EVENING PRAYER Vespers
for the Feast of St John of the Cross
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
The Spirit and the Church cry out:
Come, Lord Jesus.
All those who await his appearance pray:
Come, Lord Jesus.
The whole creation pleads:
Come, Lord Jesus.
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, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom you have enlightened us by revealing to us the light that never fades.
Night has fallen and day’s allotted span draws to a close.
The daylight which you created for our pleasure has fully satisfied us, and yet, of your free gift, now the evening lights do not fail us.
We praise and glorify you through you Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
through him be glory, honor, and power to you in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
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 46
1 God is our
ref- | uge and strength,*
a very present | help in trouble.
2 Therefore
we will not fear, though the | earth be moved,*
and though the mountains be toppled into the depths |
of the sea;
3 though its
waters | rage and foam,*
and though the mountains tremble | at its tumult.
4 The Lord of | hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob | is our stronghold.
5 There is a
river whose streams make glad the cit- | y of God,*
the holy habitation of | the Most High.
6 God is in
the midst of her; she shall not be | overthrown;*
God shall help her at the | break of day.
7 The nations
make much ado, and the king- | doms are shaken;*
God has spoken, and the earth shall | melt away.
8 The Lord of | hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob | is our stronghold.
9 Come now
and look upon the works | of the Lord,*
what awesome things he has | done on earth.
10 It is he
who makes war to cease in | all the world;*
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns
the | shields with fire.
11 "Be
still, then, and know that | I am God;*
I will be exalted among the nations; I will be
exalted | in the earth."
12 The Lord of | hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob | is our stronghold.
Lord God, our refuge and strength, when the restless powers of this world and the waters of hell rise up against your holy city, watch over it and keep it safe. By the river that flows from the throne of the Lamb, purify this new Jerusalem as your chosen dwelling, for you are with us, our stronghold now and forever.
Hymn Come Down, O Love Divine (LBW 508)
1 Come down, O
Love divine;
seek thou this
soul of mine
and visit it
with thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter,
draw near;
within my heart
appear
and kindle it,
thy holy flame bestowing.
2 Oh, let it
freely burn,
till worldly
passions turn
to dust and
ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy
glorious light
shine ever on
my sight,
and clothe me
round, the while my path illuming.
3 Let holy charity
mine outward
vesture be,
and lowliness
become mine inner clothing--
true lowliness
of heart,
which takes the
humbler part,
and o’er its
own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
4 And so the
yearning strong,
with which the
soul will long,
shall far
outpass the pow’r of human telling;
no soul can
guess his grace
till it become
the place
where in the
Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
Text: Bianco da Siena, d.
1434; tr. Richard F. Littledale, 1833-1890
READINGS
Jeremiah 1:4-10
1 Corinthians 2:1-10
After each reading:
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence for reflection.
From a spiritual canticle of St. John of the Cross
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
An ADVENT LITANY is said.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, name called Wonderful:
We praise and bless your Holy Name.
Jesus, our great Counselor: /R
Jesus, true and mighty God: /R
Jesus, everlasting Father: /R
Jesus, Prince of Peace: /R
Jesus, Son of David: Deliver us from our sins, we beseech you.
Jesus, Branch of Jesse: /R
Jesus, Rose of Sharon: /R
Jesus, Lily of the Valleys: /R
Jesus, Bright and Morning Star: /R
Jesus, Scepter of Israel: Help us and bless us.
Jesus, Light of the Gentiles: /R
Jesus, Desire of all nations: /R
Jesus, Sun of Righteousness: /R
Jesus, Lawgiver, Priest, Judge, and King: /R
O Jesus, hear us: And prepare us for your coming.
Gather your ancient people unto yourself:
Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come before you.
Bring all the nations to come to your light and your truth:
/R
Convert all leaders of nations to fall down before you
and to desire your beauty: /R
Help your messengers in every land to prepare the way before you:
/R
Let all the nations fear you as long as the sun and moon endure,
throughout all generations: /R
Give your ministers righteousness and knowledge: /R
Preserve all who put their trust in you: /R
And give peace to all your people: /R
Prepare us for your coming: And save us from our sins.
The collects are said.
The Lord's Prayer is said.
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.
1 O Savior, rend the heavens wide;
come down, come down with mighty stride:
unlock the gates, the doors break down;
unbar the way to heaven’s crown.
2 O Morning Star, O radiant Sun,
when will our hearts behold your dawn?
O Sun arise; without your light
we grope in gloom and dark of night.
3 Sin’s dreadful doom upon us lies;
grim death looms fierce before our eyes.
Oh, come, lead us with mighty hand
from exile to our promised land.
4 There shall we all our praises bring
ever to you, our Savior King;
there shall we laud you and adore
forever and forever more.
