Evening Prayer

Friday after the Fifth Sunday in Lent

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to thee, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to thee are both alike.

Psalm 139:10, 11

Confession of Sin

Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.



Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.

Invitatory and Psalter

BCP p. 63

Officiant O God, make speed to save us.
People
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O Gracious Light

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Psalm 141

Lord, I call upon thee, haste thee unto me *
and consider my voice when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense *
and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth *
and keep the door of my lips.

O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing *
let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them.

Let the righteous rather smite me friendly *
and reprove me.

But let not their precious balms break my head *
yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness.

Let their judges be overthrown in stony places *
that they may hear my words, for they are sweet.

Our bones lie scattered before the pit *
like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.

But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God *
in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul.

Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me *
and from the traps of the wicked doers.

Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together *
and let me ever escape them.

Psalm 143

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire *
hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.

And enter not into judgement with thy servant *
for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground *
he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.

Therefore is my spirit vexed within me *
and my heart within me is desolate.

Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works *
yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.

I stretch forth my hands unto thee *
my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.

Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint *
hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust *
shew thou me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies *
for I flee unto thee to hide me.

Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God *
let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.

Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake *
and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

[And of thy goodness slay mine enemies *
and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.]

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Lessons

The First Lesson John 12:1-10

A Reading from the Gospel According to John.

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well,

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

3. The Song of Mary Luke 1:46-55

My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.

He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: *

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed BCP p. 66

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

Officiant The Lord be with you.
People
And with thy spirit.
Officiant
Let us pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

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,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages A

V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
R.
And grant us thy salvation.
V.
Endue thy ministers with righteousness;
R.
And make thy chosen people joyful.
V.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R.
For only in thee can we live in safety.
V.
Lord, keep this nation under thy care;
R.
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V.
Let thy way be known upon earth;
R.
Thy saving health among all nations.
V.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R.
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R.
And sustain us with thy Holy Spirit.

The Collect of the Day

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men: Grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.




The Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death didst take away the sting of death: Grant unto us thy servants so to follow in faith where thou hast led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in thee, and awake up after thy likeness; for thy tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray now for our own needs and those of others.



A Prayer of St. Chrysostom BCP p. 72

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.



Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14