In the Evening

Two prayers from The Order for Evening Worship in The Book of Common Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator

of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary,

renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing

upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have

protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the

coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every

fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of

our life. To you be glory for endless ages.  Amen.

Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as

incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.

Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and

Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around

us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the

heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us

to eternal life and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

These prayers are rarely heard because this form of Evening Prayer is rarely used in our churches (though I think The Order for Evening Worship would probably form the basis of a very successful Vespers service in many parishes). The first prayer is an adaptation of evening prayers from Bishop Lancelot Andrewes' Private Devotions; the second is from the Taize Community. Appending them to Evening Prayer seems a good practice as we end the Office, especially on Sundays.