Evening Prayer

Epiphany
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:3

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.

The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.

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.

Isaiah Chapter 40

⁽¹²⁾ Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? ⁽¹³⁾ Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? ⁽¹⁴⁾ With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? ⁽¹⁵⁾ Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

⁽¹⁶⁾ And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. ⁽¹⁷⁾ All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. ⁽¹⁸⁾ To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? ⁽¹⁹⁾ The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.

⁽²⁰⁾ Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. ⁽²¹⁾ Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? ⁽²²⁾ It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. ⁽²³⁾ He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Ephesians Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: ⁽²⁾ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁽³⁾ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁽⁴⁾ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

⁽⁵⁾ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁽⁶⁾ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. ⁽⁷⁾ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ⁽⁸⁾ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

⁽⁹⁾ having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, ⁽¹⁰⁾ that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him. ⁽¹¹⁾ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ⁽¹²⁾ that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

⁽¹³⁾ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ⁽¹⁴⁾ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Mark Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ⁽²⁾ As it is written in the Prophets: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' ⁽³⁾ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' ' ⁽⁴⁾ John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

⁽⁵⁾ Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁽⁶⁾ Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁽⁷⁾ And he preached, saying, 'There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. ⁽⁸⁾ I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'

⁽⁹⁾ It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ⁽¹⁰⁾ And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. ⁽¹¹⁾ Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' ⁽¹²⁾ Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

⁽¹³⁾ And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

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:  First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. 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