¶ Evening Prayer on Thursday
Thursday, 19 June 2025
The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion (Corpus Christi)

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
AllBlessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Chosen One

1There shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, ♦
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, ♦
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

3The spirit of counsel and might, ♦
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

4He shall not judge by what his eyes see, ♦
or decide by what his ears hear,

5But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, ♦
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, ♦
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

7The calf, the lion and the fatling together, ♦
with a little child to lead them.

8They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, ♦
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11.1,2,3b-4a,6,9

AllGlory 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.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 23

Refrain: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; ♦
therefore can I lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures ♦
and leads me beside still waters. R

3 He shall refresh my soul ♦
and guide me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; ♦
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  R

5 You spread a table before me
in the presence of those who trouble me; ♦
you have anointed my head with oil
and my cup shall be full.

6 Surely goodness and loving mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life, ♦
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Refrain: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

O God, our sovereign and shepherd,
who brought again your Son Jesus Christ
from the valley of death,
comfort us with your protecting presence
and your angels of goodness and love,
that we also may come home
and dwell with him in your house for ever.

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, even for the living God; ♦
when shall I come before the presence of God?

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

4 Now when I think on these things, I pour out my soul: ♦
how I went with the multitude
and led the procession to the house of God,

5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, ♦
among those who kept holy day.

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

7 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
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 Hermon and the hill of Mizar.

9 Deep calls to deep in the thunder of your waterfalls; ♦
all your breakers and waves have gone over me.

10 The Lord will grant his loving-kindness in the daytime; ♦
through the night his song will be with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

11 I say to God my rock,
‘Why have you forgotten me, ♦
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?’

12 As they crush my bones, my enemies mock me; ♦
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’

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

14 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Come, creator Spirit, source of life;
sustain us when our hearts are heavy
and our wells have run dry,
for you are the Father’s gift,
with him who is our living water,
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 refuge;
why have you cast me from you, ♦
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?

3 O 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 lyre 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 O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Come, creator Spirit, light and truth;
bring us to the altar of life
and renew our joy and gladness
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory 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.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Proverbs 9.1-5

Wisdom has built her house,
   she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
   she has also set her table.
She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
   from the highest places in the town,
‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
   To those without sense she says,
‘Come, eat of my bread
   and drink of the wine I have mixed.

Canticle

The following, or another suitable canticle, may be said or sung

Refrain:

AllYou created all things, O God,
and are worthy of our praise for ever. Alleluia.

1You are worthy, our Lord and God, ♦
to receive glory and honour and power.

2For you have created all things, ♦
and by your will they have their being.

3You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain, ♦
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.

4You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
serving our God, ♦
and they will reign with you on earth.

Revelation 4.11; 5.9b, 10

AllTo the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb ♦
be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

AllYou created all things, O God,
and are worthy of our praise for ever. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Luke 9.11-17

When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured.

The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.’ But he said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, ‘Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Fear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned.
AllI have called you by name; you are mine.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of Christ’s Appearing (page 621) may be said

Refrain:

All O sacred feast, in which Christ is received
   and the memory of his passion is renewed:
our minds are filled with grace
   and a pledge of future glory is given us.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory 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.

Refrain:

All O sacred feast, in which Christ is received
   and the memory of his passion is renewed:
our minds are filled with grace
   and a pledge of future glory is given us.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ Local government, community leaders
¶ All who provide local services
¶ Those who work with young or elderly people
¶ Schools, colleges and universities
¶ Emergency and rescue organizations

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
      of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

All The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.