November 11, 2022 :: Evening Prayer
Friday after the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity
Here beginneth the 36th chapter of Sirach.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord God of all, and behold us:
And send thy fear upon all the nations that seek not after thee.
Lift up thy hand against the strange nations, and let them see thy power.
As thou wast sanctified in us before them: so be thou magnified among them before us.
And let them know thee, as we have known thee, that there is no God but only thou, O God.
Shew new signs, and make other strange wonders: glorify thy hand and thy right arm, that they may set forth thy wondrous works.
Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath: take away the adversary, and destroy the enemy.
Make the time short, remember the covenant, and let them declare thy wonderful works.
Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire; and let them perish that oppress the people.
Smite in sunder the heads of the rulers of the heathen, that say, There is none other but we.
Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and inherit thou them, as from the beginning.
O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by thy name, and upon Israel, whom thou hast named thy firstborn.
O be merciful unto Jerusalem, thy holy city, the place of thy rest.
Fill Sion with thine unspeakable oracles, and thy people with thy glory.
Give testimony unto those that thou hast possessed from the beginning, and raise up prophets that have been in thy name.
Reward them that wait for thee, and let thy prophets be found faithful.
O Lord, hear the prayer of thy servants, according to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, that all they which dwell upon the earth may know that thou art the Lord, the eternal God.
The belly devoureth all meats, yet is one meat better than another.
As the palate tasteth divers kinds of venison: so doth an heart of understanding false speeches.
A froward heart causeth heaviness: but a man of experience will recompense him.
A woman will receive every man, yet is one daughter better than another.
The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better.
If there be kindness, meekness, and comfort, in her tongue, then is not her husband like other men.
He that getteth a wife beginneth a possession, a help like unto himself, and a pillar of rest.
Where no hedge is, there the possession is spoiled: and he that hath no wife will wander up and down mourning.
Who will trust a thief well appointed, that skippeth from city to city? so who will believe a man that hath no house, and lodgeth wheresoever the night taketh him?
Here endeth the first lesson.
Here beginneth the 2nd chapter of 2 Thessalonians.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.