Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Evening Prayer and Holy Eucharist

St. Francis of Assisi, observed

FRANCIS OF ASSISI, FRIAR (4 OCT 1226)

Francis was born in 1182, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. His early years were frivolous, but an experience of sickness and another of military service were instrumental in leading him to reflect on the purpose of life. One day, in the church of San Damiano, he seemed to hear Christ saying to him, “Francis, repair my falling house.” He took the words literally, and sold a bale of silk from his father’s warehouse to pay for repairs to the church of San Damiano. His father was outraged, and there was a public confrontation at which his father disinherited and disowned him, and he in turn renounced his father’s wealth--one account says that he not only handed his father his purse, but also took off his expensive clothes, laid them at his father’s feet, and walked away naked. He declared himself “wedded to Lady Poverty”, renounced all material possessions, and devoted himself to serving the poor. In his day the most dreaded of all diseases was something known as leprosy. (It is probably not the same as either the modern or the Biblical disease of that name.) Lepers were kept at a distance and regarded with fear and disgust. Francis cared for them, fed them, bathed their sores, and kissed them. Since he could not pay for repairs to the Church of San Damiano, he undertook to repair it by his own labors. He moved in with the priest, and begged stones lying useless in fields, shaping them for use in repairing the church. He got his meals, not by asking for money so that he might live at the expense of others, but by scrounging crusts and discarded vegetable from trash-bins, and by working as a day laborer, insisting on being paid in bread, milk, eggs, or vegetables rather than in money. Soon a few companions joined him. Dante in his Paradiso has Aquinas say of him:

Let me tell you of a youth whose aristocratic father disowned him because of his love for a beautiful lady. She had been married before, to Christ, and was so faithful a spouse to Him that, while Mary only stood at the foot of the Cross, she leaped up to be with Him on the Cross. These two of whom I speak are Francis and the Lady Poverty. As they walked along together, the sight of their mutual love drew men’s hearts after them. Bernard saw them and ran after them, kicking off his shoes to run faster to so great a peace. Giles and Sylvester saw them, kicked off their shoes and ran to join them....

After three years, in 1210, the Pope authorized the forming of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans. (“Friar” means “brother,” as in “fraternity”, and “minor” means “lesser” or “younger.” I take the meaning to be that a Franciscan, meeting another Christian, is to think, “I am your brother in Christ, and your younger brother at that, bound to defer to you and to give you precedence over myself.”

Francis and his companions took literally the words of Christ when he sent his disciples out to preach (M 10:7-10):

Preach as you go, saying, “The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” ... You have received the Gospel without payment, give it to others as freely. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, no spare garment, nor sandals, nor staff.

They would have no money, and no property, individually or collectively. Their task was to preach, “using words if necessary,” but declaring by word and action the love of God in Christ. Francis was partial to a touch of the dramatic (see his parting from his father, for example), and it was probably he who set up the first Christmas manger scene, to bring home the Good News of God made man for our salvation, home to men’s hearts and imaginations as well as to their intellects.

In 1219, Francis went to the Holy Land to preach to the moslems. He was given a pass through the enemy lines, and spoke to the Sultan, Melek-al-Kamil. Francis proclaimed the Gospel to the Sultan, who replied that he had his own beliefs, and that moslems were as firmly convinced of the truth of Islam as Francis was of the truth of Christianity. Francis proposed that a fire be built, and that he and a moslem volunteer would walk side by side into the fire to show whose faith was stronger. The Sultan said he was not sure that a moslem volunteer could be found. Francis then offered to walk into the fire alone. The Sultan who was deeply impressed but remained unconverted. Francis proposed an armistice between the two warring sides, and drew up terms for one; the Sultan agreed, but, to Francis’s deep disappointment, the Christian leaders would not. Francis returned to Italy, but a permanent result was that the Franciscans were given custody of the Christian shrines then in moslem hands.

Please stand at the sound of the bell

PreParation

Officiant The Lord almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end.People Amen.

V Our help is in the name of the Lord.R Who made heaven and earth.

Celebrant Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

Please kneel as you are able, silence may be kept

All Almighty God, our heavenly Father:We have sinned against thee,through our own fault,in thought, word, and deed,and in those things which we have left undone.For the sake of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us all our offenses;and grant that we may serve thee in newness of life,to the glory of thy Name. Amen.

Officiant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

All stand

Word

V Your word is a lantern to my feet,R and a light upon my path.

Please be seatedA Reading Job 39:1-18

‘Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer? Can you number the months that they fulfil, and do you know the time when they give birth, when they crouch to give birth to their offspring, and are

delivered of their young? Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open; they go forth, and do not return to them.

‘Who has let the wild ass go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass, to which I have given the steppe for its home, the salt land for its dwelling-place? It scorns the tumult of the city; it does not hear the shouts of the driver. It ranges the mountains as its pasture, and it searches after every green thing.

‘Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will it spend the night at your crib? Can you tie it in the furrow with ropes, or will it harrow the valleys after you? Will you depend on it because its strength is great, and will you hand over your labour to it? Do you have faith in it that it will return, and bring your grain to your threshing-floor?

‘The ostrich’s wings flap wildly, though its pinions lack plumage. For it leaves its eggs to the earth, and lets them be warmed on the ground, forgetting that a foot may crush them, and that a wild animal may trample them. It deals cruelly with its young, as if they were not its own; though its labour should be in vain, yet it has no fear; because God has made it forget wisdom, and given it no share in understanding.When it spreads its plumes aloft, it laughs at the horse and its rider.

Silence is kept for a brief time

A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew Matthew 11:25-30At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Silence is then kept for reflection and prayer.

Prayer

Please stand

V Let my prayer come before you as incense,R the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

V O Lord, I call to you, come to me quickly;R hear my voice when I cry to you.V My eyes are turned to you, Lord God;R in you I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.

All Let my prayer come before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Please kneel as you are able, silence may be kept

Officiant O Lord, hear our prayer;People And let our cry come unto thee.Officiant Let us pray

A Collect for Francis of AssisiMost high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may, for love of you, delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for JusticeO God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give thine 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 hejoyous; and all for thy love’s sake. Amen.

Please stand An Evening hymn is sung by the Cantor

Communion

Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Lift up your hearts. People We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

The Celebrant continuesOn the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Recalling now his suffering and death, and celebrating his resurrection and ascension, we await his coming in glory.

Accept, O Lord, our sacrifice of praise, this memorial of our redemption. Send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts. Let them be for us the Body and Blood of your Son. And grant that we who eat this bread and drink this cup may be filled with your life and goodness.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s PrayerCelebrant As our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say,

All 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.

The FractionA Fraction Anthem is sung by the Cantor.

Act of Reception, prayed by those at homeI believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.

Communion

Sending

Celebrant Let us pray.

Please kneel as you are able, silence may be kept

The Post Communion Prayer, Celebrant and PeopleLoving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

A Collect for PeaceLord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know thee as thou art revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of thy love. Amen.

All stand to sing the CanticleA CAntiCle: Nunc Dimittis the antiphon and first phrase are sung by the cantor, the remainder sung by all

Guide

bAntiphon

us wak ing,- O Lord, and guard us sleep ing;-

that

b

a wake- we may watch with Christ, and a sleep- we may rest in peace.

Lord,

bCantor

now lett est- though thy ser vant- de part- in peace, ac cord- ing- to thy word;

For

b All

mine eyes have seen thy sal va- tion,- which thou hast pre pared-

be

b

fore- the face of all peo ple,- To be a light to

light

b

en- the gen tiles,- and to be the glo ry- of thy peo ple- Is ra- el.-

Glo

b

ry- be to the Fa ther,- and to the Son, and to the Ho ly- Ghost:

As

b

it was in the be gin- ing,- is now, and ev er- shall be,

world

b

with out- end. A men.-

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V Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R For only in thee can we live in safety.

V Peace be within your walls:R and quietness within your palaces.

Officiant 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 for ever. Amen.

Officiant The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always.People Amen.

V May the divine help remain with us always.R And with our absent brethren. Amen.