Lenten Evening Prayer

evening Prayer for Lent

From Ash Wednesday to the Fifth Sunday of Lent

The Gathering of the Community

Introductory Responses

Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

A light no darkness can extinguish.

Or

Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Then the Thanksgiving for the Light may be said or sung.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, the shepherd of Israel,

their pillar of cloud by day, their pillar of fire by night.

In these forty days you lead us into the desert of repentance

that in this pilgrimage of prayer we might learn to be your people once more.

In fasting and service you bring us back to your heart.

You open our eyes to your presence in the world

and you free our hands to lead others to the radiant splendour of your mercy.

Be with us in the journey days for without you we are lost and will perish.

To you alone be dominion and glory, for ever and ever.  Amen. [i]

Evening Prayer continues with the Psalm of the Day.

The Proclamation of the Word of God

The Psalm

A Psalm from the Daily Office Lectionary, the Weekday Eucharistic Lectionary or the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings is said or sung.  The following short list of Psalms may be used. 

Sundays           Psalm 86

Mondays          Psalm 34

Tuesdays          Psalm 138

Wednesdays     Psalm 79

Thursdays        Psalm 50

Fridays             Psalm 130

Saturdays         Psalm 81

After the Psalm, Evening Prayer continues with the Reading.

The Reading

A Reading from the Daily Office Lectionary, the Weekday Eucharistic Lectionary or the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings is said or sung.  The following short list of Readings may be used.

Sundays           Luke 9.18-25

Mondays          Matthew 9.14-17

Tuesdays          Luke 5.27-32

Wednesdays     Matthew 6.7-15

Thursdays        Luke 11.29-32

Fridays             Matthew 7.7-12

Saturdays         Matthew 5.43-48

After a period of silent reflection one of the following may be said.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Or

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Thanks be to God.

Or

Holy Word, Holy Wisdom.

Thanks be to God.

After the Reading, Evening Prayer continues the Responsory or the Canticle or both.  If two Readings are read, then the Responsory follows the first Reading and the Canticle the second.

The Responsory

The Responsory is said or sung.

Forsake me not, O Lord;

be not far from me, O my God.

Forsake me not, O Lord;

be not far from me, O my God.

Make haste to help me,

O Lord of my salvation.

Be not far from me, O my God.

Remember your compassion and love,

for they are from everlasting.

Be not far from me, O my God.

Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit.

Forsake me not, O Lord;

be not far from me, O my God. [iv]

Evening Prayer continues [with the second Reading or] the Canticle or an Affirmation of Faith.

The Canticle

‘The Song of Mary’ or one of the seasonal canticles, ‘The Song of Christ’s Glory’ or ‘A Song of the Wilderness’, may be said or sung.

The Song of Mary (Luke 1.46-55)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

            my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for you, Lord, have looked with favour

            on your lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

            you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,

            and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you,

            from generation to generation.

You have shown strength with your arm

            and scattered the proud in their conceit,

casting down the mighty from their thrones

            and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things

            and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,

            to remember the promise of mercy,

the promise made to our forebears,

            to Abraham and his children for ever.

Or

The Song of Christ’s Glory (Philippians 2.5-11)

Christ Jesus was in the form of God, *

            but he did not cling to equality with God.

He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, *

            and was born in our human likeness.

Being found in human form he humbled himself, *

            and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him, *

            and bestowed on him the name above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, *

            in heaven and on earth and under the earth;

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, *

            to the glory of God the Father. [v]

Or

A Song of Repentance (1 John 1.5-9)

This is the message we have heard

from Christ and proclaim to you: *

            that God is light,

            in whom there is no darkness at all.

If we say that have fellowship with God

while we walk in darkness, *

            we lie and do not do what is true.

But if we walk in the light as God is in the light, *

            we have fellowship with one another.

And the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, *

            cleanses us from all our sins.

If we say we have no sin, *

            we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, *

            the One who is faithful and just will forgive us

            and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [vi]

Evening Prayer continues with an Affirmation of Faith or the Litany.

Affirmation of Faith

Either The Apostles’ Creed or the ‘Hear, O Israel’ may be said or sung.

The Apostles’ Creed

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. [vii]

Or

Hear, O Israel

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment.

The second is like it:

Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

Evening Prayer continues with the Litany.

The Prayers of the Community

The Litany

The Litany is said or sung.

Let us offer our prayers to God saying, “Shepherd of Israel, hear and have mercy.”

For the church, that all who have found and all who seek God’s promise in the waters of baptism may enter gladly into the testing time of Lent, Shepherd of Israel, hear and have mercy.

For our world, that all living creatures may find goodness on the earth, our home, Shepherd of Israel, hear and have mercy.

For deliverance, that in the wastelands made by our greed and indifference we may fast from evil and grow hungry for justice, Shepherd of Israel, hear and have mercy.

For the sick and needy, that we may care for them and remember those who are in any need or trouble, Shepherd of Israel, hear and have mercy. [viii]

Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.  After a period of silence either the Collect of the Day or one of the following Collects may be said or sung.

Lent 1

God of our salvation, your bow in the clouds proclaims your covenant with every living creature.  Teach us your paths and lead us in your truth, that by your Holy Spirit, we may remember our baptismal vows and be keepers of your trust with earth and its inhabitants.  Amen. [ix]

Lent 2

God of Sarah and Abraham, long ago you embraced your people in covenant and promised them your blessing.  Strengthen us in faith, that, with your disciples of every age, we may proclaim your deliverance in Jesus Christ to generations yet unborn.  Amen. [x]

Lent 3

God of infinite goodness, throughout the ages you have persevered in claiming and reclaiming your people.  Renew for us your call to repentance, surround us with witnesses to aid us on our journey, and grant us the time to fashion our lives anew, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen. [xi]

Lent 4

Eternal Lover of our wayward race, we praise you for your ever-open door.  You open your arms to accept us even before we turn to meet your welcome; you invite us to forgiveness even before our hearts are softened to repentance.  Hold before us the image of our humanity made new, that we may live in Jesus Christ, the model and the pioneer of your new creation.  Amen. [xii]

Evening Prayer continues with the Lord’s Prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Gathering our prayers and praises into one,

let us pray as our Saviour taught us,

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.

Evening Prayer continues with the Dismissal.

The Sending Forth of the Community

The Dismissal

Let us bless the Lord who forgives our sins.

Thanks be to God.

Evening Prayer may conclude with the following Sentence.

Look with your compassion upon us, O Lord, so that we may learn to know you more fully and to serve you with a more perfect will.  Amen. [xiii]

Note

All liturgical texts are taken from The Book of Alternative Services unless otherwise noted and may have been emended for more inclusive language.

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[i] From Praise God in Song (1979) as published in The Book of Alternative Service (1985), 64.

[ii] Common Worship:  Daily Prayer (2005), 67.

[iii] Common Worship:  Daily Prayer (2005), 67-69.

[iv] Common Worship:  Daily Prayer (2005), 241, 247 alt.

[v] Common Worship:  Daily Prayer (2005), 619.

[vi] Common Worship:  Daily Prayer (2005), 625.

[vii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 105.

[viii] Intercessions for the Christian People (1990), 93 alt.

[ix] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), 79.

[x] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), 81.

[xi] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), 83 alt.

[xii] Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), 85 alt.

[xiii] The Book of Occasional Services (2003), 26 alt.