MDI Evening Prayer
Thursday June 11 5:00 p.m. Order of Service
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.
Psalm 16:7,8 Jesus said, "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 O God, make speed to save us. People: 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 Phos hilaron 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. Psalm 146 1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul! * I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, * for there is no help in them. 3 When they breathe their last, they return to earth, * and in that day their thoughts perish. 4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! * whose hope is in the Lord their God; 5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; * who keeps his promise for ever; 6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, * and food to those who hunger. 7 The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; * the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; 8 The Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger; * he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked. 9 The Lord shall reign for ever, * your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah! A Reading from Deuteronomy Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, 11:26-28 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. . . . .See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, to follow other gods that you have not known. Here ends the reading. The Song of Mary Magnificat Luke 1:46-55 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. A reading from the Book of Acts Acts 4:32-37
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means 'son of encouragement'). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. Here ends the reading.
The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis Luke 2:29-32
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 Reflections: "Hear, O Israel" Listening is an art, especially these days when we have so many competing visual stimuli. If you have taken a moment this week to intentionally take five minutes of quiet in which you did not do anything except pay attention to the sounds of the world about you, what did you hear? What was the quality of the sound you heard? How did it make you feel? Did it make any connection for you? Were you able to connect with God's holy creation through your ears? Were you able to connect with God through any sound you heard? What might God have said to you in the sound? In the silence? We have a time of sharing, ending with Pastor Jenny's reflections on St. Barnabas, whose feast day this is.
The Prayers Officiant The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Officiant 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. 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 by your Holy Spirit. Collect of the Day Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well-being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen. Collect in time of conflict O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. A Collect for the Presence of Christ Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and in the community of your faithful servants. Grant this for the sake of your love.
Amen. Intercessions 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. Then may be said 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
