All
Souls’
Thursday
Evening Prayer
Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Psalm 74:15,16
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.
103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, *
and all
that is within me, bless his holy Name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my
soul, *
and forget not all his benefits.
3 He forgives all
your sins *
and heals all your infirmities;
4 He redeems
your life from the grave *
and crowns you with mercy and
loving-kindness;
5 He satisfies you with good things, *
and
your youth is renewed like an eagle's.
6 The Lord executes
righteousness *
and judgment for all who are oppressed.
7
He made his ways known to Moses *
and his works to the children of
Israel.
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow
to anger and of great kindness.
9 He will not always accuse
us, *
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not
dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according
to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high above the
earth, *
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
12
As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has he removed our
sins from us.
13 As a father cares for his children, *
so
does the Lord care for those who fear him.
14 For he himself
knows whereof we are made; *
he remembers that we are but
dust.
15 Our days are like the grass; *
we flourish like a
flower of the field;
16 When the wind goes over it, it is
gone, *
and its place shall know it no more.
17 But the
merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever
on those who fear
him, *
and his righteousness on children's children;
18 On
those who keep his covenant *
and remember his commandments and do
them.
19 The Lord has set his throne in heaven, *
and his
kingship has dominion over all.
20 Bless the Lord, you angels
of his,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, *
and hearken to
the voice of his word.
21 Bless the Lord, all you his hosts,
*
you ministers of his who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord,
all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion; *
bless
the Lord, O my soul.
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
‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.* As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’
The Word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Canticle 17
Lord, you now
have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of
mine have seen the Savior,*
whom you have prepared for all the
world to see:
A Light to
enlighten the nations,*
and the glory of your people Israel.
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.
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That
we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be
condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That
we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in
the communion of
all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to
Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
Collect of the Day: All Souls’
O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all
believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits
of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may
be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever.
Amen
For Protection
O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
For Mission
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. 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.
The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
2
Corinthians 13:14