Evening Prayer on Monday — Monday, 26 October 2026 — Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899 [Lesser Festival] — Cedd, Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664 [Commemoration]

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 Greatness

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!

2 You are clothed with majesty and honour, wrapped in light as in a garment.

3 The sun knows the time for its setting. You make darkness that it may be night.

4 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

5 When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.

6 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; may the Lord rejoice in his works;

7 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will make music to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104.1, 2, 21b ,22a, 26, 32, 33, 35

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 4

In peace I will lie down and sleep.

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; you set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you nobles dishonour my glory; how long will you love vain things and seek after falsehood?

3 But know that the Lord has shown me his marvellous kindness; when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

4 Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many that say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.

7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their corn and wine and oil increase.

8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for it is you Lord, only, who make me dwell in safety.

In peace I will lie down and sleep.

Give us today, O God, a glad heart and a clear conscience, that when we come to this day’s end we may rest in peace with Christ our Lord.

Psalm 7

Give judgement for me according to my righteousness, O Lord.

1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me,

2 Lest they rend me like a lion and tear me in pieces while there is no one to help me.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done these things: if there is any wickedness in my hands,

4 If I have repaid my friend with evil, or plundered my enemy without a cause,

5 Then let my enemy pursue me and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and lay my honour in the dust.

6 Rise up, O Lord, in your wrath; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies. Awaken, my God, the judgement that you have commanded.

7 Let the assembly of the peoples gather round you; be seated high above them: O Lord, judge the nations.

8 Give judgement for me according to my righteousness, O Lord, and according to the innocence that is in me.

9 Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.

10 God is my shield that is over me; he saves the true of heart.

11 God is a righteous judge; he is provoked all day long.

12 If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready.

13 He has prepared the weapons of death; he makes his arrows shafts of fire.

14 Behold those who are in labour with wickedness, who conceive evil and give birth to lies.

15 They dig a pit and make it deep and fall into the hole that they have made for others.

16 Their mischief rebounds on their own head; their violence falls on their own scalp.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord for his righteousness, and I will make music to the name of the Lord Most High.

Give judgement for me according to my righteousness, O Lord.

Lord, your justice turns evil on itself: move us to examine our hearts and repent of all duplicity; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Judge and righteous Saviour.

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.

Isaiah 42.14-21

For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labour, I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them. They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame— those who trust in carved images, who say to cast images, ‘You are our gods.’ Listen, you that are deaf; and you that are blind, look up and see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf like my messenger whom I send? Who is blind like my dedicated one, or blind like the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for the sake of his righteousness, to magnify his teaching and make it glorious.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Grace, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 58 (page 615), may be said

The glorious grace of God is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Alleluia.

1 Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you have blest us in Christ Jesus with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

2 You chose us to be yours in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before you.

3 In love you destined us for adoption as your children, through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of your will,

4 To the praise of your glorious grace, which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

5 In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of our sins,

6 According to the riches of your grace, which you have lavished upon us.

7 You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, the mystery of your will,

8 According to your purpose which you set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time,

9 To unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1.3-10

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.

The glorious grace of God is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 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 1.5-25

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, ‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’

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

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and be not wise in your own sight.

from Proverbs 3

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or A Song of the Blessed (page 606) 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

The media and the arts Farming and fishing Commerce and industry Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful or fraught with danger All who are unemployed

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

God, our maker and redeemer, we pray you of your great mercy and by the power of your holy cross to guide us by your will and to shield us from our foes: that, after the example of your servant Alfred, we may inwardly love you above all things; 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. 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.

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