The Preparation:
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God, King of the nations, to you be praise and glory for ever! [From the rising of the sun to its setting your name is proclaimed in all the world.] As the Sun of Righteousness dawns in our hearts, anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit that we may witness to your gospel and sing your praise in all the world,
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever.
God in Christ has revealed his glory: O come, let us worship.
Opening Canticle: A Song of God’s Blessing (From Psalm 67)
May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. The earth has brought forth her increase; may God, our own God, give us his blessing. May God give us his blessing,* and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
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 Opening Prayer
The night has passed and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind:
(Silence may be kept)
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God:The Psalmody
The appointed psalmody is said.
Psalm 26
Give judgment for me, O Lord,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.
For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.
I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,
Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
Lord, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.
Do not sweep me away with sinners, *
nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
Whose hands are full of evil plots, *
and their right hand full of bribes.
As for me, I will live with integrity; *
redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.
My foot stands on level ground; *
in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.
Psalm 28
O Lord, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *
when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.
Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, *
who speak peaceably with their neighbors,
while strife is in their hearts.
Repay them according to their deeds, *
and according to the wickedness of their actions.
According to the work of their hands repay them, *
and give them their just deserts.
They have no understanding of the Lord’s doings,
nor of the works of his hands; *
therefore he will break them down and not build them up.
Blessed is the Lord! *
for he has heard the voice of my prayer.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; *
my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;
Therefore my heart dances for joy, *
and in my song will I praise him.
The Lord is the strength of his people, *
a safe refuge for his anointed.
Save your people and bless your inheritance; *
shepherd them and carry them 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 First Lesson:
Prov. 30:1-4,24-33
The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail? Surely I am too stupid to be human; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is the person's name? And what is the name of the person's child? Surely you know! Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces. Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their gait: the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals and does not turn back before any; the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people. If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. For as pressing milk produces curds, and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing anger produces strife.
Canticle 2: A Song of the New Jerusalem (From Isaiah 60)
Nations will come to your light,* and kings to your dawning brightness.
Arise, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising upon you. Though night still covers the earth, and darkness the peoples; Above you the Holy One arises, and above you God’s glory appears. The nations will come to your light, and kings to your dawning brightness. Your gates will lie open continually; shut neither by day nor by night. The sound of violence shall be heard no longer in your land, or ruin and devastation within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, and your gates, Praise. No more will the sun give you daylight, nor moonlight shine upon you; But the Lord will be your everlasting light, your God will be your splendor. For you shall be called the city of God, the dwelling of the Holy One of 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 for ever. Amen.
Nations will come to your light,* and kings to your dawning brightness.
The Second Lesson:
Philippians 3:1-11
Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a safeguard. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh-- even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Gospel Canticle: The Song of Zechariah (Luke 1: 68-79)
This is the Christ, the Chosen of God,* the one who will bring healing to the nations.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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.
This is the Christ, the Chosen of God,* the one who will bring healing to the nations.
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
From the rising of the sun to its setting, let us pray to the Lord.
That the people of God in all the world may worship in spirit and in truth, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That the Church may discover again that unity which is your gift, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That the nations of the earth may seek after the ways that make for peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That the whole creation, groaning in travail, may be set free to enjoy the glorious liberty of the children of God, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That all who with Christ have entered the shadow of death may find the fulfillment of life and peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
With all the saints in light, let us offer eternal praise to the Lord made manifest:
Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for others.
Silence may be kept.
The Collect:
The collect of the day or the following may be used:
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Let us pray for the unity of all peoples on earth, in the words our Savior has taught us:
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Conclusion
May Christ, the Son of God, gladden our hearts with the good news of his Kingdom. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
The Preparation:
O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
From the rising of the sun to its setting Your glory is proclaimed in all the world.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God of all, to you be glory and praise for ever! From the rising of the sun to its setting your glory is proclaimed in all the world. You gave the Christ as a light to the nations, and through the anointing of his Spirit you established us as a royal priesthood. As you call us into his marvelous light, may our lives bear witness to your truth and our lips never cease to proclaim your praise,
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God for ever.
Opening Canticle: A Song of God’s Splendor (From Psalm 96)
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the whole earth. Sing to the Lord and bless his name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples. O the majesty and magnificence of his presence! O the power and the splendor of his sanctuary! Ascribe to the Lord the honor due to his name; bring offerings and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. Tell it out among the nations: ‘The Lord is king!’* he will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.
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 Opening Prayer
As you call us into your marvelous light, O God, may our lives bear witness to your truth and our lips never cease to proclaim your praise, now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God:The Psalmody
The appointed psalmody is said.
Psalm 36
There is a voice of rebellion deep in the heart of the wicked; *
there is no fear of God before his eyes.
He flatters himself in his own eyes *
that his hateful sin will not be found out.
The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; *
he has left off acting wisely and doing good.
He thinks up wickedness upon his bed
and has set himself in no good way; *
he does not abhor that which is evil.
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, *
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the strong mountains,
your justice like the great deep; *
you save both man and beast, O Lord.
How priceless is your love, O God! *
your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
They feast upon the abundance of your house; *
you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the well of life, *
and in your light we see light.
Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, *
and your favor to those who are true of heart.
Let not the foot of the proud come near me, *
nor the hand of the wicked push me aside.
See how they are fallen, those who work wickedness! *
they are cast down and shall not be able to rise.
Psalm 39
I said, “I will keep watch upon my ways, *
so that I do not offend with my tongue.
I will put a muzzle on my mouth *
while the wicked are in my presence.”
So I held my tongue and said nothing; *
I refrained from rash words;
but my pain became unbearable.
My heart was hot within me;
while I pondered, the fire burst into flame; *
I spoke out with my tongue:
Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, *
so that I may know how short my life is.
You have given me a mere handful of days,
and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; *
truly, even those who stand erect are but a puff of wind.
We walk about like a shadow,
and in vain we are in turmoil; *
we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
And now, what is my hope? *
O Lord, my hope is in you.
Deliver me from all my transgressions *
and do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I fell silent and did not open my mouth, *
for surely it was you that did it.
Take your affliction from me; *
I am worn down by the blows of your hand.
With rebukes for sin you punish us;
like a moth you eat away all that is dear to us; *
truly, everyone is but a puff of wind.
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry; *
hold not your peace at my tears.
For I am but a sojourner with you, *
a wayfarer, as all my forebears were.
Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again, *
before I go my way and am no more.
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.
Canticle 2: A Song of Christ’s Appearing (from 1 Tim 3 & 6)
Christ was believed in throughout the world* and taken up in glory.
Christ Jesus was revealed in the flesh and vindicated in the spirit. He was seen by angels and proclaimed among the nations. Believed in throughout the world, he was taken up in glory. This will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, Who alone has immortality,* and dwells in unapproachable light.
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.
Christ was believed in throughout the world* and taken up in glory.
The First Lesson:
If there are two Scripture Readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the second canticle.
John 18:28-38
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered, "If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death." (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no case against him.
Gospel Canticle: The Song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55)
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold,* my chosen, in whom my soul delights; the anointed one on whom my Spirit rests.
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.
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold,* my chosen, in whom my soul delights; the anointed one on whom my Spirit rests.
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
A Litany for the Evening
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful: We pray to you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in the paths of peace and goodwill: We pray to you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses: We pray to you, O Lord.
That there may be peace in your Church and for the whole world: We pray to you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit, in communion with (N. and with) all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ: We pray to you, O Lord.
Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for others. Silence may be kept.
The Collect:
The collect of the day or the following may be used:
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Let us pray for the unity of all peoples on earth, in the words our Savior has taught us:
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Conclusion
May Christ, the Son of God, gladden our hearts with the good news of his Kingdom. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
