Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer
from All Saints’ Day until
the day before the First Sunday of Advent
Saturday, 23 November 2024
Clement, Bishop of Rome, Martyr, c.100 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

Your faithful servants bless you.
AllThey make known the glory of your kingdom. Alleluia.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

this or another prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
our light and our salvation,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
Now, as darkness is falling,
wash away our transgressions,
cleanse us by your refining fire
and make us temples of your Holy Spirit.
By the light of Christ,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
and make us ready to enter your kingdom,
where songs of praise for ever sound.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

A Song of Tobit (page 596), the following or another suitable hymn

Give me the wings of faith to rise
within the veil, and see
the saints above, how great their joys,
how bright their glories be.

Once they were mourning here below,
and wet their couch with tears;
they wrestled hard, as we do now,
with sins and doubts and fears.

I ask them whence their victory came:
they, with united breath,
ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
their triumph to his death.

They marked the footsteps that he trod,
his zeal inspired their breast,
and, following their incarnate God,
possess the promised rest.

Our glorious Leader claims our praise
for his own pattern given;
while the long cloud of witnesses
show the same path to heaven.

Isaac Watts
(Tune: CM)

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 78.40-end

Refrain: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.

40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness ♦
and grieved him in the desert!

41 Again and again they tempted God ♦
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42 They did not remember his power ♦
in the day when he redeemed them from the enemy;

43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt ♦
and his wonders in the field of Zoan. R

44 He turned their rivers into blood, ♦
so that they could not drink of their streams.

45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, ♦
and frogs which brought them ruin.

46 He gave their produce to the caterpillar, ♦
the fruit of their toil to the locust.

47 He destroyed their vines with hailstones ♦
and their sycamore trees with the frost. R

48 He delivered their cattle to hailstones ♦
and their flocks to thunderbolts.

49 He set loose on them his blazing anger: ♦
fury, displeasure and trouble,
a troop of destroying angels.

50 He made a way for his anger
and spared not their souls from death, ♦
but gave their life over to the pestilence.

51 He smote the firstborn of Egypt, ♦
the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham. R

52 But he led out his people like sheep ♦
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53 He led them to safety and they were not afraid, ♦
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 He brought them to his holy place, ♦
the mountain which his right hand took in possession.

55 He drove out the nations before them
and shared out to them their inheritance; ♦
he settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. R

56 Yet still they tested God Most High
and rebelled against him, ♦
and would not keep his commandments.

57 They turned back and fell away like their forebears, ♦
starting aside like an unstrung bow.

58 They grieved him with their hill altars ♦
and provoked him to displeasure with their idols.

59 God heard and was greatly angered, ♦
and utterly rejected Israel. R

60 He forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, ♦
the tent of his presence on earth.

61 He gave the ark of his strength into captivity, ♦
his splendour into the adversary’s hand.

62 He delivered his people to the sword ♦
and raged against his inheritance.

63 The fire consumed their young men; ♦
there was no one to lament their maidens.

64 Their priests fell by the sword, ♦
and their widows made no lamentation. R

65 Then the Lord woke as out of sleep, ♦
like a warrior who had been overcome with wine.

66 He struck his enemies from behind ♦
and put them to perpetual shame.

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph ♦
and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,

68 But he chose the tribe of Judah ♦
and the hill of Zion, which he loved. R

69 And there he built his sanctuary like the heights of heaven, ♦
like the earth which he founded for ever.

70 He chose David also, his servant, ♦
and took him away from the sheepfolds.

71 From following the ewes with their lambs he took him, ♦
that he might shepherd Jacob his people
and Israel his inheritance.

72 So he shepherded them with a devoted heart ♦
and with skilful hands he guided them.

Refrain: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.

God our shepherd,
in all our wanderings and temptations,
teach us to rest in your mercy
and trust in your defence;
through him who laid down his life for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Isaiah 13.1-13

The oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw.

On a bare hill raise a signal,
   cry aloud to them;
wave the hand for them to enter
   the gates of the nobles.
I myself have commanded my consecrated ones,
   have summoned my warriors, my proudly exulting ones,
   to execute my anger.

Listen, a tumult on the mountains
   as of a great multitude!
Listen, an uproar of kingdoms,
   of nations gathering together!
The Lord of hosts is mustering
   an army for battle.
They come from a distant land,
   from the end of the heavens,
the Lord and the weapons of his indignation,
   to destroy the whole earth.

Wail, for the day of the Lord is near;
   it will come like destruction from the Almighty!
Therefore all hands will be feeble,
   and every human heart will fail,
   and they will be dismayed.
Pangs and agony will seize them;
   they will be in anguish like a woman in labour.
They will look aghast at one another;
   their faces will be aflame.
See, the day of the Lord comes,
   cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,
to make the earth a desolation,
   and to destroy its sinners from it.
For the stars of the heavens and their constellations
   will not give their light;
the sun will be dark at its rising,
   and the moon will not shed its light.
I will punish the world for its evil,
   and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,
   and lay low the insolence of tyrants.
I will make mortals more rare than fine gold,
   and humans than the gold of Ophir.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,
   and the earth will be shaken out of its place,
at the wrath of the Lord of hosts
   on the day of his fierce anger.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Assembled, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 70 (page 628) or number 73 (page 631), may be said

Refrain:

AllWe have come before the throne of God
to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Alleluia.

1We have come before God’s holy mountain, ♦
to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.

2We have come before countless angels making festival, ♦
before the assembly of the firstborn citizens of heaven.

3We have come before God, who is judge of all, ♦
before the spirits of the just made perfect.

4We have come before Jesus, ♦
the mediator of the new covenant.

5We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken: ♦
so let us give thanks and offer to God acceptable worship,

6Full of reverence and awe; ♦
for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12.22-24a, 28, 29

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllWe have come before the throne of God
to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Matthew 9.1-17

After getting into a boat Jesus crossed the water and came to his own town. And just then some people were carrying a paralysed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ Then some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he then said to the paralytic—‘Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.’ And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.’

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.

from Psalm 73

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of the Simeon) (page 613) may be said

Refrain:

All Those who gave up their lives for Christ and followed in the Way
rejoice with God now and for ever. Alleluia.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

All Those who gave up their lives for Christ and followed in the Way
rejoice with God now and for ever. Alleluia.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 364–365

¶ The saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven
¶ All people, that they may hear and believe the word of God
¶ All who fear the winter months
¶ All sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ
¶ All who grieve or wait with the dying

A form of prayer found on page 384 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
      that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2021.