The livestream may be found here.
EVENING PRAYER
for Wednesday in 2 Lent
Vespers
Commemoration of Perpetua and her Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202 (transferred from March 7)
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
'In 202, the emperor Septimus Severus forbade conversions to Christiantiy, and harsh persecution ensued. Arrested in Carthage were Vibia Perpetua, a noblewoman from Thuburbo, twenty-two years old; her infant child; Felicity, a pregnant slave; Revocatus, a slave; Saturninus; Secundulus. All were catecechumens. Later, their catechist, Saturus, was arrested also. While under house arrest, they were baptized.
'Perpetua's father urged her to renounce the faith, but she refused and was imprisoned. In prison she had a vision of a golden ladder guarded by a dragon and sharp weapons that prevented ascent, but nonetheless she walked over the dragon and reached a beautiful place...
'The steadfast Christians were condemned to be given to wild beasts at a celebration in honor of Caesar Geta... Felicity was not to have been executed with the others since it was illegal to execute a pregnant woman, but three days before the spectacle Felicity gave birth prematurely to a girl, who was adopted by a Christian family, and she gladly joined the others in martyrdom. After being scourged, they were led to the amphitheater, and according to the apparently contemporary account of the martyrdom, they were mangled by the beasts, but survived to be beheaded with a sword...'
- Philip Pfatteicher, New Festivals and Commemorations
Behold, now is the acceptable time;
now is the day of salvation.
Turn us again, O God of our salvation,
that the light of your face may shine upon us.
May your justice shine like the sun,
and may the poor be lifted up.
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
Let My Prayer Rise before You as Incense
Domine clamavi
L Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
C1 O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
2 Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sac - rifice.
3 Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord;
and guard the door of my lips.
4 Let not my heart incline to any e - vil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness with e - vildoers.
L But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.
6 Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Ho - ly Spirit;
7 as it was in the begin - ning, is now,
and will be fore - ver. Amen
L Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Text: Psalm 141; Standard Book of Common Prayer, 1977
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 124
1 If the Lord had not been | on our side,*
let Isra- | el now say;
2 if the Lord had not been | on our side,*
when enemies rose | up against us,
3 then would they have swallowed us | up alive*
in their fierce | anger toward us;
4 then would the waters have | overwhelmed us*
and the torrent gone | over us;
5 then would the | raging waters*
have gone right | over us.
6 Blessed | be the Lord!*
He has not given us over to be a prey | for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare | of the fowler;*
the snare is broken, and we | have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name | of the Lord,*
the maker of heav- | en and earth.
Lord Jesus, you foretold that your disciples would be despised on account of your name, yet you number the very hairs of their heads. In times of persecution, defend and revive us by the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be freed from our enemies and praise your saving help now and forever.
Hymn Jerusalem, the Golden LBW 347
1 Jerusalem the golden,
with milk and honey blest,
beneath your contemplation
sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, oh, I know not,
what social joys are there,
what radiancy of glory,
what bliss beyond compare.
2 They stand, those halls of Zion,
conjubilant with song
and bright with many an angel
and all the martyr throng.
The prince is ever in them;
the daylight is serene;
the pastures of the blessed
are decked in glorious sheen.
3 There is the throne of David,
and there, from care released,
the shout of those who triumph,
the song of those who feast.
And they, who with their leader
have conquered in the fight,
forever and forever
are clad in robes of white.
4 Oh, sweet and blessed country,
the home of God’s elect!
Oh, sweet and blessed country,
that eager hearts expect!
In mercy, Jesus, bring us
to that dear land of rest!
You are, with God the Father
and Spirit, ever blest.
Text: Bernard of Cluny, 12th cent.; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866
READINGS
Hebrews 10:32-36
Matthew 24:9-14
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
From the Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas
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.
My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord LBW Canticle 6
Antiphon:
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,*
for he has looked with fa - vor
on his low - ly servant.
From this day all gen - erations
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 gen - eration.*
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 a - way empty.
He has come to the help of his ser - vant Israel,
for he has remembered his pro - mise of mercy,*
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his child - ren forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Ho - ly Spirit;*
as it was in the begin - ning, is now,
and will be forev - er. Amen
Antiphon:
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Prayers
For the commemoration of Perpetua and her companions
For renewal in the life of baptism
For dedication to the life of God
For our own needs and the needs of others
For peace
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.
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. Amen
