June 23, 2021
Evening Prayer (Vespers)
You may wish to light a candle and place it before you as you
begin.
OPENING DIALOGUE
Sing praises to the Lord, sing praises.
We will
declare God’s deeds among the people.
Shout for joy, you children of the Most High.
God remembers
the needy
and gives hope
to the poor.
Sing praises to the Lord, sing praises.
We will
declare God’s deeds among the people.
HYMN: Yours, Lord, is the glory
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ogq4BrEUd0
READINGS
FIRST READING: Malachi 3:1-4 (CEB)
A reading from Malachi
3 Look, I am
sending my messenger who will clear the path before me;
suddenly
the Lord whom you are seeking
will come to his temple.
The
messenger of the covenant in whom you take delight is coming,
says the Lord of
heavenly forces.
2 Who can endure the day of his
coming?
Who can
withstand his appearance?
He is like the refiner’s fire or the cleaner’s soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and
a purifier of silver.
He will
purify the Levites
and refine
them like gold and silver.
They will
belong to the Lord,
presenting
a righteous offering.
4 The offering of Judah and
Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord
as in
ancient days and in former years.
Word of God, word of
life. Thanks be to God.
Gospel:
Luke 1:57-68 (CEB)
A reading
from: Luke
57 When the
time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. 58 Her
neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the
Lord had shown her great mercy. 59 On the eighth day, it came
time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that
was his father’s name. 60 But his mother replied, “No,
his name will be John.”
61 They said
to her, “None of your relatives have that name.” 62 Then they
began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him.
63 After
asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.” 64 At that
moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God.
65 All their
neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked
about what had happened. 66 All who heard about this
considered it carefully. They said, “What then will this child be?” Indeed, the
Lord’s power was with him.
67 John’s
father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
68 “Bless the
Lord God of Israel because he has come to help and has delivered his people.”
Word of
God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
REFLECTION:
Before
there was Jesus, there was John. Only Luke gives us the story of John the
Baptist’s birth. Only in Luke do we learn that John and Jesus are cousins, the
sons of cousins. Only in Luke do we learn the special nature of both births.
Because Zechariah expressed some doubt that the angel’s words were true, John has been mute since that time in the temple when Gabriel told him there would be a baby. It has been nine months or more since the announcement. Baby John has been born. He will be named at the time of his circumcision, the same way we name infants at their baptism today.
Today, the
neighbors and relatives have gathered for the big event. They have speculated
on the name for the baby, assuming it would be a family name. But Elizabeth speaks
up. His name is John, Yochanan in Hebrew. This was the name given to him by the
angel. When Elizabeth reveals the name, the neighbors look stunned and questioning.
When Zechariah confirms the name Yochanan, he is suddenly able to speak.
Zechariah’s
words are a song praising God and making clear that this special baby will grow
up to have a special purpose. He will be the forerunner to Jesus. As Micah
says, he will be the messenger who clears a pathway for the coming of the Lord,
for Jesus.
Can you imagine growing up
with the knowledge that you are the precursor to the Lord? Can you imagine
always knowing you will be the one pointing the way? From
childhood, John has been imagining how he could be like Elijah, yet different,
forever knowing he will be the second banana.
Yet,
he is not resentful of this role. John knows his calling, and is happy to
fulfill it. It seems he relishes the chance to yell at people in the name of
justice. He delights in drawing people back to God. He delights in being the
one privileged to point the way to Jesus, the Messiah.
In
a way, we are all John the Baptist, called and anointed at baptism to point the
way to Jesus. How are we doing with that? Amen
This
song is the text of Zechariah’s song of praise:
HYMN: Blessed be the God of Israel
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNradHcvnVs
SCRIPTURE DIALOGUE
People of God, do you feel the movement
of the Holy Spirit?
Our hearts
have been broken open
to receive the
grace of God.
People of God, what do you hear?
We hear Christ
calling us to follow
and to be
faithful.
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:
When Jesus came to Jordan
YouTube
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4eC0cOj5Dw
BLESSING
As the Lord has given to
you peace and healing, go into the world offering God’s love and hope to
others. Go in peace and remember + that God goes with you. Amen
Scripture
from Common English Bible © 2012
Liturgy
from ELW Annual Liturgy License 26504
And Abingdon Worship Annual 2021
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