Presentation of the Lord

Evening Prayer I

GREETING

O God, gather your people. Open our lips to sing your praise. Loving God of all creation, receive this offering of love.



DOXOLOGY



PSALM  87
Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to God.

Zion is set on the holy mountain.
The Lord loves her gates
above all the dwellings of Israel. Great is your renown, city of God.

I register as her citizens Egypt and Babylon, Philistia, Ethiopia, and Tyre: “Each one was born in her.”


People will say, “Zion mothered each and every one.”
The Most High protects the city.

God records in the register, “This one was born here.”
Then people will dance and sing, “My home is here!”


READING
Hebrews 10:5 – 7
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.’”


CANTICLE OF MARY
This child is destined to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too.

I acclaim the greatness of the Lord,
I delight in God my savior,
who regarded my humble state.
Truly from this day on all ages
will call me blest.
For God, wonderful in power,
has used that strength for me.
Holy the name of the Lord!
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God
scatters the proud in their conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones,
and raises up the humble.
The Lord fills the starving
and lets the rich go hungry.
God rescues lowly Israel,
recalling the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham’s heirs forever.


INTERCESSIONS
Jesus, in keeping with the law of Moses, your parents presented you in the temple. In Prayer, we present ourselves to you:
~ Here I am. I come to do your will.

We have heard your call to baptism and to religious profession, and we reply:
We have heard your invitation to a life of service, and we reply:
We have heard your lament for your suffering people, and we reply:
We have heard your yearning for faithful hearts, and we reply:
We have heard your call to union and charity, and we reply:


THE LORD’S PRAYER


Prayer
You have called us, God, to a life of merciful service. We present to you our talents, our energies, our beliefs. Use them for the salvation of your people. May all that we say and do hasten the day when your reign will break out among us. Meanwhile, accept the gift of our hearts, entirely devoted to you. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.


BLESSING
May Christ surround us with love. Amen.
May Christ transform us in love. Amen.
May Christ send us forth to proclaim God’s love. Amen.


MORNING PRAYER

GREETING O God, gather your people. Open our lips to sing your praise. Loving God of all creation, receive this offering of love.


DOXOLOGY



PSALM 136:1–9,10–26
Anna began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Our God is good, give thanks! God’s love is forever!
Our God of gods, give thanks! God’s love is forever!
Our Lord of lords, give thanks! God’s love is forever!

Alone the maker of worlds! God’s love is forever! Architect for the skies! God’s love is forever! Spread land on the sea! God’s love is forever!

Set the great lights above! God’s love is forever!
The sun to rule the day! God’s love is forever!
The moon and stars, the night! God’s love is forever!

Struck down Egypt’s firstborn! God’s love is forever!
Guided Israel’s escape! God’s love is forever! Held out a mighty arm! God’s love is forever!

Split in two the Red Sea! God’s love is forever! Led Israel across!
God’s love is forever! Drowned Pharaoh and his troops! God’s love is forever!

Led the desert trek! God’s love is forever! Struck down mighty tribes! God’s love is forever! Killed powerful kings! God’s love is forever!

Sihon, the Amorite king! God’s love is forever! And Og, Bashan’s king! God’s love is forever! Gave Israel a land!
God’s love is forever! For Israel to keep! God’s love is forever!

Remembered our distress! God’s love is forever! Kept us from defeat! God’s love is forever!
God feeds all living things! God’s love is forever!
God in heaven, be thanked! God’s love is forever!


READING
Malachi 3:1
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to the temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight — indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.



CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who shepherds the people
and sets them free.
God raises from David’s house
a child with power to save. --
--Through the holy prophets
God promised in ages past
to save us from enemy hands,
from the grip of all who hate us.
The Lord favored our ancestors
recalling the sacred covenant,
the pledge to our ancestor Abraham,
to free us from our enemies,
so we might worship without fear
and be holy and just all our days.
And you child, will be called
Prophet of the Most High,
for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord
by teaching the people salvation
through forgiveness of their sin.
Out of God’s deepest mercy
a dawn will come from on high,
light for those shadowed by death,
a guide for our feet on the way to peace.



INTERCESSIONS
Jesus, your parents presented you in the temple. We present ourselves to you, as we pray.

Mary and Joseph incorporated you into the House of Israel:
~ May all parents accept responsibility for the religious formation of their children.

Mary and Joseph made the ritual offering of the poor:
~ May Christian homes be the first schools of justice and compassion.

Anna and Simeon long awaited your coming:
~ Bless those who live in hopeful expectation of seeing you face to face.

Anna and Simeon recognized you as the Christ:
~ Help us to recognize and affirm your presence in those we meet.


THE LORD’S PRAYER


Prayer
We pray, God, for parents who bear responsibility for incorporating their children into your body, the church. May their own faith be strengthened in this process, and may the life of each family reflect your trinitarian love. May we find in these Christian homes, reminders of the unity and peace to which you call us. We make this Prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

BLESSING
May Christ surround us with love. Amen.
May Christ transform us in love. Amen.
May Christ send us forth to proclaim God’s love. Amen.

 

EVENING PRAYER II


GREETING
O God, gather your people. Open our lips to sing your praise. Loving God of all creation, receive this offering of love.


DOXOLOGY


PSALM  103

Anna began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

My soul, bless the Lord, bless God’s holy name! My soul, bless the Lord, hold dear all God’s gifts!

Bless God, who forgives your sin and heals every illness, who snatches you from death and enfolds you with tender care, who fills your life with richness and gives you an eagle’s strength.

The Lord, who works justice and defends the oppressed, teaches Moses and Israel divine ways and deeds.

The Lord is tender and caring, slow to anger, rich in love. God will not accuse us long, nor bring our sins to trial, nor exact from us in kind what our sins deserve.

As high as heaven above earth, so great is God’s love for believers. As far as east from west, so God removes our sins.

As tender as father to child, so gentle is God to believers.
The Lord knows how we are made, remembers we are dust.

Our days pass by like grass, our prime like a flower in bloom. A wind comes, the flower goes, empty now its place.

God’s love is from all ages, God’s justice beyond all time for believers of each generation: those who keep the covenant, who take care to live the law.

The Lord reigns from heaven, rules over all there is.
Bless the Lord, you angels, strong and quick to obey, attending to God’s word.

Bless the Lord, you powers, eager to serve God’s will. Bless the Lord, you creatures, everywhere under God’s rule. My soul, bless the Lord!


READING
Hebrews 4:15 – 16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


CANTICLE OF MARY
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

I acclaim the greatness of the Lord,
I delight in God my savior,
who regarded my humble state.
Truly from this day on all ages
will call me blest.
For God, wonderful in power,
has used that strength for me.
Holy the name of the Lord!
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God
scatters the proud in their conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones,
and raises up the humble.
The Lord fills the starving
and lets the rich go hungry.
God rescues lowly Israel,
recalling the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham’s heirs forever.

INTERCESSIONS and Prayer as in Morning Prayer


BLESSING
May Christ surround us with love. Amen.
May Christ transform us in love. Amen.
May Christ send us forth to proclaim God’s love. Amen.