Evening Prayer

Easter
On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

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


From Easter to Pentecost, Christ the Passover  can be used in place of the Venite or Jubilate.

Christ the Passover  1 Corinthians 5:7 to 8; Romans 6:9 to 11; 1 Corinthians 15:20 to 22
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us;
  therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil,
  but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;
  death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all;
  but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin,
  and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

  the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death,
  by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
  so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Venite
The Antiphon:

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

Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

The Lessons

Psalm 1

⁽¹⁾ Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ⁽²⁾ But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. ⁽³⁾ He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. ⁽⁴⁾ The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁽⁵⁾ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. ⁽⁶⁾ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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 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 3

⁽¹⁾ LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. ⁽²⁾ Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.' Selah ⁽³⁾ But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. ⁽⁴⁾ I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

⁽⁵⁾ I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. ⁽⁶⁾ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. ⁽⁷⁾ Arise, O LORD; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. ⁽⁸⁾ Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

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.

Daniel Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ⁽²⁾ And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. ⁽³⁾ Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, ⁽⁴⁾ young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

⁽⁵⁾ And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. ⁽⁶⁾ Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ⁽⁷⁾ To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. ⁽⁸⁾ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

⁽⁹⁾ Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. ⁽¹⁰⁾ And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, 'I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.' ⁽¹¹⁾ So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ⁽¹²⁾ Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

⁽¹³⁾ Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.' ⁽¹⁴⁾ So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. ⁽¹⁵⁾ And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

⁽¹⁷⁾ As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. ⁽²⁰⁾ And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.

⁽²¹⁾ Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

1 John Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life -- ⁽²⁾ the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- ⁽³⁾ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁽⁴⁾ And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

⁽⁵⁾ This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁽⁶⁾ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁽⁷⁾ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁽⁸⁾ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

⁽⁹⁾ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ⁽¹⁰⁾ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 17

⁽¹⁾ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ⁽²⁾ as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ⁽³⁾ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁽⁴⁾ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

⁽⁵⁾ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. ⁽⁶⁾ I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁽⁷⁾ Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. ⁽⁸⁾ For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

⁽⁹⁾ I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. ⁽¹⁰⁾ And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. ⁽¹¹⁾ Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The Song of the Redeemed       Revelation 15:3 to 4  
O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done,
  surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth,
 O King of all the ages.

Who can fail to do you homage, Lord,
and sing the praises of your Name?
  for you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near
and fall down before you,
  because your just and holy works have been revealed.
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 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:  Second Sunday of Easter
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; 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 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