Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Evening Prayer for Wednesday after Trinity, 7 p.m.

The livestream may be found here.


EVENING PRAYER

for Wednesday after 2 Pentecost

Vespers

(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)

 

Jesus Christ is the light of the world,

  the light no darkness can overcome.

Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,

  and the day is almost over.

Let your light scatter the darkness,

  and illumine your church.

 

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.

 

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation; and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  Amen

 

The psalmody begins with this prayer for forgiveness and protection:

 

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.   Ps. 141:1-7

 

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

 

You have put gladness in my heart.

  You have put gladness in my heart.

 

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.

 

  You have put gladness in my heart.

 

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. 

  Amen

 

Hymn                        All Depends On Our Possessing                                LBW 447

                                               

1              All depends on our possessing

                God’s free grace and constant blessing,

                though all earthly wealth depart.

                They who trust with faith unshaken

                by their God are not forsaken

                and will keep a dauntless heart.

 

2              God, who hitherto has fed me

                and to many joys has led me,

                is and ever shall be mine.

                He who did so gently school me,

                he who daily guides and rules me,

                will remain my help divine.

 

3              When with sorrow I am stricken,

                hope my heart anew will quicken,

                all my longing shall be stilled.

                To his lovingkindness tender

                soul and body I surrender,

                for on God alone I build.

 

4             Well he knows what best to grant me;

                all the longing hopes that haunt me,

                joy and sorrow, have their day.

                I shall doubt his wisdom never;

                as God wills, so be it ever;

                to him I commit my way.

 

5              If on earth my days he lengthen,

                God my weary soul will strengthen;

                all my trust in him I place.

                Earthly wealth is not abiding;

                like a stream away it’s gliding;

                safe I anchor in his grace.

 

Text: Gesang-Buch, Nürnberg, 1676; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878, alt.

 

READING                                                                                    2 Corinthians 4:5-12

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

The Word of the Lord.                                        Thanks be to God.


Homily                         

Silence for reflection.


Response

In many and various ways

God spoke to his 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.

 

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

 

The Lord be with you.

  And also with you.

 

The prayers are said with the congregation saying ‘Amen’ to each.

 

The final prayer is said:

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 Lord’s Prayer is said.

 

Then is said:

 

Let us bless the Lord.

  Thanks be to God.

 

The almighty and merciful Lord,

the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. 

  Amen