prayer

[helenic]

I'm leading the intercessions at evensong tonight, and browsing through Anglican prayer resources I came across this, which I don't think I've heard before:

17 62.25 Evening, Creation


Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the universe
Your word brings on the dusk at evening

Your wisdom creates both night and day.
You determine the cycles of time,

arrange the succession of seasons,
and establish the stars in their heavenly courses.
Lord of the starry hosts is your name.

Living and eternal God, rule over us always.
Blessed be the Lord, whose word makes evening fall.


Unfortunately I doubt it's formal enough for BCP choral evensong, which doesn't have to have intercessions anyway, but dear god, that's beautiful.

Comments

[devalmont.livejournal.com]

I refute any Wiccan to be anti-Christian, or vice versa, when reading those lovely lines. It's always good when a hymn or reading appears to be truly spiritual, not denominational, pertaining just to the belief (which I feel every living thing has) that there is a force which resides around and inside all living things, stripping away all of the dogma and arrogance present in many forms of organized religion.
Two-penneth over, everybody relax.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

absolutely. I myself am probably at least a quarter Wiccan. The Anglican church has many many flaws, but some of its prayers are simply stunning. My two all-time favourites are these - the third collect of evensong, mainly because my mother used to say it over me before I went to sleep:

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

and the prayer introducing an Easter Vigil:

Christ yesterday and today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega;
all time belongs to him,
and all ages.

May the light of Christ,
rising in glory,
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.

It's all about banishing the darkness, yeah. I'm a bit of a C S Lewis about religion - I like it to be mythical, only with the added power of being true myth. (I'm aware that's a controversial thing to say!)

[baranoouji.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful.

I was browsing over on your LJ from a common friend's list, and I was wondering if it would be alright to friend you.

- Regards,
E.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind at all. Your journal seems fascinating - I've added you, although I won;t have time to backread this evening, unfortunately.

[baranoouji.livejournal.com]

Beware: backreading may take eons.

:)

:friends you with impunity now: