¶ Evening Prayer
Passiontide
Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Tuesday of Holy Week

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

Let your ways be known upon earth
Allyour saving power among the nations.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

this or another prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord God of our salvation,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
As we behold your Son, enthroned on the cross,
stir up in us the fire of your love,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and walk with you in newness of life
singing the praise of him who died
for us and our salvation.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

Saviour of the World (page 644), the following or another suitable hymn

The royal banners forward go,
the cross shines forth in mystic glow;
where he in flesh, our flesh who made,
our sentence bore, our ransom paid.

There whilst he hung, his sacred side
by soldier’s spear was opened wide,
to cleanse us in the precious flood
of water mingled with his blood.

Fulfilled is now what David told
in true prophetic song of old,
how God the nations’ King should be;
for God is reigning from the tree.

O tree of glory, tree most fair,
ordained those holy limbs to bear,
how bright in purple robe it stood,
the purple of a Saviour’s blood!

Upon its arms, like balance true,
he weighed the price for sinners due,
the price which none but he could pay,
and spoiled the spoiler of his prey.

To thee, eternal Three in One,
let homage meet by all be done:
as by the cross thou dost restore,
so rule and guide us evermore.

Venantius Fortunatus, tr: J M Neale (alt.)
(Tune: LM)

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

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.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 55.13-24

Refrain: Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you.

13 For it was not an open enemy that reviled me, ♦
for then I could have borne it;

14 Nor was it my adversary that puffed himself up against me, ♦
for then I would have hid myself from him.

15 But it was even you, one like myself, ♦
my companion and my own familiar friend.

16 We took sweet counsel together ♦
and walked with the multitude in the house of God.

17 Let death come suddenly upon them;
let them go down alive to the Pit; ♦
for wickedness inhabits their dwellings, their very hearts. R

18 As for me, I will call upon God ♦
and the Lord will deliver me.

19 In the evening and morning and at noonday
I will pray and make my supplication, ♦
and he shall hear my voice.

20 He shall redeem my soul in peace
from the battle waged against me, ♦
for many have come upon me.

21 God, who is enthroned of old,
will hear and bring them down; ♦
they will not repent, for they have no fear of God. R

22 My companion stretched out his hands against his friend ♦
and has broken his covenant;

23 His speech was softer than butter, though war was in his heart; ♦
his words were smoother than oil, yet are they naked swords.

24 Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you, ♦
and will not let the righteous fall for ever.

Refrain: Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you.

Lord, in all times of fear and dread,
grant that we may so cast our burdens upon you,
that you may bear us on the holy wings of the Spirit
to the stronghold of your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Lamentations 3.40-51

Let us test and examine our ways,
   and return to the Lord.
Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands
   to God in heaven.
We have transgressed and rebelled,
   and you have not forgiven.

You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,
   killing without pity;
you have wrapped yourself with a cloud
   so that no prayer can pass through.
You have made us filth and rubbish
   among the peoples.

All our enemies
   have opened their mouths against us;
panic and pitfall have come upon us,
   devastation and destruction.
My eyes flow with rivers of tears
   because of the destruction of my people.

My eyes will flow without ceasing,
   without respite,
until the Lord from heaven
   looks down and sees.
My eyes cause me grief
   at the fate of all the young women in my city.

Canticle

The Song of Christ’s Glory, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 66 (page 624) or number 87 (page 644), may be said

Refrain:

AllAt the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow. Alleluia.

1Christ Jesus was in the form of God, ♦
but he did not cling to equality with God.

2He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, ♦
and was born in our human likeness.

3Being found in human form he humbled himself, ♦
and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

4Therefore God has highly exalted him, ♦
and bestowed on him the name above every name,

5That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, ♦
in heaven and on earth and under the earth;

6And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, ♦
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2.5-11

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllAt the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Galatians 6.11-end

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you;
Allby your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Christ committed no sin, no guile was found on his lips.
AllWe adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
AllBy your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
By his wounds you have been healed.
AllWe adore you, O Christ, and we bless you;
by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

cf 1 Peter 2

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of Praise (page 627) may be said

Refrain:

AllGod’s love for us is revealed
in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

AllGod’s love for us is revealed
in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 364–365

¶ The persecuted Church
¶ The oppressed peoples of the world
¶ All who are lonely
¶ All who are near to death
¶ All who are facing loss

A form of prayer found on page 381 may be used.

The Litany on pages 400-403 may be said instead of the Prayers.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
      sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Standing at the foot of the cross,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Standing at the foot of the cross,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

May Christ, who bore our sins on the cross,
set us free to serve him with joy.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.