Evening Prayer

Ordinary Time
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Confession of Sin
Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our 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

Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
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

Venite
The Antiphon:

ⓘ   A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 78

⁽¹⁾ Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ⁽²⁾ I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, ⁽³⁾ Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. ⁽⁴⁾ We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

⁽⁵⁾ For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; ⁽⁶⁾ That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, ⁽⁷⁾ That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; ⁽⁸⁾ And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

⁽⁹⁾ The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle. ⁽¹⁰⁾ They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, ⁽¹¹⁾ And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them. ⁽¹²⁾ Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

⁽¹³⁾ He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And He made the waters stand up like a heap. ⁽¹⁴⁾ In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire. ⁽¹⁵⁾ He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths. ⁽¹⁶⁾ He also brought streams out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.

⁽¹⁷⁾ But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness. ⁽¹⁸⁾ And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Yes, they spoke against God: They said, 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? ⁽²⁰⁾ Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?'

⁽²¹⁾ Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel, ⁽²²⁾ Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. ⁽²³⁾ Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven, ⁽²⁴⁾ Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

⁽²⁵⁾ Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full. ⁽²⁶⁾ He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind. ⁽²⁷⁾ He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas; ⁽²⁸⁾ And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings.

⁽²⁹⁾ So they ate and were well filled, For He gave them their own desire. ⁽³⁰⁾ They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths, ⁽³¹⁾ The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel. ⁽³²⁾ In spite of this they still sinned, AND did not believe in His wondrous works.

⁽³³⁾ Therefore their days He consumed in futility, And their years in fear. ⁽³⁴⁾ When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God. ⁽³⁵⁾ Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. ⁽³⁶⁾ Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;

⁽³⁷⁾ For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant. ⁽³⁸⁾ But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; ⁽³⁹⁾ For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.

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.

2 Samuel Chapter 7

⁽¹⁸⁾ Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: 'Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? ⁽¹⁹⁾ And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? ⁽²⁰⁾ Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. ⁽²¹⁾ For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.

⁽²²⁾ Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ⁽²³⁾ And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name -- and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land -- before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? ⁽²⁴⁾ For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. ⁽²⁵⁾ Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.

⁽²⁶⁾ So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. ⁽²⁷⁾ For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You. ⁽²⁸⁾ And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. ⁽²⁹⁾ Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 18

⁽¹²⁾ When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, ⁽¹³⁾ saying, 'This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.' ⁽¹⁴⁾ And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. ⁽¹⁵⁾ But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.'

⁽¹⁶⁾ And he drove them from the judgment seat. ⁽¹⁷⁾ Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things. ⁽¹⁸⁾ So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. ⁽¹⁹⁾ And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

⁽²⁰⁾ When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, ⁽²¹⁾ but took leave of them, saying, 'I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus. ⁽²²⁾ And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. ⁽²³⁾ After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

⁽²⁴⁾ Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. ⁽²⁵⁾ This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. ⁽²⁶⁾ So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. ⁽²⁷⁾ And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

⁽²⁸⁾ for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 8

⁽²²⁾ Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. ⁽²³⁾ So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. ⁽²⁴⁾ And he looked up and said, 'I see men like trees, walking.' ⁽²⁵⁾ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

⁽²⁶⁾ Then He sent him away to his house, saying, 'Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.' ⁽²⁷⁾ Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, 'Who do men say that I am?' ⁽²⁸⁾ So they answered, 'John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.' ⁽²⁹⁾ He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered and said to Him, 'You are the Christ.'

⁽³⁰⁾ Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. ⁽³¹⁾ And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ⁽³²⁾ He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ⁽³³⁾ But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

A Song to the Lamb       Revelation 4:11, 5:9 to 10, 13

Splendor and honor and kingly power
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is,
and by your will they were created
  and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain,
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation,
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne,
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor,
forever and forevermore.

The Song of Zechariah Luke 1: 68 to 79

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;
we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple;
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim;
we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths;
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.



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 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

The Lord's Prayer   Traditional
Suffrages A

Seasonal Collect:   Proper 13 The Sunday closest to August 3
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others. When you lack the words


Closing Prayers   Thanksgiving

Conclude with the following
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