Friday Evening Devotion

Psalm 141

Lord, I call upon thee, haste thee unto me *

 and consider my voice when I cry unto thee.

  Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense *

 and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

  Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth *

 and keep the door of my lips.

  O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing *

 let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them.

  Let the righteous rather smite me friendly *

 and reprove me.

  But let not their precious balms break my head *

 yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness.

  Let their judges be overthrown in stony places *

 that they may hear my words, for they are sweet.

  Our bones lie scattered before the pit *

 like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.

  But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God *

 in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul.

  Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me *

 and from the traps of the wicked doers.

  Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together *

 and let me ever escape them.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

And if they were all one member, where were the body?

But now are they many members, yet but one body.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

(Translation: Authorized Version)

A period of silence may follow.

Canticle

Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55

My soul doth magnify the Lord, *

    and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

For he hath regarded *

    the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold from henceforth *

    all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *

    and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him *

    throughout all generations.

He hath showed strength with his arm; *

    he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *

    and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things, *

    and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *

    as he promised to our forefathers,

    Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

    as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Prayers for Ourselves and Neighbors

Everlasting God, I pray for my own needs and those of others:

Silence or add individual intentions here

I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed, in things done and left undone; especially these sins which I have committed today:

Silence or add individual intentions here

For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God to have mercy upon me. I firmly intend amendment of life, and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church.

+May the Almighty God grant me forgiveness of all my sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Trinity, One God, Thou art the bearer of good things, grant unto me a grateful heart that I may go forth with thanksgiving for all thy blessings:

Silence or add individual intentions here

And now, I gather my all prayers in the words Thy Son hath 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, and the power, and the glory,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death didst take away the sting of death: Grant unto us thy servants so to follow in faith where thou hast led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in thee, and awake up after thy likeness; for thy tender mercies' sake. Amen.

+The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless me and keep me. Amen.