Penitential Rite
Tim will serve as “all.”
Officiant:
Friends, it is in vain that we rise up so early, and go so late to rest, and eat the bread of anxiety: for God gives sleep to his beloved.
Dear God,
thank you for all that is good,
for our creation and for our humanity,
for the stewardship you have given us of this planet Earth,
for the gifts of life and of one another,
for your love, which is unbounded and eternal.
Let us come to God as one from whom no secrets are hidden, to ask for forgiveness and peace.
A moment of silence is kept.
Officiant:
We have wounded your love.
All:
O God, heal us.
Officiant:
We stumble in the darkness.
All:
Light of the world, transfigure us.
Officiant:
We forget that we are your home.
All:
Spirit of God, dwell in us.
Officiant:
Eternal Spirit, living God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you,
to the very secret of our hearts
and all that rises to trouble us.
Living flame, burn into us,
cleansing wind, blow through us,
fountain of water, well up within us,
that we may love and praise in deed and in truth.
May the God of Love have mercy on us, pardon us, and set us free. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. May God strengthen us in all goodness and keep us in life eternal.
All:
Amen
Those designated sing:
The Kontakion of Righteous Elizabeth
Prostopinije, Tone 4
Text: The Orthodox Church in America
Hannah M. will sing part A; Philip will sing part B.
Opening Sentences
Hannah M. will serve as “all.”
Those designated sing the Compline hymn:
Te Lucis ante Terminum
(Sarum Rite Plainchant, Festal Tone)
Philip will sing verses 1 and 3; Hannah M. will sing verse 2.
Before the end of the light,
we beg you, creator of all,
that you, with familiar mercy,
might be the leader of our care.
Let troubled dreams withdraw to the distance.
Silence our enemy
and all deceptions of the night,
that our bodies may rest secure.
Be present, omnipotent father,
through the Lord, Jesus Christ,
who with you forever
reigns with the Holy Spirit.
Psalmody
The psalm is sung antiphonally. You are invited to join either the “leader” or the “responder” part (with your microphone muted).
Hannah M. will serve as leader and Philip will serve as responder.
Psalm 72 (Alter, adapted)
Leader:
God, grant Your judgements to the queen *
Responder:
and Your righteousness to the queen’s daugh-ter.
Leader:
May she judge Your people right-eously *
Responder:
and Your lowly ones in jus-tice.
Leader:
May the mountains bear peace to the peo-ple, *
Responder:
and the hills right-eousness.
Leader:
May she bring justice to the lowly of the pe-◊-ople, may she rescue the children of the need-y *
Responder:
and crush the op-pres-sor.
Leader:
May she live as long as the sun *
Responder:
and as long as the moon, gener-a-tions un-told.
Leader:
May she come down like rain on new-mown grass, *
Responder:
like showers that mois-ten the earth.
Leader:
May the just flourish in her days: *
Responder:
and abundant peace till the moon is no more.
Leader:
And may she hold sway from sea to sea, *
Responder:
from the River to the ends of the earth.
Leader:
Before her may the desert-folk kneel, *
Responder:
and her enemies lick the dust.
Leader:
May kings of Tarshish and the islands bring trib-ute, *
Responder:
may kings of Sheba and Siba of-fer vas-sal-gifts.
Leader:
And may all kings bow to her, *
Responder:
all na-tions serve her.
Leader:
For she saves the needy one plead-ing, *
Responder:
and the lowly who have none to help them.
Leader:
She pities the poor and the need-y. *
Responder:
and the lives of the need-y she res-cues,
Leader:
from scheming and outrage re-deems them, *
Responder:
and their blood is dear in her sight.
Leader:
Long may she live, *
Responder:
and the gold of Sheba be giv-en to her.
Leader:
May she be prayed for al-ways, *
Responder:
all day long be bless-èd.
Leader:
May there be abundance of grain in the land, *
Responder:
on the moun -tain-tops.
Leader:
May her fruit rustle like Leb-anon, *
Responder:
and may they sprout from the town like grass of the land.
Leader:
May her name be for-ev-er. *
Responder:
As long as the sun may her name bear fruit.
Leader:
And may all nations be blessed through her, *
Responder:
and may all nations call her hap-py.
Leader:
Blessed is the Lord God, Israel’s God, *
Responder:
performing won-ders a-lone,
Leader:
and blessed is God’s glory for-ev-er, *
Responder:
and may God’s glory fill all the earth. A-men and a-men.
Reading
Tim will serve as leader and Philip will serve as “all.”
The reading begins:
Luke 1:5–9, 11–15a, 17–24 (NRSV)
Tim will begin as Evangelist, Hannah M. will serve as Gabriel, and Philip will serve as Zechariah.
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. 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. 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.
The reading continues:
Luke 1:39–46a (NRSV)
Luke will serve as Evangelist and Stacy will serve as Elizabeth.
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said:
The canticle is sung antiphonally:
Magnificat
Luke 1:46b–55 (BCP)
Hannah M. will serve as leader and Philip will serve as responder.
Leader:
Beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia ancillam humilem respexit Deus. Alleluia.
All generatìons shall call me blessèd,
for God hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. Alleluia.
Leader:
My soul doth magnify the Lord *
Responder:
and my spirit hath rejoicèd in God my Saviour.
Leader:
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid *
Responder:
for behold, from henceforth all generatìons shall call me blessèd.
Leader:
For he that is mighty hath magnified me *
Responder:
and holy is his Name.
Leader:
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
Responder:
throughout all generatìons.
Leader:
He hath shewèd strength with his arm *
Responder:
he hath scatterèd the proud in the imaginatìon of their hearts.
Leader:
He hath put down the mighty from their seat *
Responder:
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
Leader:
He hath fillèd the hungry with good things *
Responder:
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
Leader:
He rememb’ring his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel *
Responder:
as he promisèd to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Responder:
Beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia ancillam humilem respexit Deus. Alleluia.
All generatìons shall call me blessèd,
for God hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. Alleluia.
The reading continues:
Luke 1:56–64 (NRSV)
Luke will continue as Evangelist, Stacy will continue as Elizabeth, and Philip will continue as Zechariah.
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.
The canticle is sung antiphonally:
Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel
Luke 1:68–79 (NZPB)
Philip will serve as leader and Hannah M. will serve as responder.
Leader:
Apertum est os Zachariae, et prophetavit, dicens:
“Benedictus Deus Israel.”
Zechariah’s mouth was opened, and he prophesied,
saying: “Blessed is the God of Israel.”
Leader:
Blessèd are you O Lord our God *
Responder:
you have come to your people and set them free.
Leader:
You have raised up for us a mighty Saviour *
Responder:
born of the house of your servant David.
Leader:
Through your holy prophets you promised of old *
Responder:
that you would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.
Leader:
You promised to show mercy to our forbears *
Responder:
and to remember your holy covenant.
Leader:
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham: *
Responder:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Leader:
free to worship you without fear *
Responder:
holy and righteous in your sight all the days of our life.
Leader:
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High *
Responder:
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
Leader:
to give God’s people knowledge of salvation *
Responder:
through the forgiveness of their sins.
Leader:
In the tender compassion of our God *
Responder:
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
Leader:
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death *
Responder:
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Responder:
Apertum est os Zachariae, et prophetavit, dicens:
“Benedictus Deus Israel.”
Zechariah’s mouth was opened, and he prophesied,
saying: “Blessed is the God of Israel.”
Here ends reading.
Philip will serve as leader and Hannah M. will serve as “all.”
Responsories
Hannah M. will serve as leader and Philip will serve as “all.”
All sing an aleatoric responsory:
Epitaph
Text by Sarah Williams; music by F.J. Haydn (details)
- Hannah M. sings the melody once, ending on “oo.”
- All join in the unison “oo” while Philip repeats the melody, ending on “oo.”
- Everyone sings the melody, starting at different times and moving at different speeds, ending by returning to “oo.”
- Once everyone is singing “oo,” gradually fade into silence.
Prayers
Stacy will serve as leader and Tim will serve as “all.”
The leader begins the Lord’s Prayer:
All continue silently until “and lead us not …”:
… 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 then conclude:
A moment of silence is kept.
Luke will serve as leader and Hannah M. will serve as “all.”
The leader begins the collects:
Philip will serve as leader and Hannah M. will serve as “all.”
Leader:
Leader:
O most mighty and merciful God,
in this time of grievous sickness,
we flee unto thee for succour.
Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril;
give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick;
prosper the means made use of for their cure;
and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is,
we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom
which leadeth to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All:
Leader:
Keep watch, dear Lord,
with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary,
bless the dying, soothe the suffering,
pity the afflicted, shield the joyous;
and all for your love’s sake.
All:
Leader:
Be present, Spirit of God,
within us, your dwelling place and home,
that this house may be one where
all darkness is penetrated by your light,
all troubles calmed by your peace,
all evil redeemed by your love,
all pain transformed in your suffering,
and all dying glorified in your risen life.
All:
Leader:
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord,
and by thy great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night;
through Jesus Christ our savior,
who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever.
All:
After the collects, we will keep a moment of silence to call to mind our concerns, reflections, intentions, and reasons for thankfulness. Those who wish to share them aloud will be invited to do so.
❦
Those designated sing a hymn:
Ut Queant Laxis
Attributed to Paul the Deacon (8th century)
Hannah M. will sing “ut” and “sol,” Philip will sing “re” and “la,” Luke will sing “mi” and “Sancte Johannes,” and Tim will sing “fa.”
That, with relaxed vocal folds,
your choir might resound with songs of wondrous deeds,
unbind our stained lips from all guilt,
Saint John.
Hannah M. will sing verse 2.
A messenger coming from heavenly Olympus
foretold to your father
your great birth, your name,
and the events of your life.
Philip will sing verse 3.
Doubtful of the promises of heaven,
he lost the capacity of speech,
but, when you were born, you restored
the organs of his voice, which had been surpressed.
Luke will sing verse 4.
Resting closed within the womb,
you sensed your King abiding in his chamber:
then, by the merits of each son,
both mothers made known secret things.
Tim will sing verse 6.
Caves of the desert you sought from a young age,
fleeing from crowds of people,
that you might not be able to stain your life
by any offense of the tongue.
Tim will sing verse 7.
The camel supplied the rough covering for your holy limbs;
the ram, your shirt.
Spring water was your drink; your food,
honey and locusts.
Luke will sing verse 8.
The other prophets sang of the coming dawn
forseen by their hearts:
you pointed out with your finger
the one who takes away the sins of the world.
Hannah M. will sing verse 13.
Now, powerful, by the abundance of your merits,
remove the hard stones from our hearts,
making the rough places plain
and the crooked straight.
Philip will sing verse 15.
Let the citizens of heaven celebrate with songs of praise
to you, God, singular and triune.
We humbly pray to you:
spare the people you have redeemed.
Amen.
Canticle
The canticle is sung antiphonally. You are invited to join either the “leader” or the “responder” part (with your microphone muted).
Philip will serve as leader and Hannah M. will serve as responder.
Nunc Dimittis: Luke 2:29–32
Leader:
Lord, you now have set your ser-vant free *
Responder:
to go in peace as you have pro-mised,
Leader:
For with my eyes I have seen *
Responder:
your sal-va-tion,
Leader:
→ which you have pre-pared *
Responder:
before the sight of all peo-ple:
Leader:
A light to shine through all na -tions *
Responder:
and the glory of your peo-ple,Isra-el.
Leader:
Glo -ry be to the Fa-ther, and to the Son, *
Responder:
and to the Ho-ly Spi-rit,
Leader:
As it was in the be-gin-ning, is now, *
Responder:
and will be fore-ver. A-men.
Benediction
Luke will serve as “all.”
Those designated sing the Marian antiphon:
Regina Caeli, Laetare
(Gregorian Chant, Solemn Tone)
Philip will sing part A; Hannah M. will sing part B.
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia,
for the one whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia,
has risen, just as he said. Alleluia.
Pray for us to God. Alleluia.
It is traditional to end Compline with a few moments for silent reflection.