Tuesday after First Epiphany
Evening Prayer
January 11, 2022
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Evening Prayer
Enriching Our Worship 1 and Book of Common Prayer
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
[Isaiah 60:3; BCP, p. 76]
Confession & Absolution
[EOW1, pp. 19-20]
Let us confess our sins to God.
Silence may be kept.
God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.
A Bishop or Priest says:
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
[OR, a Deacon or Lay Person says:]
[Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.]
The Invitatory and Psalter
[EOW1, p. 20]
V: O God, be not far from us. R: Come quickly to help us, O God.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
O Gracious Light (Phos hilaron)
[BCP, p. 118]
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.
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
Psalm 10
[BCP, p. 594]
1 Why do you stand so far off, O LORD, *
and hide yourself in time of trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly persecute the poor, *
but they are trapped in the schemes they have devised.
3 The wicked boast of their heart's desire; *
the covetous curse and revile the LORD.
4 The wicked are so proud that they care not for God; *
their only thought is, "God does not matter."
5 Their ways are devious at all times; your judgments are far above out of their sight; *
they defy all their enemies.
6 They say in their heart, "I shall not be shaken; *
no harm shall happen to me ever."
7 Their mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; *
under their tongue are mischief and wrong.
8 They lurk in ambush in public squares and in secret places they murder the innocent; *
they spy out the helpless.
9 They lie in wait, like a lion in a covert; they lie in wait to seize upon the lowly; *
they seize the lowly and drag them away in their net.
10 The innocent are broken and humbled before them; *
the helpless fall before their power.
11 They say in their heart, "God has forgotten; *
he hides his face; he will never notice."
12 Rise up, O LORD; lift up your hand, O God; *
do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why should the wicked revile God? *
why should they say in their heart, "You do not care"?
14 Surely, you behold trouble and misery; *
you see it and take it into your own hand.
15 The helpless commit themselves to you, *
for you are the helper of orphans.
16 Break the power of the wicked and evil; *
search out their wickedness until you find none.
17 The LORD is King for ever and ever; *
the ungodly shall perish from his land.
18 The LORD will hear the desire of the humble; *
you will strengthen their heart and your ears shall hear;
19 To give justice to the orphan and oppressed, *
so that mere mortals may strike terror no more.
Psalm 11
[BCP, p. 596]
1 In the LORD have I taken refuge; *
how then can you say to me, "Fly away like a bird to the hilltop;
2 For see how the wicked bend the bow and fit their arrows to the string, *
to shoot from ambush at the true of heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, *
what can the righteous do?"
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; *
the LORD'S throne is in heaven.
5 His eyes behold the inhabited world; *
his piercing eye weighs our worth.
6 The LORD weighs the righteous as well as the wicked, *
but those who delight in violence he abhors.
7 Upon the wicked he shall rain coals of fire and burning sulphur; *
a scorching wind shall be their lot.
8 For the LORD is righteous; he delights in righteous deeds; *
and the just shall see his face.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, One God: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
A Reading from John (1:19-28)
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people.
Thanks be to God.
Canticle D: A Song of the Wilderness
[EOW1, p. 32; Isaiah 35:1-7, 10]
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
A Reading from Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018
January 10: William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, d. 1645 [p. 37]
William Laud was born in 1573 and became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, having been Charles I’s principal ecclesiastical adviser for several years before. He was the most prominent of a new generation of church leaders who disliked many of the more Protestant ritual practices that had developed during the reign of Elizabeth I, and who were bitterly opposed by the Puritans.
Laud believed that the Church of England was in direct continuity with the medieval church, and he stressed the unity of church and state, exalting the role of the monarch as the supreme governor of the church. He emphasized the centrality of the priesthood and the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, and he caused consternation by insisting on reverencing the altar, returning it to its pre-Reformation position against the eastern wall of the church and hedging it about with rails.
As head of the courts of High Commission and Star Chamber, Laud was abhorred for the harsh sentencing of prominent Puritans. His identification with the unpopular policies of King Charles, his support of the war against Scotland in 1640, and his efforts to make the church independent of Parliament all made him widely disliked. He was impeached for treason by the Long Parliament in 1640, and finally beheaded on January 10th, 1645.
Laud’s reputation has remained controversial to this day. Honored as a martyr and condemned as an intolerant bigot, he was compassionate in his defense of the rights of the common people against the landowners. He was honest, devout, and loyal to the king and to the rights and privileges of the Church of England. He tried to reform and protect the church in accordance with his sincere convictions. But in many ways he was out of step with the views of the majority of people in his day, especially about the “Divine Right of Kings.”
Laud made a noble end, praying on the scaffold: “The Lord receive my soul and have mercy upon me, and bless this kingdom with peace and charity, that there may not be this effusion of Christian blood amongst them.”
Canticle P: A Song of the Spirit
[EOW1, p. 38; Revelation 22:12-17]
“Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord,
“and bringing my reward with me, *
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, *
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, *
and may enter the city through the gates.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, *
with this testimony for all the churches.
“I am the root and the offspring of David, *
I am the bright morning star.”
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride; *
“Come!” let each hearer reply!
Come forward, you who are thirsty, *
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.
Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed
[EOW1, p. 41]
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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
[EOW1, p. 42; BCP, p. 121]
V: God be with you. R: And also with you. 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.
Suffrages B
[BCP, p. 122]
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of [________ and] all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.
Collect of the Day: First Sunday After the Epiphany - The Baptism of Our Lord
[BCP, 214]
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Collect of the Day: William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, d. 1645
[Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 38]
Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness; that, like your servant William Laud, we may live in your fear, die in your favor, and rest in your peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Aid Against Perils
[BCP, p. 123]
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer for Mission
[BCP, p. 124]
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 and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Offer your own intercessions and thanksgivings.
One or both of the following prayers may be used:
The General Thanksgiving
[BCP, p. 125]
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.
AND/OR
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
[BCP, p. 126]
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 Dismissal
[BCP, p. 126]
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. [Romans 15:13]
Credits: This service is drawn from The Book of Common Prayer (1979), Enriching Our Worship 1 (1997), and other liturgical resources of The Episcopal Church and the scriptures are reprinted from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bibl