Tuesday in the Week of 1st Epiphany
Evening Prayer
January 12, 2021
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Evening Prayer, Rite II
[BCP, p. 116]
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ
[Philippians 1:2; BCP, p. 115]
Confession of Sin
[BCP, p. 116]
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.
The Officiant says the following (a Priest substitutes "you" for "us")
Almighty God have mercy on [us], forgive [us] all your 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.
The Invitatory and Psalter
[BCP, p. 117]
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 forever. Amen.
Alleluia!
O Gracious Light
[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.
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 Lessons
A reading from Mark (1:14-28)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching-- with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Song of Mary
[BCP, p. 119; 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 Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018
January 12: Aelred of Rievaulx, Monastic and Theologian, d. 1167 (p. 39)]
Aelred was born in 1109, into a family who had long been the treasurers of the shrine of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne at Durham Cathedral. While still a youth, he was sent for education in upper-class life to the court of King David of Scotland, son of Queen Margaret. The king’s stepsons, Simon and Waldef, were his models and intimate friends. But after intense disillusionment and inner struggle, Aelred went to Yorkshire, where he became a Cistercian monk at the abbey of Rievaulx in 1133.
Aelred soon became a major figure in English church life. Sent to Rome on diocesan affairs by Archbishop William of York, he returned by way of Clairvaux. Here he made a deep impression on Bernard, who encouraged the young monk to write his first work, The Mirror of Charity, on Christian perfection. In 1143, Aelred led the founding of a new Cistercian house at Revesby. Four years later, he was appointed abbot of Rievaulx. By the time of his death in 1167, the abbey had more than 600 monks, including Aelred’s biographer and friend, Walter Daniel. During this period, Aelred wrote his best-known work, Spiritual Friendship.
Friendship, Aelred teaches, is both a gift from God and a creation of human effort. While love should be universal and freely given to all, friendship is a particular love between individuals, of which the example is Jesus and John the Beloved Disciple. As abbot, Aelred allowed his monks to hold hands and give other expressions of friendship. In the spirit of Anselm of Canterbury and Bernard of Clairvaux, Aelred writes:
“There are four qualities that characterize a friend: Loyalty, right intention, discretion, and patience. Right intention seeks for nothing other than God and natural good. Discretion brings understanding of what is done on a friend’s behalf, and ability to know when to correct faults. Patience enables one to be justly rebuked, or to bear adversity on another’s behalf. Loyalty guards and protects friendship, in good or bitter times.”
Aelred died in the year 1167.
The Song of Simeon
[BCP, p. 120; 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 forever. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed
[BCP, p. 120]
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
[BCP, p. 121]
V: The Lord 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 Blessed Mary the Bearer of God, Blessed Matthew our patron, Blessed Aelred whom we commemorate today, and all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
Collect of the Day: 1st Sunday after the Epiphany
[BCP, p. 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: Aelred of Rievaulx, Monastic and Theologian, d. 1167
[Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018, p. 39]
Grant to your people, Almighty God, a spirit of mutual affection; that, following the example of your servant Aelred of Rivaulx, we might know the love of Christ in loving one another; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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]
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.
Offer your own intercessions and thanksgivings.
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.
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) and other liturgical resources of The Episcopal Church and the scriptures are reprinted from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.