Fri. evening Apr. 10
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Sovereign Lord, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to you be glory and praise forever. From the deep waters of death, you brought your people to new birth by raising your Son to life in triumph. Through him, dark death has been destroyed, and radiant life is everywhere restored. As you call us out of darkness into his marvelous light, may our lives reflect his glory and our lips repeat the endless song.
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn
O Word of God Incarnate
Words: William W. How (1876)
Music: Neuvermehrtes Gesangbuch (1693)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#126)
O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth, unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
we praise Thee for the radiance
that from the hallowed page,
a lantern to our footsteps,
shines on from age to age.
The church from thee Our Savior,
received the gift divine,
and still that light is lifted
o'er all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred vessel,
where gems of truth are stored;
it is the heav'n-drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word.
The Scripture is a banner
before God's host unfurled;
it is a shining beacon
above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass
that o'er life's surging tide,
mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
to Thee, O Christ, will guide.
O make Thy Church, dear Savior,
a lamp of purest gold,
to bear before the nations
Thy true light as of old.
O teach Thy wand'ring pilgrims
by this, their path to trace,
'til, clouds and darkness ended,
they see Thee face to face.
Confession of Sin
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
cf Isaiah 55
A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.
Lord God, I have sinned against you; I have done what is evil in your sight. I am sorry and repent. Have mercy on me according to your lovingkindness. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Renew a right spirit within me, and restore unto me the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
cf Psalm 51
May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessed be the LORD,
because He has heard the voice of my supplications.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will thank Him.
cf Psalm 28:7,9
Psalm 107
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for His mercy endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
and gathered from the lands,
from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
they found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and He delivered them from their distress.
He led them forth by a straight way,
That they might go to a habitable city.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
There were those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and irons,
because they rebelled against the words of God,
and scorned the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;
they fell down and there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and broke their bonds apart.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
For He has broken the gates of bronze
and cut the bars of iron in two.
Fools, because of their transgressions,
and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
They abhorred all manner of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
He sent His word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare His works with rejoicing.
Some go down to the sea in ships,
who do business in the vast waters;
they have seen the works of the LORD,
and His wonders in the deep.
For He commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
their soul melted in their misery.
They reeled to and fro and staggered like a drunken man,
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and He brought out of their distress.
He made the storm to be calm,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad because they were quiet;
so He brought them to their desired haven.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the sons of men!
Let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into dry ground,
a fruitful land into barrenness,
because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein.
He turns a wilderness into a pool of water,
and dry land into springs of water.
There He makes the hungry dwell,
so that they may establish a city to live in,
and sow fields and plant vineyards,
and gather a fruitful harvest.
He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
and He does not let their livestock decrease.
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
He pours contempt upon princes,
and causes them to wander in a pathless wilderness;
yet He sets the poor on high out of affliction,
and makes their families like a flock.
The righteous see it and rejoice,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Whoever is wise will observe these things,
and they will consider the lovingkindness of 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.
Psalm prayer
Living Christ, rescue us from foolish passion and still the storms of our self-will; and, as you are our anchor in this life, so bring us to the haven you have prepared for us; for your mercy’s sake.
Old Testament reading
Song of Solomon 7:10-8:4
I belong to my lover,
and his desire is for me.
Come, my lover, let us go out into the country,
and lodge in the villages;
let us go out early to the vineyards,
and see whether the vines have budded,
whether the grape blossoms have opened
and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give my love to you.
The mandrakes give forth their fragrance,
and over our doors are all choice fruits,
both new and old,
which I have stored up for you, my lover.
Oh that you were like a brother to me,
who nursed at my mother’s breasts!
If I found you outside,
I would kiss you;
no one would despise me.
I would lead you and bring you
into the house of my mother,
who used to instruct.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
Oh that his left hand were under my head,
while his right hand embraces me.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
do not arouse or awaken love
until it pleases.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Luke 8:41-56
Then a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As He went, the people crowded Him. And a woman having a hemorrhage for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, but could not be healed by anyone, came behind Him, and touched the fringe of His garment. And immediately her hemorrhage dried up.
Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When everyone denied it, Peter and those who were with Him said, “Master, the crowds are pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me.”
When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling. And falling down before Him, she declared to Him before all the people why she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. Then He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
While He was still speaking, someone from the synagogue ruler’s house came, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be made well.”
When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, John and James, and the father and mother of the girl. All wept and mourned for her. But He said, “Do not weep. She is not dead but sleeping.”
They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. 54But He put them all outside and took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He told them to give her food. 56Her parents were astonished, but He commanded them to tell no one what had happened.
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
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.
Brief silence.
The Apostle’s Creed
Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:
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.
Thanksgiving and intercession
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs
Prayers may include the following concerns:
The people of God, that they may proclaim the risen Lord
God’s creation, that the peoples of the earth may meet their responsibility to care
Those in despair and darkness, that they may find the hope and light of Christ
Those in fear of death, that they may find faith through the resurrection
Prisoners and captives
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honor, glory and might, now and in all eternity.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Rejoicing in God’s new creation, as our Savior taught us, so we pray
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
Conclusion
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
Amen.