Second Week of Advent, Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer

Advent

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.

All   O Lord, make haste to help us.

Reveal among us the light of your presence

All   that we may behold your power and glory.

the following is said:

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,

creator of light and darkness,

to you be glory and praise for ever.

As evening falls, you renew your promise

to reveal among us the light of your presence.

May your word be a lantern to our feet

and a light upon our path

that we may behold your coming among us.

Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness

and free our tongues to sing your praise.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

All   Blessed be God for ever.

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.

All   Amen.

The Word of God

The appointed psalmody is said.

psalm may end with

All   Glory 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.

Canticle

All   Surely I am coming soon.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

1    ‘Behold, I am coming soon’, says the Lord,

‘and bringing my reward with me,  ♦

to give to everyone according to their deeds.

2    ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,  ♦

the beginning and the end.’

3    Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,

that they may have the right to the tree of life,  ♦

and may enter into the city through the gates.

4    ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you,  ♦

with this testimony for all the churches.

5    ‘I am the root and the offspring of David,  ♦

I am the bright morning star.’

6    ‘Come!’ say the Spirit and the Bride;  ♦

‘Come!’ let each hearer reply.

7    Come forward, you who are thirsty,  ♦

let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.

Revelation 22.12–14,16,17

All   To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb  ♦

be blessing and honour and glory and might,

for ever and ever. Amen.

All   Surely I am coming soon.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Scripture Reading

The reading may be followed by a time of silence.

This may follow

My soul is waiting for you, O Lord:

in your word is my hope.

All   My soul is waiting for you, O Lord:

in your word is my hope.

There is forgiveness with you,

so that you shall be feared.

All   In your word is my hope.

Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit.

All   My soul is waiting for you, O Lord:

in your word is my hope.

from Psalm 130

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat is normally said,

From the First Sunday of Advent until 16 December:

Refrain:

All   Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come,

the one whom we await with longing hearts.

From 17 December until 23 December,

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from one end to the other mightily,

and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Then is said.

1    My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;  ♦

he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2    From this day all generations will call me blessed;  ♦

the Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his name.

3    He has mercy on those who fear him,  ♦

from generation to generation.

4    He has shown strength with his arm  ♦

and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5    Casting down the mighty from their thrones  ♦

and lifting up the lowly.

6    He has filled the hungry with good things  ♦

and sent the rich away empty.

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

to remember his promise of mercy,

8    The promise made to our ancestors,  ♦

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

All   Glory 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.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

Silence may be kept.

The following is said

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

All   Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Awaiting his coming in glory,

let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

All   Our Father, who art in heaven …

The Conclusion

May the Lord, when he comes,

find us watching and waiting.

All   Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

All   Thanks be to God.