Evening Prayer, Rite Two for Friday, February 28, 2025

February 28, 2025

Friday In The Week Of 7 Epiphany

Philippians 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confession of Sin

Dear friends in Christ, here in the presence of Almighty God, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, so that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we 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.

Invitatory and Psalter

Officiant
O God, make speed to save us.
People
O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

Alleluia.

O Gracious Light Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,

pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,

O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,

and our eyes behold the vesper light,

we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of life,

and to be glorified through all the worlds.

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed

Psalm 141

O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *

hear my voice when I cry to you.

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *

the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,

and guard the door of my lips; *

let not my heart incline to any evil thing.

Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers, *

nor eat of their choice foods.

Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke;

let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head; *

for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.

Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places, *

that they may know my words are true.

As when a plowman turns over the earth in furrows, *

let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave.

But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *

in you I take refuge;

do not strip me of my life.

Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me *

and from the traps of the evildoers.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, *

while I myself escape.

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 143

LORD, hear my prayer,

and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *

answer me in your righteousness.

Enter not into judgment with your servant, *

for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

For my enemy has sought my life;

he has crushed me to the ground; *

he has made me live in dark places like those who are long dead.

My spirit faints within me; *

my heart within me is desolate.

I remember the time past;

I muse upon all your deeds; *

I consider the works of your hands.

I spread out my hands to you; *

my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

O LORD, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *

do not hide your face from me

or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,

for I put my trust in you; *

show me the road that I must walk,

for I lift up my soul to you.

Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD, *

for I flee to you for refuge.

Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; *

let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Revive me, O LORD, for your Name's sake; *

for your righteousness' sake, bring me out of trouble.

Of your goodness, destroy my enemies

and bring all my foes to naught, *

for truly I am your servant.

 

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.

The Lessons

Prov 6:1-19

Prov 6:1-19

Practical Admonitions

My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor,
    if you have bound yourself to another,
you are snared by the utterance of your lips,
    caught by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my child, and save yourself,
    for you have come into your neighbor’s power:
    go, hurry, and plead with your neighbor.
Give your eyes no sleep
    and your eyelids no slumber;
save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,
    like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Go to the ant, you lazybones;
    consider its ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief
    or officer or ruler,
it prepares its food in summer,
    and gathers its sustenance in harvest.
How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
    When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.

A scoundrel and a villain
    goes around with crooked speech,
winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
    pointing the fingers,
with perverted mind devising evil,
    continually sowing discord;
on such a one calamity will descend suddenly;
    in a moment, damage beyond repair.

There are six things that the Lord hates,
    seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
    and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
    feet that hurry to run to evil,
a lying witness who testifies falsely,
    and one who sows discord in a family.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

13. A Song of Praise Benedictus es, Domine

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *

you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *

we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *

on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *

we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *

in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *

we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

2 Cor 4:1-12

2 Cor 4:1-12

Treasure in Clay Jars

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

17. The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis

Lord, you now have set your servant free *

to go in peace as you have promised;

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *

whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

A Light to enlighten the nations, *

and the glory of your people 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 for ever. 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 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 Prayers

Officiant
The Lord be with you.
People
And also with you.
Officiant
Let us pray.

The Lord's Prayer

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,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages A

V. Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R. And grant us your salvation.
V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R. Let your people sing with joy.
V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R. For only in you can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let your way be known upon earth;
R. Your saving health among all nations.
V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

The Collect of the Day

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we
do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our
hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace
and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted
dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God.

Romans 15:16
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.