Evening Prayer

Today is the Twelfth day of Christmas
Behold, the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3

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.

Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

The Lessons

Psalm 2

⁽¹⁾ Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? ⁽²⁾ The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ⁽³⁾ Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.' ⁽⁴⁾ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision.

⁽⁵⁾ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: ⁽⁶⁾ Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.' ⁽⁷⁾ I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ⁽⁸⁾ Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

⁽⁹⁾ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' ' ⁽¹⁰⁾ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. ⁽¹¹⁾ Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. ⁽¹²⁾ Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in 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 forever. Amen.

Psalm 110

⁽¹⁾ The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.' ⁽²⁾ The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! ⁽³⁾ Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. ⁽⁴⁾ The LORD has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'

⁽⁵⁾ The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. ⁽⁶⁾ He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. ⁽⁷⁾ He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.

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.

Jonah Chapter 2

⁽²⁾ And he said: 'I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. 'Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. ⁽³⁾ For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. ⁽⁴⁾ Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' ⁽⁵⁾ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.

⁽⁶⁾ I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. ⁽⁷⁾ When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. ⁽⁸⁾ Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. ⁽⁹⁾ But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Ephesians Chapter 6

⁽¹⁰⁾ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ⁽¹¹⁾ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ⁽¹²⁾ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ⁽¹³⁾ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ⁽¹⁵⁾ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ⁽¹⁶⁾ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ⁽¹⁷⁾ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

⁽¹⁸⁾ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints -- ⁽¹⁹⁾ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ⁽²⁰⁾ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 11

⁽¹⁷⁾ So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ⁽¹⁹⁾ And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. ⁽²⁰⁾ Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

⁽²¹⁾ Then Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ⁽²²⁾ But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.' ⁽²³⁾ Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' ⁽²⁴⁾ Martha said to Him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'

⁽²⁵⁾ Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ⁽²⁶⁾ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?' ⁽²⁷⁾ She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.' ⁽³⁸⁾ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ⁽³⁹⁾ Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.' ⁽⁴⁰⁾ Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?' ⁽⁴¹⁾ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

⁽⁴²⁾ And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.' ⁽⁴³⁾ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' ⁽⁴⁴⁾ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The First Song of Isaiah       Isaiah 12:2 to 6
 
Surely, it is God who saves me;
  I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold
and my sure defense,
  and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
  from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say,
  Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples;
  see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord,
for he has done great things,
  and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,
  for the great one in the midst of you is 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 forever. Amen.


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:  First Sunday after Christmas Day
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14