Saturday, September 19 First Evensong of the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost With the Society of St. John the Evangelist Opening Acclamation Officiant Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord. People Thanks be to God. The Officiant then prays the Prayer for Light to which the People respond “Amen.�
Candle Lighting Anthem The Brothers then sing the Candle Lighting Anthem as the candles on the altar are lit.
Phos Hilaron Ancient Greek hymn meaning “O Gladsome Light�
The Offering of Incense Let my prayer rise before as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly. Hear my voice when I cry to you. Set a watch before the door of my lips. Let my prayer rise before as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Let not my heart incline to any evil thing; let me not be occupied in wickedness. But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God, do not leave me defenseless. Let my prayer rise before as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
The Psalms The Brothers will sing an antiphon at the beginning and end of each psalm Psalm 104 Part I Benedic, anima mea 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; * O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness! you are clothed with majesty and splendor. 2
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak * and spread out the heavens like a curtain.
3
You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; * you make the clouds your chariot; you ride on the wings of the wind.
4
You make the winds your messengers * and flames of fire your servants.
5
You have set the earth upon its foundations, * so that it never shall move at any time.
6
You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; * the waters stood higher than the mountains.
7
At your rebuke they fled; * at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
8
They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, * to the places you had appointed for them.
9
You set the limits that they should not pass; * they shall not again cover the earth.
10 You send the springs into the valleys; * they flow between the mountains. 11 All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, * and the wild asses quench their thirst. 12 Beside them the birds of the air make their nests * and sing among the branches. 13 You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; * the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works. 14 You make grass grow for flocks and herds * and plants to serve mankind;
15 That they may bring forth food from the earth, * and wine to gladden our hearts, 16 Oil to make a cheerful countenance, * and bread to strengthen the heart. 17 The trees of the LORD are full of sap, * the cedars of Lebanon which he planted, 18 In which the birds build their nests, * and in whose tops the stork makes his dwelling. 19 The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, * and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers. 20 You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, * and the sun knows the time of its setting. 21 You make darkness that it may be night, * in which all the beasts of the forest prowl. 22 The lions roar after their prey * and seek their food from God. 23 The sun rises, and they slip away * and lay themselves down in their dens. 24 Man goes forth to his work * and to his labor until the evening. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 104 Part II Quam multiplicator 25 O LORD, how manifold are your works! * in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 26 Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, * creatures both small and great. 27 There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, * which you have made for the sport of it. 28 All of them look to you * to give them their food in due season. 29 You give it to them; they gather it; * you open your hand, and they are filled with good things. 30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; * you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust. 31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; * and so you renew the face of the earth. 32 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; * may the LORD rejoice in all his works. 33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; * he touches the mountains and they smoke. 34 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; * I will praise my God while I have my being. 35 May these words of mine please him; * I will rejoice in the LORD. 36 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, * and the wicked be no more. 37 Bless the LORD, O my soul. * Hallelujah! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
First Lesson 2 Kings 2:1-18 Elijah Ascends to Heaven
2
Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” 4 Elijah
said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” 6 Then
Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. 9 When
they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 13 He
picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. 15 When
the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “See now, we have fifty strong men among your servants; please let them go and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the Lord has caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or into some valley.” He responded, “No, do not send them.” 17 But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, “Did I not say to you, Do not go?”
The Song of Mary, The Magnificat [Luke 1:46-55] The Brothers chant an antiphon at the beginning of the Magnificat, and again at the end.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Second Lesson Acts 17:16-34 Paul in Athens 16 While
Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 19 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new. 22 Then
Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 29 Since
we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” 32 When
they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 At that point Paul left them. 34 But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Nunc Dimittis
The Apostles’ Creed Officiant and People
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 power of 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 Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
Suffrages Cantor People
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.
Cantor People
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.
Cantor People
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.
Cantor People
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.
Cantor
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.
People Cantor
People
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of [________ and] all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.
The Collect
Anthem Day is Done 1
Day is done, but love unfailing Dwells ever here; Shadows fall, but hope prevailing, Calms ev'ry fear. Loving Father, none forsaking, Take our hearts, of love's own making, Watch our sleeping, guard our waking, Be always near.
2
Dark descends, but light unending Shines through our night; You are with us, ever lending New strength to sight: One in love, your truth confessing, One in hope of heaven's blessing, May we see, in love's possessing, Love's endless light!
3
Eyes will close, but you, unsleeping, Watch by our side; Death may come, in love's safekeeping Still we abide. God of love, all evil quelling, Sin forgiving, fear dispelling, Stay with us, our hearts indwelling, This eventide.
Words: James Quinn SJ (1919—2010) © 1969 The Continuum International Publishing Group, The Tower Building, 11 York Road, SE1 7NX (UK) Music: Alan Rees OSB (1941—2005) © 1995 Belmont Abbey Trustees, Hereford HR2 9RZ (UK)
Sermon Prayers
Hymn Hymnal 537
Benedicamus
Concluding Scripture The Officiant then concludes with one of the following: 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 May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13 Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. Philippians 4.7 May the Lord of peace give us peace in all ways and at all times. Amen.
Romans 15.33