Evening Prayer I - Presentation of the Lord

Evening Prayer I
Presentation of the Lord
February 1
______
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One.
Have mercy on us (3x)

Opening: When Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God” (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’ - Hebrews 10:5-7

Hymn

Tune: Ave Maria Klare

When Mary brought her treasure
Unto the holy place,
No eye of man could measure
The joy upon her face.
He was but six weeks old,
Her plaything and her pleasure,
Her silver and her gold.

Then Simeon, on him gazing
With wonder and with love,
His aged voice up-raising
Gave thanks to God above:
'Now welcome sweet release!
For I, my saviour praising,
May die at last in peace.'

And she, all sorrow scorning,
Rejoiced in Jesus' fame.
The child her arms adorning
Shone softly like a flame
That burns the long night through,
And keeps from dusk till morning
Its vigil clear and true.

As by the sun in splendour
The flags of night are furled,
So darkness shall surrender
To Christ who lights the world:
To Christ the star of day,
Who once was small and tender,
A candle's gentle ray.
Words: Jan Struther

The Psalter

Psalm 147:12-20
Lauda, Hierusalem

Ant. 1:The parents of Jesus + brought him to Jerusalem / to present him to the Lord.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem :
     sing praises to your God, O Zion.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates :
     and blessed your children within you.

He makes peace within your borders :
     and satisfies you with the finest wheat.

He sends his command to the earth :
     and his word runs very swiftly.

He gives snow like wool :
     and scatters the hoar-frost like ashes.

He sprinkles his ice like morsels of bread :
     and the waters harden at his frost.

He sends out his word and melts them :
     he blows with his wind and the waters flow.

He made his word known to Jacob :
     his statutes and judgements to Israel.

He has not dealt so with any other nation :
     nor have they knowledge of his laws.
         Praise the Lord.

Ant. 1: The parents of Jesus + brought him to Jerusalem / to present him to the Lord.
Ant. 2: Zion, + prepare your wedding chamber / to receive Christ the King.

Psalm 122
Laetatus sum

I was glad when they said to me :
     ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’

And now our feet are standing :
     within your gates, O Jerusalem;

Jerusalem which is built as a city :
     where the pilgrims gather in unity.

There the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord :
     as he commanded Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

There are set thrones of judgement :
     the thrones of the house of David.

O pray for the peace of Jerusalem :
     may those who love you prosper.

Peace be within your walls :
     and prosperity in your palaces.

For the sake of my brothers and companions :
     I will pray that peace be with you.

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God :
     I will seek for your good.

Ant. 2: Zion, + prepare your wedding chamber / to receive Christ the King.
Ant. 3: Blessed are you, + good Simeon; / you held in your arms Christ the Lord, the Savior of his people.

Psalm 113
Laudate pueri

Praise the Lord,
     O sing praises, you that are his servants :
     O praise the name of the Lord.

Let the name of the Lord be blessed :
     from this time forward and for ever.

From the rising of the sun to its going down :
     let the name of the Lord be praised.

The Lord is exalted over all the nations :
     and his glory is above the heavens.

Who can be likened to the Lord our God :
     in heaven or upon the earth,

Who has his dwelling so high :
     yet condescends to look on things beneath?

He raises the lowly from the dust :
     and lifts the poor from out of the dungheap;

He gives them a place among the princes :
     even among the princes of his people.

He causes the barren woman to keep house :
     and makes her a joyful mother of children.
         Praise the Lord.

Ant. 3: Blessed are you, + good Simeon; /you held in your arms Christ the Lord, the Savior of his people.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

First Reading
1 Sam 1:20-28a

In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’

The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there for ever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.’ Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word.’ So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.’

Canticle
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 you 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.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Second Reading

Romans 8:14-21

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. .

Second Canticle
Magnificat

Antiphon: The old man carried the child, +but the child was the old man's Lord. / The Virgin gave birth to the child yet remained a virgin forever. / She knelt in worship before her child.

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 be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Antiphon: The old man carried the child, +but the child was the old man's Lord. / The Virgin gave birth to the child yet remained a virgin forever. / She knelt in worship before her child.

Responsory
The Lord made known his salvation.
The Lord made known his salvation.
Which he has prepared in the sight of every people.
His salvation.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
The Lord made known his salvation.

Collect
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Intercessions

Today our Savior was presented in the temple. Let us adore him as we say:
(R.)Lord, may our eyes see your salvation.

Christ Jesus, in obedience to the law, you desired to be presented to your Father in the temple
- teach us to offer ourselves to the Father with you in your church's sacrifice.(R.)

Jesus, comforter of Israel, Simeon, the just man, took you into his arms when you came into the temple.
- help us to welcome you in our brothers and sisters.(R.)

Jesus, desire of nations, Anna the prophetess spoke of you to all who were awaiting Israel's redemption,
- help us to proclaim you in our words and actions to all who yet yearn for your salvation.(R.)

Lord, Jesus, cornerstone of God's kingdom, you were destined to be a sign that is rejected,
- be for those who acknowledge you the source of rising to new life.(R.)

Our Father…

Closing Prayer:
All-powerful Father,
Christ your Son became man for us
and was presented in the temple.
May he keep our hearts free from sin
And bring us into your presence.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Who live and reigns with you and Holy Spirit
One God, forever and ever, Amen.

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