Evening Prayer on Thursday — Thursday, 27 August 2026 — Monica, mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

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

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory for ever. As darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Blessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Chosen One

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

3 The spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

4 He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear,

5 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

7 The calf, the lion and the fatling together, with a little child to lead them.

8 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11.1,2,3b-4a,6,9

Glory 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.

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. Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 114

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.

1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of a strange tongue,

2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

3 The sea saw that, and fled; Jordan was driven back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like young sheep.

5 What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you were driven back?

6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams, you little hills like young sheep?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 Who turns the hard rock into a pool of water, the flint-stone into a springing well.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.

Strike the rock of our hard hearts, O God, and let our tears of joy and sorrow mould us to bear the imprint of your love, given in Christ our risen Lord.

Psalm 116

Gracious is the Lord and righteous.

1 I love the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my supplication; because he inclined his ear to me on the day I called to him.

2 The snares of death encompassed me; the pains of hell took hold of me; by grief and sorrow was I held.

3 Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I beg you, deliver my soul.’

4 Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

5 The Lord watches over the simple; I was brought very low and he saved me.

6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has been gracious to you.

7 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling.

8 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

9 I believed that I should perish for I was sorely troubled; and I said in my alarm, ‘Everyone is a liar.’

10 How shall I repay the Lord for all the benefits he has given to me?

11 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.

12 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

13 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

14 O Lord, I am your servant, your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.

15 I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord.

16 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,

17 In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Gracious is the Lord and righteous.

As we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, may we call upon your name, raise the cup of salvation, and so proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come in glory.

Psalm 117

Alleluia.

1 O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples.

2 For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia.

Alleluia.

Gracious God, we praise you for your faithfulness and pray that every nation may find your blessing in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

Glory 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.

Daniel 2.1-23

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, ‘I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.’ The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic), ‘O king, live for ever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.’ The king answered the Chaldeans, ‘This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honour. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ They answered a second time, ‘Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.’ The king answered, ‘I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.’ The Chaldeans answered the king, ‘There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.’

Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. The decree was issued, and the wise men were about to be executed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions, to execute them. Then Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the king’s chief executioner, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon; he asked Arioch, the royal official, ‘Why is the decree of the king so urgent?’ Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.

Then Daniel went to his home and informed his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon might not perish. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel said: ‘Blessed be the name of God from age to age, for wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. To you, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and power, and have now revealed to me what we asked of you, for you have revealed to us what the king ordered.’

Canticle

Great and Wonderful, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 63 (page 621), may be said

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. Alleluia.

1 Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty.

2 Just and true are your ways, O ruler of the nations.

3 Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord? for you alone are holy.

4 All nations shall come and worship in your presence: for your just dealings have been revealed.

Revelation 15.3, 4

To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Luke 10.1-20

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’

The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’

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

Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. I have called you by name; you are mine. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or A Song of Christ’s Appearing (page 621) may be said

In the heavenly kingdom, the blessed have their dwelling place and their rest for ever and ever. Alleluia.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luke 1.46-55

Glory 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.

In the heavenly kingdom, the blessed have their dwelling place and their rest for ever and ever. Alleluia.

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 362–363

Local government, community leaders All who provide local services Those who work with young or elderly people Schools, colleges and universities Emergency and rescue organizations

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

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

Faithful God, who strengthened Monica, the mother of Augustine, with wisdom, and through her patient endurance encouraged him to seek after you: give us the will to persist in prayer that those who stray from you may be brought to faith in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our 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)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

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

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

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

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005 Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix. Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.