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EVENING PRAYER (Vespers)
Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr at Rome, 258
In 257 the Roman emperor Valerian began a vigorous persecution of the Church, aimed primarily at the clergy and laity of the upper classes. All the properties of the Church were confiscated, and assemblies for worship were forbidden. On August 4, 258, Sixtus II, who had just become the Bishop of Rome the year before, and his deacons were apprehended at the cemetery of Callistus where they were celebrating the liturgy, and all except Lawrence were summarily executed and buried in the same cemetery. The Roman calendar commemorates them on August 7 as "St. Sixtus II. Pope, and Companions, Martyrs." Lawrence, who knew of the location of the Church's treasure, was tortured and then executed three days later, August 10.
The traditions that have come down to us concerning the martyrdom are unreliable, but they are nonetheless amusing. When the prefect of Rome demanded the treasures, Lawrence is said to have gathered together a great number of the blind, the lame, the maimed, lepers, orphans, and widows of Rome, brought then to the prefect's palace, and declared to him, "Here is the treasure of the Church.' It is said that the behavior of Lawrence in prison was such as to have led to the conversion and baptism of his jailer Hippolytus and his family. Lawrence was, tradition says, condemned to die slowly and painfully by being roasted on an iron grill. Even there Lawrence's courage and humor were apparent, for he is reported to have said to his executioners at one point in the procedure, "I am done on this side; turn me over." (More probably, Lawrence was beheaded, as was Sixtus, as was customary with Roman citizens.)
St. Lawrence met his death August 10, 258, and his feast is listed in the martyrologies as early as the fourth century. During the reign of the emperor Constantine, a church was built over his tomb in the catacomb on the Via Tiburtina. I: was enlarged by Pelagius II (579-590) into the basilica now known as St. Lawrence outside the Walls (San Lorenzo fuori de Mura) and became one of the seven principal churches of Rome and a favorite place for Roman pilgrimages.
The torture and execution of a Roman citizen by Roman authorities made a deep impression on the young Church, which was stunned by such hostility, and his martyrdom was one of the first to be commemorated by the Church.
- Philip Pfatteicher, New Festivals and Commemorations
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
L Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
C The light no darkness can overcome.
L Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,
C
L Let your light scatter the darkness,
C
Joyous light of glory:
of the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun,
and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you 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.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Silence for meditation.
Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 126
1 When the Lord restored the for- | tunes of Zion,*
then were we like | those who dream.
2 Then was
our mouth | filled with laughter,*
and our tongue with | shouts of joy.
3 Then they
said a- | mong the nations,*
"The Lord
has done great | things for them."
4 The Lord has done great | things for us,*
and we are | glad indeed.
5 Restore our
for- | tunes, O Lord,*
like the watercourses | of the Negev.
6 Those who |
sowed with tears*
will reap with | songs of joy.
7 Those who
go out weeping, carry- | ing the seed,*
will come again with joy, shoulder- | ing their
sheaves.
Lord Jesus, our life and our resurrection, the tears you sowed in the sorrow of your Passion brought the earth to flower on Easter morning. Renew the wonders of your power in the Church, so that, after the sorrows of our exile, we may come home to you in gladness and praise you now and forever.
Hymn LBW 507 How Firm a Foundation
1 How
firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
is
laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What
more can he say than to you he has said
who
unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
2 “Fear
not, I am with you, oh, be not dismayed,
for
I am your God and will still give you aid;
I’ll
strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld
by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
3 “When
through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my
grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply.
The
flames shall not hurt you; I only design
your
dross to consume and your gold to refine.
4 “Throughout
all their lifetime my people shall prove
my
sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and
then, when gray hairs shall their temples adorn,
like
lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.”
Text:
J. Rippon, A Selection of Hymns, 1787, alt.
From a sermon of St Augustine
Response
In many and various ways
God spoke to this people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
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 forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
The LITANY is sung. (LBW p. 148)
C Lord, have mercy.
L For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For all who offer their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For Dan, our bishop, for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For our public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
L For the faithful who have gone before us and are at rest, let us give thanks to the Lord.
C Alleluia.
L Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Silence for meditation.
L Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord.
C To you, O Lord.
COLLECTS
Of the day
For peace among the nations
For our own needs and for the needs of others
For peace at the end of the day (Church of Sweden, 1614):
Watch over us, O Lord, our heavenly Father,
preserve us from all evil, and grant that we may this night rest secure beneath your care; bless your Church and our government; remember the sick and those who are in need or peril; have mercy on all your people; and when our last evening shall come, grant that we may fall asleep in your peace and wake in your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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,
forever and ever. Amen
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. Amen
