Evening Prayer - June 18, 2025

Today's Readings

Psalm 119:97-120

1 Samuel 2:12-26

Acts 2:1-21

Luke 20:27-40

Ordinary Time
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Phillipians 1:2

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

ⓘ 'Venite' is Latin for 'O Come,' the opening word of Psalm 95: Venite exultemus Domino ('O Come, let us sing to the LORD').

Psalm 95:1 to 7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
   let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
   and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth,
   and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
   and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee,
   and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
    Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

The Antiphon:

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

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 119

⁽⁹⁷⁾ Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.⁽⁹⁸⁾ You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me.⁽⁹⁹⁾ I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.

⁽¹⁰¹⁾ I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.⁽¹⁰²⁾ I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me.⁽¹⁰³⁾ How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!⁽¹⁰⁴⁾ Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

⁽¹⁰⁵⁾ Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.⁽¹⁰⁶⁾ I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.⁽¹⁰⁷⁾ I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.⁽¹⁰⁸⁾ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, And teach me Your judgments.

⁽¹⁰⁹⁾ My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.⁽¹¹⁰⁾ The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.⁽¹¹¹⁾ Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart.⁽¹¹²⁾ I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.

⁽¹¹³⁾ I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.⁽¹¹⁴⁾ You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.⁽¹¹⁵⁾ Depart from me, you evildoers, For I will keep the commandments of my God!⁽¹¹⁶⁾ Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.

⁽¹¹⁷⁾ Hold me up, and I shall be safe, And I shall observe Your statutes continually.⁽¹¹⁸⁾ You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood.⁽¹¹⁹⁾ You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross; Therefore I love Your testimonies.⁽¹²⁰⁾ My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.

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.

1 Samuel Chapter 2

⁽¹²⁾ Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.⁽¹³⁾ And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.⁽¹⁴⁾ Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.⁽¹⁵⁾ Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, 'Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.'

⁽¹⁶⁾ And if the man said to him, 'They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,' he would then answer him, 'No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.'⁽¹⁷⁾ Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.⁽¹⁸⁾ But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.⁽¹⁹⁾ Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

⁽²⁰⁾ And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, 'The LORD give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the LORD.' Then they would go to their own home.⁽²¹⁾ And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the LORD.⁽²²⁾ Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.⁽²³⁾ So he said to them, 'Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.

⁽²⁴⁾ No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the LORD's people transgress.⁽²⁵⁾ If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?' Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.⁽²⁶⁾ And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.⁽²⁾ And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.⁽³⁾ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.⁽⁴⁾ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁽⁵⁾ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.⁽⁶⁾ And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.⁽⁷⁾ Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?⁽⁸⁾ And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

⁽⁹⁾ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,⁽¹⁰⁾ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,⁽¹¹⁾ Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.'⁽¹²⁾ So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'Whatever could this mean?'

⁽¹³⁾ Others mocking said, 'They are full of new wine.'⁽¹⁴⁾ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, 'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.⁽¹⁵⁾ For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.⁽¹⁶⁾ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

⁽¹⁷⁾ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.⁽¹⁸⁾ And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.⁽¹⁹⁾ I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.⁽²⁰⁾ The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

⁽²¹⁾ And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Luke Chapter 20

⁽²⁷⁾ Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,⁽²⁸⁾ saying: 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.⁽²⁹⁾ Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.⁽³⁰⁾ And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.

⁽³¹⁾ Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.⁽³²⁾ Last of all the woman died also.⁽³³⁾ Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.'⁽³⁴⁾ And Jesus answered and said to them, 'The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

⁽³⁵⁾ But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;⁽³⁶⁾ nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.⁽³⁷⁾ But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'⁽³⁸⁾ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.'

⁽³⁹⁾ Then some of the scribes answered and said, 'Teacher, You have spoken well.'⁽⁴⁰⁾ But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. 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

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,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages

ⓘ A simple prayer to God for help, mercy, or intercession, rooted in the Latin word for support.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

Seasonal Collect: Proper 6 The Sunday closest to June 15
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others.

Closing Prayers

Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory, and, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Conclude with the following
Let Us Bless the Lord, Thanks be to God

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21