Wednesday –
Year 2 Advent 2
Evening Prayer
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. Psalm 96:9
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
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 your
praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are 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.
119:
25
- 48
25 My soul cleaves to the dust;
*
give me life according to your word.
26 I have confessed
my ways, and you answered me; *
instruct me in your statutes.
27
Make me understand the way of your commandments, *
that I may
meditate on your marvelous works.
28 My soul melts away for
sorrow; *
strengthen me according to your word.
29 Take
from me the way of lying; *
let me find grace through your
law.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; *
I have set
your judgments before me.
31 I hold fast to your decrees; *
O
Lord, let me not be put to shame.
32 I will run the way of
your commandments, *
for you have set my heart at liberty.
33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, *
and I shall keep it
to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep your
law; *
I shall keep it with all my heart.
35 Make me go in
the path of your commandments, *
for that is my desire.
36
Incline my heart to your decrees *
and not to unjust gain.
37
Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *
give me life in
your ways.
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, *
which
you make to those who fear you.
39 Turn away the reproach
which I dread, *
because your judgments are good.
40
Behold, I long for your commandments; *
in your righteousness
preserve my life.
41 Let your loving-kindness come to
me, O Lord, *
and your salvation, according to your promise.
42
Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me, *
because I trust
in your words.
43 Do not take the word of truth out of my
mouth, *
for my hope is in your judgments.
44 I shall continue to keep your law; *
I shall keep it for
ever and ever.
45 I will walk at liberty, *
because I study
your commandments.
46 I will tell of your decrees before kings
*
and will not be ashamed.
47 I delight in your
commandments, *
which I have always loved.
48 I will lift
up my hands to your commandments, *
and I will meditate on your
statutes.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Reading
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive for ever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
‘To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Canticle 15
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 for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be
for ever. Amen.
I
believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I
believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived
by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was
buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose
again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the
dead.
I
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the
communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection
of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Our
Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom
come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give
us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive
those
who sin against us.
Save
us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For
the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for
ever. Amen.
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Collect of the Day: Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for Protection
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Glory
to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can
ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the
Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians
3:20,21