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 earth is the Lord's for he made it: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 137

⁽¹⁾ By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. ⁽²⁾ We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. ⁽³⁾ For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!' ⁽⁴⁾ How shall we sing the LORD's song In a foreign land?

⁽⁵⁾ If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! ⁽⁶⁾ If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth -- If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. ⁽⁷⁾ Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, 'Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation!' ⁽⁸⁾ O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!

⁽⁹⁾ Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!

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 144

⁽¹⁾ Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle -- ⁽²⁾ My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. ⁽³⁾ LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? ⁽⁴⁾ Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.

⁽⁵⁾ Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. ⁽⁶⁾ Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. ⁽⁷⁾ Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, ⁽⁸⁾ Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁽⁹⁾ I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, ⁽¹⁰⁾ The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword. ⁽¹¹⁾ Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood -- ⁽¹²⁾ That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style;

⁽¹³⁾ That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; ⁽¹⁴⁾ That our oxen may be well-laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

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 23

⁽¹⁾ Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: ⁽²⁾ The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. ⁽³⁾ The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. ⁽⁴⁾ And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.'

⁽⁵⁾ Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase? ⁽⁶⁾ But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands. ⁽⁷⁾ But the man who touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.' ⁽¹³⁾ Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ⁽¹⁴⁾ David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ⁽¹⁵⁾ And David said with longing, 'Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!' ⁽¹⁶⁾ So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.

⁽¹⁷⁾ And he said, 'Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?' Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 25

⁽¹³⁾ And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. ⁽¹⁴⁾ When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying: 'There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, ⁽¹⁵⁾ about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. ⁽¹⁶⁾ To them I answered, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.'

⁽¹⁷⁾ Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. ⁽¹⁸⁾ When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, ⁽¹⁹⁾ but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ⁽²⁰⁾ And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

⁽²¹⁾ But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.' ⁽²²⁾ Then Agrippa said to Festus, 'I also would like to hear the man myself.' 'Tomorrow,' he said, 'you shall hear him.' ⁽²³⁾ So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought in. ⁽²⁴⁾ And Festus said: 'King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.

⁽²⁵⁾ But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. ⁽²⁶⁾ I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. ⁽²⁷⁾ For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!' ⁽²⁾ And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.' ⁽³⁾ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, ⁽⁴⁾ Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?'

⁽⁵⁾ And Jesus, answering them, began to say: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁽⁶⁾ For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. ⁽⁷⁾ But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. ⁽⁸⁾ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

⁽⁹⁾ But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. ⁽¹⁰⁾ And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ⁽¹¹⁾ But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ⁽¹²⁾ Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

⁽¹³⁾ And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

A Song of Creation   Prayer of Manasseh 1 to 2, 4, 6 to 7, 11 to 15
Invocation
Glorify the Lord,
all you works of the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

The Cosmic Order
Glorify the Lord,
you angels and all powers of the Lord,
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky,
glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
Glorify the Lord,
every shower of rain and fall of dew,
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold,
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet,
glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Glorify the Lord,
O nights and days,
O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him forever.

Doxology
Let us glorify the Lord:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
praise him and highly exalt him forever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord,
praise him and highly exalt him 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 15 The Sunday closest to August 17
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; 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. When you lack the words


Closing Prayers   Thanksgiving

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