Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Evening Prayer for June 2

 Evening Prayer (Vespers)

You may wish to light a candle and place it before you as you begin.

 

OPENING DIALOGUE

Give the Lord glory and power.
Adore the Lord, resplendent and holy.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of God’s glory.
Heed the voice of the Lord, full of power.
Regard the voice of the Lord, full of splendor.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of God’s glory.
In God’s temple, the people cry, “Glory!”
For the Lord will give strength to the people.
The Lord will bless the people with peace.

HYMN: Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1rtTHWAsFw

READINGS

FIRST READING: Numbers 6:22-27 (CEB)

A reading from: Numbers

22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23 Tell Aaron and his sons: You will bless the Israelites as follows. Say to them: 24 The Lord bless you and protect you. 25 The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. 26 The Lord lift up his face to you and grant you peace. 27 They will place my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

PSALM 20:1-8

I pray that the Lord answers you
        whenever you are in trouble.
    Let the name of Jacob’s God protect you.
Let God send help to you from the sanctuary
    and support you from Zion.
Let God recall your many grain offerings;
    let him savor your entirely burned offerings. 

 Let God grant what is in your heart
    and fulfill all your plans.
Then we will rejoice that you’ve been helped.
    We will fly our flags in the name of our God.
    Let the Lord fulfill all your requests!

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed one;
    God answers his anointed one
        from his heavenly sanctuary,
    answering with mighty acts of salvation
        achieved by his strong hand.
Some people trust in chariots, others in horses;
    but we praise the Lord’s name.
They will collapse and fall,
    but we will stand up straight and strong.

Gospel: Mark 4:21-25 (CEB)

A reading from: Mark

21 Jesus said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp in order to put it under a basket or a bed? Shouldn’t it be placed on a lampstand? 22 Everything hidden will be revealed, and everything secret will come out into the open. 23 Whoever has ears to listen should pay attention!”

24 He said to them, “Listen carefully! God will evaluate you with the same standard you use to evaluate others. Indeed, you will receive even more. 25 Those who have will receive more, but as for those who don’t have, even what they don’t have will be taken away from them.”

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

REFLECTION:

These texts reflect back on Holy Trinity Sunday, specifically on God’s glory. Here is one person’s take on it.
“Ezekiel 10:4 helps us to glimpse and understand God’s glory: “Then the LORD’s glory rose from above the winged creatures and moved toward the temple’s threshold. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the LORD’s glory.”


“The word translated here as “glory” is kabod in Hebrew. Curiously, this word is derived from a root with the basic meaning of “heavy.” From this root came, among other things, a word meaning “rich.” Speakers of ancient Hebrew would refer to a rich person as “heavy in wealth,” much as we might say someone is loaded.

“A similar extension of the literal sense of kabod included being loaded with power, reputation, or honor. It’s from this use of the word that we get the meaning of glory. God’s glory is God’s weightiness in wonderful qualities such as might, beauty, goodness, justice, and honor. When it comes to these characteristics and so many others, God has them in superabundance. 

"Thus, when we think of God's glory, we remember that God has all good things in greater quantity and quality than we can ever imagine. Notice, too, that God's glory is solid and substantial. It isn't mere reputation. It isn't dependent on anyone or anything else. God's glory reflects [God's] essential nature."


Jesus speaks about being glorified. He bears God’s glory when he dies on the cross, obedient to God until his death. But, what are we to do with that glory other than to praise God for having so much of it?

Jesus says we are to let it shine, as opposed to hiding it under a basket. We are to share it with others, so all may know how Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension demonstrate God’s glory.

Because of Jesus, God’s glory shines on us, too. We bear the image of God, we are siblings with Jesus, and we are called to let the light of God’s glory shine through us. So, shine on, friends, shine on. Amen

 

SCRIPTURE DIALOGUE

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets,         

but in these last days, God has spoken to us by the Son.

 

PRAYERS

In Christ Jesus we meet the God who knows our weakness and bears the wounds of the world. Therefore, let us be bold as we pray, trusting that God draws near to those in any kind of need.

Individual prayers are offered silently or aloud.

Into your wide embrace, O God, we place all our prayers, spoken and unspoken, trusting that you will receive them into your heart of mercy, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. Amen

 

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

 

HYMN: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

YouTube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDzcZWa_YqQ

BLESSING

Now go forth with the song of the seraphs in your hearts.
We will praise God’s glory and strength.
Depart to rejoin the wayward world we live in.
We will be led by the voice of the Lord.
Go in peace as children of the Almighty Creator,
Thanks be to the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit.

Scripture from Common English Bible © 2012

Liturgy from ELW Annual Liturgy License 26504

And Abingdon Worship Annual 2021

A portion of Reflection taken from What Is God’s Glory? | Daily Reflection | The High Calling (theologyofwork.org) accessed 06/02/2021

 

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