If you’re using Internet Explorer, please update your browser for the full version of the app to run.
Pray
Venite
Pray
Meditate
Favorites
Bulletins
Psalter
Settings
About
Donate
Sign in
Pray

Evening Prayer

Friday after the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Opening Sentence

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Amen.Psalm 141:2

Confession of Sin

BCP p. 79/116

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

ost merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Invitatory and Psalter

V:O God, make speed to save us.
R: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.

Psalm 73 Quam bonus Israel!

BCP p. 687

1

ruly, God is good to Israel, *
to those who are pure in heart.

2

But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; *
I had almost tripped and fallen;

3

Because I envied the proud *
and saw the prosperity of the wicked:

4

For they suffer no pain, *
and their bodies are sleek and sound;

5

In the misfortunes of others they have no share; *
they are not afflicted as others are;

6

Therefore they wear their pride like a necklace *
and wrap their violence about them like a cloak.

7

Their iniquity comes from gross minds, *
and their hearts overflow with wicked thoughts.

8

They scoff and speak maliciously; *
out of their haughtiness they plan oppression.

9

They set their mouths against the heavens, *
and their evil speech runs through the world.

10

And so the people turn to them *
and find in them no fault.

11

They say, “How should God know? *
is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12

So then, these are the wicked; *
always at ease, they increase their wealth.

13

In vain have I kept my heart clean, *
and washed my hands in innocence.

14

I have been afflicted all day long, *
and punished every morning.

15

Had I gone on speaking this way, *
I should have betrayed the generation of your children.

16

When I tried to understand these things, *
it was too hard for me;

17

Until I entered the sanctuary of God *
and discerned the end of the wicked.

18

Surely, you set them in slippery places; *
you cast them down in ruin.

19

Oh, how suddenly do they come to destruction, *
come to an end, and perish from terror!

20

Like a dream when one awakens, O Lord, *
when you arise you will make their image vanish.

21

When my mind became embittered, *
I was sorely wounded in my heart.

22

I was stupid and had no understanding; *
I was like a brute beast in your presence.

23

Yet I am always with you; *
you hold me by my right hand.

24

You will guide me by your counsel, *
and afterwards receive me with glory.

25

Whom have I in heaven but you? *
and having you I desire nothing upon earth.

26

Though my flesh and my heart should waste away, *
God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27

Truly, those who forsake you will perish; *
you destroy all who are unfaithful.

28

But it is good for me to be near God; *
I have made the Lord God my refuge.

29

I will speak of all your works *
in the gates of the city of Zion.

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.

The Lessons

The First Reading

Isa. 56:1-8 (NRSV)

A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah.

hus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. 2Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil.

Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dry tree.” 4For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. 6And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— 7these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

13. A Song of Praise Benedictus es, Domine

BCP p. 90

Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34

lory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

The Second Reading

Heb. 12:3-11 (NRSV)

A Reading from the Book of Hebrews.

onsider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children— “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; 6for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” 7Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

17. The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis

BCP p. 93/120/134

Luke 2:29-32

ord, 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.

The Apostles’ Creed

BCP p. 96/120

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 Prayers

OfficiantThe Lord be with you.
PeopleAnd also with you.
OfficiantLet us pray.
The Lord’s Prayer

ur 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
V.Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R.And grant us your salvation.
V.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R.Let your people sing with joy.
V.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R.For only in you can we live in safety.
V.Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R.And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V.Let your way be known upon earth;
R.Your 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 your Holy Spirit.
A Collect for Social Justice

lmighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Collect of the Day

lmighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

ord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in companionship with one another your abounding grace may increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers and Thanksgivings
  • Prayers
  • Thanksgivings
The General Thanksgiving

BCP p. 101/125

lmighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

BCP p. 102/126

lmighty 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

Sponsored by Forward Movement.