Evening Prayer
Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020
(adapted from the Book of Alternative Services, pages 66-71)
Opening Sentence:
Lord Jesus, open to us the scriptures; make our hearts burn within us while you
speak. See Luke 24.32
Officiant O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
People Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Officiant Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as
incense,
People The lifting up of my hands as the evening
sacrifice.
All 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.
Except in Lent, add,
Alleluia
The Invitatory
Christ our Passover
1 Corinthians 5.7–8; Romans 6.9–11; 1 Corinthians 15.20–22
Alleluia!
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Alleluia!
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia!
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia!
The Proclamation of the Word
A READING FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS (ACTS 2:14A, 36-41)
Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the
crowd,
"Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made
him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to
Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your
children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our
God calls to him."
And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them,
saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." So those who
welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three
thousand persons were added.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Psalm 116
1 I love the Lord, because he has
heard the voice of my
supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to
me whenever I called upon him.
2 The cords of death entangled
me;
the grip of the grave took hold of
me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.
3 Then I called upon the name of
the Lord: *“O Lord, I pray you,
save my life.”
4 Gracious is the Lord and
righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.
5 The Lord watches over the
innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he
helped me.
6 Turn again to your rest, O my
soul, *
for the Lord has treated you well.
7 For you have rescued my life
from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet
from stumbling.
8 I will walk in the presence of
the Lord *
in the land of the living.
9 I believed, even when I said,
”I have been brought very low” *
In my distress I said, ”No one can
be trusted.”
10 How shall I repay the Lord *
for all the good things he has
done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup of
salvation *
and call upon the name of the
Lord.
12 I will fulfil my vows to the
Lord *
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the
Lord *
is the death of his servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant; *
I am your servant and the child of
your handmaid;
you have freed me from my
bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice of
thanksgiving *
and call upon the name of the
Lord.
16 I will fulfil my vows to the
Lord *
in the presence of all his people.
17 In the courts of the Lord’s
house, *
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Eternal God, faithful in your tender compassion, you give us
hope for our life here and hereafter through the victory of your
only Son. When we share his cup of salvation, revive in us the
joy of this everlasting gift. We ask his in his name. AMEN
A READING FROM THE FIRST LETTER OF PETER (1 PETER 1:17-
23)
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially
according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your
exile.
You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited
from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without
defect or blemish.
He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed
at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to
trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so
that your faith and hope are set on God.
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth
so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from
the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of
imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Gospel Alleluia
The congregation may stand or sit for a Gospel reading. The
reader may say,
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to . . .
People Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then at the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called
Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each
other about all these things that had happened. While they were
talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,
but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while
you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them,
whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger
in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place
there in these days?"
He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus
of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God
and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him
over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped
that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is
now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some
women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this
morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back
and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that
he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and
found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him."
Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of
heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not
necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter
into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to
them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near
the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were
going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because
it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to
stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they
recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each
other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to
us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"
That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they
found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were
saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!"
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been
made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
LUKE 24:13-35
Sermon
A sermon or other comment on the readings is appropriate at principal
services on Sundays and at other major gatherings of the Christian
community. A silence for reflection may follow.
Affirmation of Faith
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.
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
Intercession or thanksgiving may be offered for
the Church
the Queen and all in authority
the world
the local community
those in need
the departed.
Prayers for the Diocese of Quebec
Loving God, fill us with your Spirit that we may live out with
greater faithfulness your call to shine with Christ’s light in acts
of praise and reconciling love. Make us bearers of the Good
News, ministers of your grace, and faithful stewards of your
Church and Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our
Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Aid against Perils
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love
of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Collect of the Day:
O God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread.
Open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in his redeeming work, who is
alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn: Abide With Me.
1 Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3 I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows
flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Dismissal
Then may be said or sung,
Officiant Let us bless the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost, Alleluia is added to
the
dismissal and the people’s response
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep
our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.