Evening Prayer for Wednesday After the First Sunday After the Epiphany, January 13, 2021

(Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 367)

 The 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

Confession of Sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most 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.

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.

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 Psalm or Psalms Appointed

Psalm 12 Salvum me fac

  Help me, LORD, for there is no godly one left; *
the faithful have vanished from among us. 
  Everyone speaks falsely with his neighbor; *
with a smooth tongue they speak from a double heart. 
  Oh, that the LORD would cut off all smooth tongues, *
and close the lips that utter proud boasts! 
  Those who say, “With our tongue will we prevail; *
our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” 
  Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, *
I will rise up, says the LORD, and give them the help they long for. 
  The words of the LORD are pure words, *
like silver refined from ore and purified seven times in the fire. 
  O LORD, watch over us *
and save us from this generation for ever. 
  The wicked prowl on every side, *
and that which is worthless is highly prized by everyone. 

Psalm 13 Usquequo, Domine?

  How long, O LORD? will you forget me for ever? *
how long will you hide your face from me? 
  How long shall I have perplexity in my mind, and grief in my heart, day after day? *
how long shall my enemy triumph over me? 
  Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; *
give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; 
  Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him, ” *
and my foes rejoice that I have fallen. 
  But I put my trust in your mercy; *
my heart is joyful because of your saving help. 
  I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; *
I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High. 

Psalm 14 Dixit insipiens

  The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.” *
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts; there is none who does any good. 
  The LORD looks down from heaven upon us all, *
to see if there is any who is wise, if there is one who seeks after God. 
  Every one has proved faithless; all alike have turned bad; *
there is none who does good; no, not one. 
  Have they no knowledge, all those evildoers *
who eat up my people like bread and do not call upon the LORD? 
  See how they tremble with fear, *
because God is in the company of the righteous. 
  Their aim is to confound the plans of the afflicted, *
but the LORD is their refuge. 
  Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come out of Zion! *
when the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad. 

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 Lesson

A reading from Mark 1:29-45

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

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.

The Apostles’ Creed

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 Prayers

V: The Lord be with you.
R: And also with you.
Let us pray.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by 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 by your Holy Spirit

A Collect for the Day 

O Lord our God, you raised up your servant Hilary to be a champion of the catholic faith: Keep us steadfast in that true faith which we professed at our baptism, that we may rejoice in having you for our Father, and may abide in your Son, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Our Nation

Loving God, our country is in danger. May our constitution and the rule of law hold in the face of all assaults on our democratic institutions. We ask for a peaceful transition of power that will continue to be an inspiration throughout the world. Keep us from violence and give us hope. Amen.

A Prayer 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.

You may add your own intercessions and thanksgivings here, either silently or aloud.

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.

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

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

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