Evening Prayer: Wednesday 23 December 2020

Wednesday 23 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 80
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;*
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,*
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts;*
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts,*
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;*
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours,*
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;*
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt;*
you cast out the nations and planted it.

9 You prepared the ground for it;*
it took root and filled the land.

10 The mountains were covered by its shadow*
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.

11 You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea*
and its branches to the River.

12 Why have you broken down its wall,*
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?

13 The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it,*
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.

14 Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine;*
preserve what your right hand has planted.

15 They burn it with fire like rubbish;*
at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.

16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand,*
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you;*
give us life, that we may call upon your name.

18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;*
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Glory to the Father…

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ, our good shepherd; you have led us to the kingdom of your Father's love. Forgive our careless indifference to your loving care for all your creatures, and remake us in the likeness of your new and risen life. We ask this in your name.

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 1.57-66

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

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: (O Emmanuel) O Emmanuel our King and law-giver, for whom the nations wait, O Saviour of all people: Come, Lord our God, and save us

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: (O Emmanuel) O Emmanuel our King and law-giver, for whom the nations wait, O Saviour of all people: Come, Lord our God, and save us

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.