We invite you to have a candle or other source of light with you during the service for the traditional blessing.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple with Simeon and Anna
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1627/1628, oil on panel
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Penitential Rite
Luke 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:
The old man Simeon, of whom we will speak, said, “Lord, thou wilt let me now depart in peace from this life, for mine eyes have seen thy Healing One.” The Healing One of whom he spake is our Saviour Christ, who came to heal our wounds, that is, our sins.
Simeon yet said, “He is a light for the enlightening of the gentiles, and a glory to thy people Israel.” He is the true light who scattered the darkness of this life, as he himself said in his gospel, “I am the light of all the world; whoever followeth me shall not come into darkness, but shall have the light of life.” As light scatters darkness, so also love and faith of Christ scatter all vices and sins from our hearts; and he is the glory and bliss of all people.
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
Blessing of Candles
John will serve as “all.”
Officiant:
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Officiant:
Dear people of God, forty days ago we celebrated the joyful feast of the incarnation of Jesus. Today we recall the day on which he was presented in the temple, fulfilling the law of Moses. Simeon and Anna, by the shining light of your Spirit, recognized the child and proclaimed him to be a light for all people.
Be it known also to everyone that it is appointed in the ecclesiastical observances, that we on this day bear our lights to be blessed: and that we should go afterwards with the light among God’s houses, and sing the hymn that is thereto appointed. Though some cannot sing, they can, nevertheless, bear the light in their hands; for on this day was Christ, the true Light, borne to the temple, who redeemed us from darkness and bringeth us to the Eternal Light, who liveth and ruleth ever without end.
All:
Amen.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
All bless and light their candles and other lights.
All:
O eternal God,
who have created all things;
on this day you fulfilled the petitions
of Simeon and Anna:
we humbly ask you to bless and sanctify
these candles
and all sources of light
for our use.
Graciously hear our prayers and be merciful to us,
whom you have redeemed by your Son,
who is the light of the world,
and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
Those designated sing an antiphon and canticle:
Nunc Dimittis: Luke 2:29–32
Philip will sing part A, Luke will sing part B, and Stacy will sing the verses.
Antiphon: A Light to enlighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
O God,
source of all light,
today you revealed to the aged Simeon and Anna
your light which enlightens the nations.
Grant that,
just as these lights shine outwardly for our bodies,
so may spiritual light shine in our hearts,
dispelling all darkness with pure radiance,
through Jesus Christ the Light of the World.
All:
Amen
Opening Sentences
Philip will serve as “all.”
Those designated sing the Compline hymn:
Te Lucis ante Terminum
(Sarum Rite Plainchant, Festal Tone)
Philip will sing verse 1, Luke will sing verse 2, and Stacy will sing verse 3.
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 psalms are sung antiphonally. You are invited to join either the “leader” or the “responder” part (with your microphone muted).
Luke will sing the opening antiphon.
Antiphon: Have mercy on me, Lord, and hear my prayer.
Psalm 61 (Coverdale)
Luke will serve as leader and Philip will serve as responder.
Leader:
Hear my crying, O God, *
Responder:
give ear un-to my prayer.
Leader:
From the ends of the earth will I call up-on thee *
Responder:
when my heart is in heav-iness.
Leader:
O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I *
Responder:
for thou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me a-gainst the en-emy.
Leader:
I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ev-er *
Responder:
and my trust shall be under the cov-er-ing of thy wings.
Leader:
For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires *
Responder:
and hast given an heritage unto those that fear thy Name.
Leader:
Thou shalt grant the King a long life *
Responder:
that his years may endure throughout all gen-er-a-tions.
Leader:
He shall dwell before God for ev-er *
Responder:
O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may pre-serve him.
Leader:
So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name *
Responder:
that I may dai-ly per-form my vows.
Leader:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
Responder:
and to the Ho-ly Ghost,
Leader:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
Responder:
world with-out end. A-men.
Psalm 100 (NRSV)
Philip will serve as leader and Stacy will serve as responder.
Leader:
Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the ◊ earth.
Worship the Lord with glad-ness; *
Responder:
come into his pres-ence with sing-ing.
Leader:
Know that the Lord is ◊ God.
It is he that made us, and we are his; *
Responder:
we are his people, and the sheep of his pas-ture.
Leader:
Enter his gates with thanks-giv-ing, *
Responder:
and his courts with praise.
Leader:
Give thanks to him, *
Responder:
bless his name.
Leader:
For the Lord is ◊ good;
his steadfast love endures for-ev-er, *
Responder:
and his faithfulness to all gen-er-a-tions.
Leader:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
Responder:
and to the Ho-ly Spir-it,
Leader:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
Responder:
world with-out end. A-men.
Psalm 122 (Coverdale)
Stacy will serve as leader and Luke will serve as responder.
Leader:
I was glad when they said unto me *
Responder:
“We will go into the house of the Lord.”
Leader:
Our feet shall stand in thy gates *
Responder:
O Je -ru-salem.
Leader:
Jerusalem is built as a ci-ty *
Responder:
that is at uni-ty in it-self.
Leader:
For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord *
Responder:
to testify unto Israel, to give thanks un-to the Name of the Lord.
Leader:
For there is the seat of judge-ment *
Responder:
even the seat of the house of Da-vid.
Leader:
O pray for the peace of Je-ru-salem *
Responder:
they shall pros-per that love thee.
Leader:
Peace be within thy walls *
Responder:
and plenteousness with-in thy pa-laces.
Leader:
For my brethren and companions’ sakes *
Responder:
I will wish thee pros-per-ity.
Leader:
Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God *
Responder:
I will seek to do thee good.
Leader:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
Responder:
and to the Ho-ly Ghost,
Leader:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
Responder:
world with-out end. A-men.
Luke will sing the ending antiphon.
Antiphon: Have mercy on me, Lord, and hear my prayer.
Short Reading
Stacy will serve as leader and Luke will serve as “all.”
The reading begins:
Luke 2:22–28 (NRSV)
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
The canticle is sung antiphonally:
Nunc Dimittis: Luke 2:29–32
Philip will serve as leader and Luke will serve as responder.
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.
The reading continues:
Luke 2:36–38 (NRSV)
Stacy will serve as leader and Luke will serve as “all.”
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Responsories
Philip will serve as leader and Luke will serve as “all.”
All sing an aleatoric responsory:
Epitaph
Text by Sarah Williams; music by F.J. Haydn (details)
- Philip sings the melody once, ending on “oo.”
- All join in the unison “oo” while Luke 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 Luke 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.
The leader begins the collects:
Philip will serve as leader and Luke will serve as “all.”
Leader:
Leader:
Everliving God,
your Son Jesus Christ was presented as a child in the temple
to be the hope of your people;
grant us pure hearts and minds
that we may be transformed into his likeness,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever.
All:
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:
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.
Canticle
The canticle is sung in a metrical paraphrase.
Nunc Dimittis: Luke 2:29–32
Martin Luther, “Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin,” no. 27 in Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn, ed. Johann Walter (Wittenberg: 1524).
Translation by Catherine Winkworth (adapted).
The verses will be sung by:
- Luke
- Stacy
- Philip
Benediction
Luke will serve as “all.”
Those designated sing the Marian antiphon:
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Simple Tone
Philip will sing part A; Luke will sing part B.
Nourishing mother of our redeemer,
gate of heaven,
star of the sea,
help your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature, you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting,
have compassion for us sinners.
It is traditional to end Compline with a few moments for silent reflection.