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EVENING
PRAYER
for
Wednesday in 2 Epiphany
Vespers
(Lutheran
Book of Worship, page 142)
The
people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
The
light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Those
who dwelt in the land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined.
We
have beheld Christ’s glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father.
For
to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given.
In
him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
Joyous
light of glory:
of
the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed
Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the
sun,
and we look to the
evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices
forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims
your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give
him thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God, for you are
without beginning and without end. Through Christ you are the creator and
preserver of the whole world; but, above all, you are his God and Father, the
giver of the Spirit, and the ruler of all that is, seen and unseen. You made
the day for the works of light and the night for the refreshment of our
weakness. O loving Lord and source of all that is good, mercifully accept our
evening sacrifice of praise. As you have conducted us through the day and
brought us to night’s beginning, keep us now in Christ; grant us a peaceful
evening and a night free from sin, and at the end, bring us to everlasting life
through Christ our Lord. Through him we offer glory, honor, and worship to you
in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
Amen
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to
you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before
my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart
incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness
with evildoers.
But my eyes are
turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not
of my life.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it
was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Silence for meditation.
Let
the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your
lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your
praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify
you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 4
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
1 Answer me when I
call, O God, defender | of my cause;*
you set me free when I am
hard-pressed;
have mercy on me and | hear my prayer.
2 "You mortals,
how long will you dishon- | or my glory;*
how long will you worship dumb
idols
and run af- | ter false gods?"
3 Know that the Lord does wonders | for the faithful;*
when I call upon the Lord, | he will hear me.
4 Tremble, then, and
| do not sin;*
speak to your heart in silence
up- | on your bed.
5 Offer the
appointed | sacrifices,*
and put your trust | in the Lord.
6 Many are saying,
"Oh, that we might see | better times!"*
Lift up the light of your
countenance upon | us, O Lord.
7 You have put
gladness | in my heart,*
more than when grain and wine
and | oil increase.
8 I lie down in
peace; at once I | fall asleep;*
for only you, Lord, make me | dwell in safety.
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
Lord,
you consoled your Son in his anguish and released him from the darkness of the
grave. Turn your face toward us, that we may sleep in your peace and rise in
your light; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hymn Baptized in Water WOV 693
1 Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
cleansed by the blood
of Christ our king:
heirs of salvation,
trusting his promise,
faithfully now God's
praise we sing.
2 Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
dead in the tomb with
Christ our king:
one with his rising,
freed and forgiven,
thankfully now God's
praise we sing.
3 Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign
of Christ our king:
born of the Spirit,
we are God's children;
joyfully now God's
praise we sing.
Text: Michael Saward, b. 1932
READING Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the
foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children
through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and
insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up
all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,
having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all
things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on
Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with
the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward
redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Response
In
many and various ways
God
spoke to this people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to
us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his
lowly servant.
From this day all generations will
call me blessed.
The Almighty has done
great things for me,
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those
who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his
arm;
he has scattered the proud in their
conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from
their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good
things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his
servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of
mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and
will be forever. Amen
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
The
GREAT LITANY is sung.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
L Christ, have mercy. R Christ,
have mercy.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
L O Christ, hear us. R In
mercy hear us.
L God, the Father in heaven, R have
mercy on us.
L God, the Son, redeemer of the
world,
R have mercy on us.
L God, the Holy Spirit, R have mercy on us.
L Holy Trinity, one God, R have
mercy on us.
L Be gracious to us. R Spare
us, good Lord.
L Be gracious to us. R Spare
us, good Lord.
L From all sin, from all error, from
all evil;
from the cunning assaults of the
devil;
from an unprepared and evil
death:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L From war, bloodshed, and violence;
from corrupt and unjust
government;
from insurrection, sedition and
treason:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L From epidemic, drought, and famine;
from fire and flood, earthquake,
lightning and storm;
and from everlasting death:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L By the mystery of your incarnation;
by your holy birth:
R Help us, good Lord.
L By your baptism, fasting, and
temptation;
by your agony and bloody sweat;
by your cross and suffering;
by your death and burial:
R Help us, good Lord.
L By your resurrection and ascension;
by the gift of the Holy Spirit:
R Help us, good Lord.
L In all time of our tribulation;
in all time of our prosperity;
in the hour of death;
and in the day of judgment:
R Save us, good Lord.
L Though unworthy, we implore you
R to hear us, Lord our God.
L To rule and govern your holy
catholic Church;
to guide our Bishop, Dan, and all
servants of your Church
in the love of your
Word
and in holiness
of life;
to put an end to all schisms
and causes of
offense to those who would believe;
and to bring into the way of
truth all who have gone astray:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To beat down Satan under our feet;
to send faithful workers into
your harvest;
to accompany your Word with your
Spirit and power;
to raise up those who fall
and to strengthen
those who stand;
and to comfort and help the
fainthearted
and the distressed:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To give to all nations justice and
peace;
to preserve our country from conspiracy,
discord and strife;
to direct and guard our
President, Joseph,
and his administration;
the Congress, the Courts,
and all who hold office
in our states and municipalities,
and
to bless and guide all our people:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To behold and help all
who are in danger,
need, or tribulation;
to protect and guide all who
travel;
to preserve and provide for all
women in childbirth;
to watch over children and to
guide the young;
to heal the sick and to
strengthen their families and friends;
to bring reconciliation to
families in discord;
to provide for the unemployed
and for all in need;
to be merciful to all who are
imprisoned;
to support, comfort, and guide
all orphans,
widowers, and widows;
and to have mercy on all your
people:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To forgive our enemies,
persecutors, and slanderers,
and to reconcile us
to them;
to help us use wisely the fruits
and treasures
of the earth, the
sea, and the air;
and graciously to hear our
prayers:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
R we implore you to hear us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R have mercy on us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R have mercy on us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R give us peace. Amen
L O Christ, hear us. R In
mercy hear us.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
L Christ, have mercy. R Christ,
have mercy.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
Our 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, and the
power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen
Let
us bless the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Prayer
and Benediction
Accept,
O Lord, our praises and supplications, and look graciously on our households
and our faith family, that we may abide this night in peace and safety under
the shadow of your wings, and so assist us by your grace that we may be made
fit for that kingdom where there shall be no more sin, nor sorrow, nor pain,
but all shall be joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, to whom, with you, O Father,
and you, O blessed Jesus, be all glory, both now and evermore.
Amen
The
almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless
and preserve you. Amen
