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 Descending
1I love you, O Lord my
strength. ♦
The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer.
2In my distress I called
upon the Lord ♦
and cried out to my God for help.
3He heard my voice in
his temple ♦
and my cry came to his ears.
4He parted the heavens
and came down ♦
and thick darkness was under his feet.
5He rode upon the cherubim
and flew; ♦
he came flying on the wings of the wind.
6He made darkness his
covering round about him, ♦
dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.
7From the brightness
of his presence, through the clouds ♦
burst hailstones and coals of fire.
8The Lord also thundered
out of heaven; ♦
the Most High uttered his voice
with hailstones and coals of fire.
9For you will save a
lowly people ♦
and bring down the high looks of the proud.
10You also shall light
my candle; ♦
the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.
11As for God, his way
is perfect;
the word of the Lord is tried in the fire; ♦
he is a shield to all who trust in him.
Psalm 18.1, 6, 7 ,10-14, 28, 29, 31
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 appointed psalmody is said.
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
4 Who alone does great wonders, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
5 Who by wisdom made the heavens, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
6 Who laid out the earth upon the waters, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
7 Who made the great lights, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
8 The sun to rule the day, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
9 The moon and the stars to govern the night, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
10 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
12 With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
13 Who divided the Red Sea in two, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
15 But Pharaoh and his host he overthrew in the Red Sea, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
16 Who led his people through the wilderness, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
17 Who smote great kings, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
18 And slew mighty kings, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
20 And Og, the king of Bashan, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
21 And gave away their land for a heritage, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
22 A heritage for Israel his servant, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
23 Who remembered us when we were in trouble, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
24 And delivered us from our enemies, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever;
25 Who gives food to all creatures, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, ♦
for his mercy endures for ever.
Remember us, O God, and shape our history,
form our inward eyes
to see the shadow of the life-giving cross
in the turbulence of our time;
for his sake who died for all,
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.
It happened that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and thongs, to partake of unlawful swine’s flesh. One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, ‘What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.’
The king fell into a rage, and gave orders to have pans and cauldrons heated. These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, ‘The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song that bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, “And he will have compassion on his servants.” ’
After the first brother had died in this way, they brought forward the second for their sport. They tore off the skin of his head with the hair, and asked him, ‘Will you eat rather than have your body punished limb by limb?’ He replied in the language of his ancestors and said to them, ‘No.’ Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done. And when he was at his last breath, he said, ‘You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.’
After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, and said nobly, ‘I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again.’ As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, ‘One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!’
Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him. But he looked at the king, and said, ‘Because you have authority among mortals, though you also are mortal, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people. Keep on, and see how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!’
After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, ‘Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened. But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!’
A Song of the Blessed, or another suitable canticle,
for example, number 69 (page 627),
may be said
Refrain:
AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven. Alleluia.
1Blessed are the poor
in spirit, ♦
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2Blessed are those who
mourn, ♦
for they shall be comforted.
3Blessed are the meek,
♦
for they shall inherit the earth.
4Blessed are those who
hunger
and thirst after righteousness, ♦
for they shall be satisfied.
5Blessed are the merciful,
♦
for they shall obtain mercy.
6Blessed are the pure
in heart, ♦
for they shall see God.
7Blessed are the peacemakers,
♦
for they shall be called children of God.
8Blessed are those who
suffer persecution
for righteousness’ sake, ♦
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5.3-10
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.
AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “Servants are not greater than their master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. It was to fulfil the word that is written in their law, “They hated me without a cause.”
‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive
me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
from Psalm 73
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of
Simeon) (page 613) may be said
AllRemember your promise of
mercy,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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.
AllRemember your promise of
mercy,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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
¶ The social services
¶ All who work in the criminal justice system
¶ Victims and perpetrators of crime
¶ The work of aid agencies throughout the world
¶ Those living in poverty or under oppression
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
God, the giver of life,
whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church:
by the Spirit's gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ
and make us eager to do your will,
that we may share with the whole creation
the joys of eternal life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
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.
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.
©
The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from
Church House Publishing.
The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Implemented by Simon Kershaw at
Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2021.