Saturday, January 30 First Evensong of the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany 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”
Hymnal 35
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 Genesis 18:1–16 A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.” 9
Judgment Pronounced on Sodom Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 16
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 Mark 7:1–23 The Tradition of the Elders Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
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You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban’ (that is, an offering to God)— 12 then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.” 9
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” 14
When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” 17
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 Hymnal 560
Sermon Prayers
Hymn Hymnal 382
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