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EVENING
PRAYER
for
Wednesday in 5 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 1
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
1 Happy are they who
have not walked in the counsel | of the wicked,*
nor lingered in the way of
sinners,
nor sat in the seats | of the scornful!
2 Their delight is
in the law | of the Lord,*
and they meditate on his law |
day and night.
3 They are like
trees planted by streams of water,
bearing
fruit in due season, with leaves that | do not wither;*
everything they | do shall
prosper.
4 It is not so |
with the wicked;*
they are like chaff which the
wind | blows away.
5 Therefore the
wicked shall not stand upright when | judgment comes,*
nor the sinner in the council |
of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way | of the righteous,*
but the way of the wick- | ed is
doomed.
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
Lord
God, in your loving wisdom you have set us beside the fountain of life, like a
tree planted by running streams. Grant that the cross of your Son may become
our tree of life in the paradise of your saints, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. (279)
Hymn Just As I Am LBW 296
1 Just
as I am, without one plea,
but
that thy blood was shed for me,
and
that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come.
2 Just
as I am, and waiting not
to
rid my soul of one dark blot,
to
thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come.
3 Just
as I am, though tossed about
with
many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings
and fears within, without,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come.
4 Just
as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight,
riches, healing of the mind,
yea,
all I need in thee to find,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come.
5 Just
as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt
welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because
thy promise I believe,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come,
6 Just
as I am; thy love unknown
has
broken ev’ry barrier down;
now
to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O
Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Text: Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871
READING Ephesians 2:1-10
11So
then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the
uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" — a
physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands — 12remember that you were at that time without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the
covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made
both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the
hostility between us. 15He
has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might
create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making
peace, 16and might reconcile both groups to God in one
body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were
far off and peace to those who were near; 18for through him both of us have access in one
Spirit to the Father. 19So
then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the
saints and also members of the household of God, 20built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21In him the whole structure is joined together
and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22in whom you also are built together spiritually
into a dwelling place for God.
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 LITANY is sung.
In
peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the
peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the
peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the
unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all
who offer today their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For Dan,
our bishop; for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for
all the people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our
public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be
upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For
those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and
every place, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For
those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those
who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the
Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For
favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for
peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our
deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the
faithful who have gone before us and are at rest, let us give thanks to the
Lord.
Alleluia.
Help,
save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Silence
for meditation.
Rejoicing
in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and
our whole life to Christ, our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
O God,
from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: Give to
us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may
be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the
fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the merits of
Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God
forever.
Amen
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.
Hymn O Trinity, O
Blessed Light LBW 275
1 O
Trinity, O blessed Light,
O
Unity of princely might:
the
fiery sun is going down;
shed
light upon us through your Son.
2 To
you our morning song of praise,
to
you our evening prayer we raise;
we
praise your light in ev’ry age,
the
glory of our pilgrimage.
3 All
glory be to God above
and
to the Son, the prince of love,
and
to the Spirit, One in Three!
We
praise you, blessed Trinity.
Text: attr. St. Ambrose, 340-397; tr.
Gracia Grindal, b. 1943
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
