Evening Prayer: Thursday 24 December 2020

Thursday 24 December 2020

Week 4 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. (Psalm 141.8)

Opening (from 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 85
1 You have been gracious to your land, O Lord,*
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people*
and blotted out all their sins.

3 You have withdrawn all your fury*
and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.

4 Restore us then, O God our Saviour;*
let your anger depart from us.

5 Will you be displeased with us for ever?*
will you prolong your anger from age to age?

6 Will you not give us life again,*
that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your mercy, O Lord,*
and grant us your salvation.

8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying,*
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him,*
that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth have met together;*
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring up from the earth,*
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity,*
and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him,*
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Glory to the Father…

God of grace, you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son to be our Saviour. Help us to rejoice in our salvation by showing mercy and truth, and by walking in the way of righteousness and peace. We ask this in his name and for his sake.

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)

Isaiah 59.15b-21

Truth is lacking, and whoever turns from evil is despoiled. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, and was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm brought him victory, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle. According to their deeds, so will he repay; wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render requital. So those in the west shall fear the name of the Lord, and those in the east, his glory; for he will come like a pent-up stream that the wind of the Lord drives on. And he will come to Zion as Redeemer, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord. And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children"s children, says the Lord, from now on and for ever.

Philippians 2.5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Silence

Response 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: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)

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: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)

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 your power, Lord, and come:
and strengthen us by the might of your love;
that, although we are hindered by our sins,
your abundant grace and mercy may quickly come and save us;
for you live and reign with the Father,
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.