I recently came across a phrase suggesting that other than the well-used “Dirty Pages” of the Book of Common Prayer, most Episcopalians know little about is written in their official book of prayers and services. I decided it was time to check out what else this book contains. At my recent Episcopalian Inquirer’s Class, our very able leader led us through a recitation of an Evening Prayer. That is a good place to start:
Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two
“The Officiant begins the service with one or more of the following sentences of Scripture….
The Service of Light on Pages 109 – 112
The Book of Common Prayer:
“…the Officiant greets the people with these words:
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Thanks be to God…
or with the versicle:
“‘O God, make speed to save us’ on page 117
“Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting
up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2
Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness
A Psalm of David.
141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:1-2.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
“One of the following, or some other Short Lesson of Scripture appropriate to the occasion or to the season, may then be read.
“Jesus said:
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp to put it under a bucket, but on a lamp-stand where it gives light for everyone in the house. And you, like the lamp, must shed light among your fellow men, so that they may see the good you do, and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
“It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake. For the same God who said, ‘Out of darkness let light shine,’ has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of revelation––the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,’ darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Psalm 139:10-11
“The Officiant then says the Prayer for Light, using any one of the following or some other suitable prayer, first saying:
“Let us pray. Almighty God, we give you thanks for surrounding us, as daylight fades, with the brightness of the vesper light; and we implore you of your great mercy that, as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so you would shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Grant us, Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City, where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
‘O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
“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 Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Advent” The Book of Common Prayer, pgs. 109 – 111 …
Gracious Light Phos hilaron
“O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.” BCP, pg. 112 …
“The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Amen. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.” BCP, pg. 113.
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Before I finish this post, I want to add that since childhood, I have liked the idea of an evening prayer–a more formal utterance of “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,” and during my camp years, I cherished the evening hours down by the lake when we sang:
My Favorite Evening Prayer from Camp:
“Bed is too small for my tiredness.
Give me a hilltop with trees.
Tuck a cloud up under my chin.
Lord blow the moon out please.”
When I was a young adult, I discovered the Evening Prayer from the Opera Hansel and Gretel–written in the late 1800s.
Lyrics in English from The Evening Prayer – Hansel and Gretel
“In the evening, when I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels watch over me:
Two at my head,
Two at my feet,
Two on my right,
Two on my left,
Two cover me up,
Two awaken me,
Two, point the way
To paradise in heaven!” Humperdinck
The words of Humperdinck’s Evening Prayer remind me of another Camp Song that I sang as a chi
“All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me, My Lord”:
Another verse of that song is:
“Now I lay me down to sleep,
Angels watching over me, my Lord.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Angels watching over me.
“All night, all day.
Angels watching over me, my Lord.
All night, all day.
Angels watching over me.”
The Spiritual Swing Low Sweet Chariot Talks about Angels
Image Credit: Amazon
Look carefully at the text of Bernardine Connelly’s Follow the Drinking Gourd. See how her language could easily qualify to be an Evening Prayer:
“Twilight’s just fallen, the day’s cotton’s been counted and carded, and out in the night, just past the willow tree, you hear the quail whistle out to you, bob-bob-white, and that song sprouts up at the back of your throat about following the Drinking Gourd, about peg Leg Joe, about escaping North to freedom, But as much as you want to sing it, you don’t say a word. You just think it. Follow the Drinking Gourd. It’s Time to Run.” Connelly
Twilight — the Time for an Evening Prayer
Twilight is a magical time of day, and the suggestion of a moon and/or stars adds to the magic.
Light and Angels are important themes in my work:
I often talk about the literary themes of Darkness versus Light:
I deliberately referenced Light several times in my picture book The Donkey’s Song.
Jacki Kellum is the Author of the Picture Book The Donkey’s Song
Published by Doubleday for Young Readers at
Random House Kids & Penguin Random House
The Episcopal Church Celebrates Advent before Christmas and Advent is the Season of Light.
Light is the Reason for the Season, and Avent is the Season of Light.
Morning Has Broken – Celebrating the Light – Christmas in My Garden
Discover more from Jacki Kellum
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