Evening Prayer

The Officiant may begin Evening Prayer by reading an opening sentence of Scripture. One of the following, or a sentence from among those provided at the end of the Office (pages 54–56), is customary.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

JOHN 8:12

The Officiant says to the People

Dearly beloved, the Scriptures teach us to acknowledge our many sins and offenses, not concealing them from our heavenly Father, but confessing them with humble and obedient hearts that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy. We ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before Almighty God, but especially when we come together in his presence to give thanks for the great benefits we have received at his hands, to declare his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things which are necessary for our life and our salvation. Therefore, draw near with me to the throne of heavenly grace.

Silence is kept. All kneeling.

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your 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; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.

A Deacon or layperson remains kneeling and prays

Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All stand.

The following or some other suitable hymn or Psalm may be sung or said.

PHOS HILARON

O gladsome 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.

PSALMS APPOINTED

Psalm 37

¹Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

²For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

³Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

⁴Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

⁶He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

⁷Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

⁹For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

¹⁰In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

¹¹But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

¹²The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

¹³but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

¹⁵their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;

¹⁹they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.

²¹The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;

²²for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;

²⁴though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

²⁶He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

²⁷Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.

²⁸For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

³²The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.

³³The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

³⁴Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

³⁵I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

³⁶But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

³⁷Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

³⁸But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

At the end of the Psalms the Gloria Patri (Glory be...) is sung or said

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

One or more Lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying

A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.

¹Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.

²But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

³Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.

⁴And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

⁵And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;

⁶they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.

⁷Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man.

⁸And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.

⁹Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.

¹⁰And in that day, declares the LORD, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots;

¹¹and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds;

¹²and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;

¹³and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;

¹⁴and I will root out your Asherah images from among you and destroy your cities.

¹⁵And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.

After each Lesson the Reader may say

Or the Reader may say

The following Canticles are normally sung or said after each of the lessons. The Officiant may also use a Canticle drawn from the Supplemental Canticles (pages 79–88) or an appropriate song of praise.

My soul magnifies the Lord, * and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; For he has regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from now on, * all generations will call me blessed; For he that is mighty has magnified me, * and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on those who fear him, * throughout all generations. He has shown the strength of his arm; * he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, * and has exalted the humble and meek. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent empty away. He, remembering his mercy, has helped his servant Israel, * as he promised to our fathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¹When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.

²And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

³And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

⁴And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

⁵When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,

⁶“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”

⁷And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

⁸But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

⁹For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

¹¹I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

¹²while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

¹³And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

¹⁴And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever.

¹⁵He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.

¹⁶That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, * according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, * which you have prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Officiant and People together, all standing

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 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 People kneel or stand.

Officiant and People

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.

The Officiant then prays one or more of the following Collects, always beginning with the Collect of the Day (usually the Collect of the Sunday or Principal Feast and of any of the weekdays following, or of the Holy Day being observed) found on pages 598–640. It is traditional to pray the Collects for Peace and Aid against Perils daily. Alternatively, one may pray the Collects on a weekly rotation, using the suggestions in italics.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Monday after the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

O Lord God, grant your people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Hannah More, Renewer of Society and Founder of Sunday Schools, 1833

Almighty and everlasting God, you kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your servant Hannah More to manifest your compassion and mercy to the poor and the persecuted: Grant to us, your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who give thanks for his righteous zeal may profit by his example; 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 PEACE

Monday

O God, the source of all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: Give to your servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Unless the Great Litany or the Eucharist is to follow, one of the following prayers for mission is added. If the Great Litany is used, it follows here, or after a hymn or anthem, and concludes the Office.

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, women, and children everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Before the close of the Office one or both of the following prayers may be used.

Officiant and People

Almighty 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.

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: 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.

The Officiant says one of these concluding sentences (and the People may be invited to join)

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