terror.

34 Whenever he slew them, they would seek him,*
and repent, and diligently search for God.

35 They would remember that God was their rock,*
and the Most High God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouths*
and lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him,*
and they were not faithful to his covenant.

38 But he was so merciful that he forgave their sins
and did not destroy them;*
many times he held back his anger
and did not permit his wrath to be roused.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh,*
a breath that goes forth and does not return.

Glory to the Father…

God of pilgrims, strengthen our faith, we pray. Guide us through the uncertainties of our journey, and hold before us the vision of your eternal kingdom, made known to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Conclusion


1 Timothy 3

1 Great indeed, we confess,*
is the mystery of our religion.
2 He was manifested in the flesh,*
vindicated in the Spirit,
3 Seen by angels,*
preached among the nations,
4 Believed on in the world;*
taken up in glory.

Glory to the Father…

Antiphon: Where can I go from your Spirit? where can I flee from your presence?

READING(S)

Luke 15.1-2,11-32

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father"s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." ' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe?the best one?and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.

"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.' "

Silence

Response Psalm Ps. 105.5

Call to mind what wonders he has done!
Call to mind what wonders he has done!
His marvellous acts and the judgements of his mouth.
What wonders he has done!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Call to mind what wonders he has done!

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

O God, our refuge and strength,
the very author of devotion:
hear the prayers of your Church;
and grant that what we seek in faith
we may in fact obtain;
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.