Evening Prayer 27th March

Returning to God.

Holy One, make speed to save us: O God, come quickly to help us.

Glory to God, Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.  Amen.

Fridays: FROM Psalm 131, Domine, non est

O Lord, I am not proud; * I have no haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters, *
or with things that are too hard for me.

But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother’s breast; *my soul is quieted within me.
O Israel, wait upon the Lord, * from this time forth for evermore.

CLOSING: FROM MATTHEW 5

Blessed are the poor in spirit,* for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,* for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,* for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,*

for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,* for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,* for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,*

for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,*
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Reading: Mark 9:2–13

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked him, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ He said to them, ‘Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.’

MAGNIFICAT

1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me* and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him* in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
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 shall be for ever.  Amen.

PRAYERS
We have betrayed our humanity by thinking of others or ourselves as destined for dust rather than for glory.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

We have not brought the light of transfiguration into dark places.
Christ, have mercy upon us.

We have not listened to the wisdom of the divinely human One, transfigured on the mountain.
Lord, have mercy upon us

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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

O God our Father,
Merciful Father,
we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves:
when we are discouraged by our weakness,
give us strength to follow Christ, our pattern and our hope;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.

Bless us, Christ Jesus; enable us to surrender everything to you. Amen

Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.

The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing: through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Compiled with Materials from:  SEC Daily Prayer; Jim Cotter, Lectionary Resources; Taizé A prayer for each day; GS2016 Pointed Liturgical Psalter 2016 04 08; Chris Thorpe, Touching the Sacred.

A priest and poet in the Scottish Episcopal Church, exploring the workings of the Holy Spirit in Banchory .