Imagine walking into a dark church where the only light comes from the flame of the Paschal Candle and one candle on the Advent wreath... The place is as quiet as it is dark. As your eyes adjust to the simple light in the darkness, you see others arriving and taking their places. After awhile, some 60 people have gathered and are sharing the quiet with you. A minister in a violet cope enters and takes his seat near the Paschal Candle. After some minutes soaking in the silence, he rises and gestures for all to stand with him. His arms extend towards the Candle and he intones, Light of Christ and all sing in response, Thanks be to God.
So begins Advent Evening Prayer in our parish.
The minister than lights his taper from the Paschal flame and walks through the assembly, passing the brightness and the warmth to others who pass it on to their neighbors. Soon, the place is aglow with taper light and the cantor intones an evening hymn. Next the minister, standing by the Paschal, sings an evening thanksgiving, almost an Advent Exsultet.
Psalm 141 and its refrain, My prayers rise like incense, my hands like an evening offering, call for the obvious: an offering of incense. So while the cantor leads us in the psalm, incense is placed on a glowing coal and burns and wafts up, carrying our prayer to God. A simple prayer follows the psalm.
Two more psalms are sung: a variable psalm of the day and always the trisagion of Psalm 116, Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy and living forever! The scent of holiness still lingers in the incense laden air.
A short scripture, usually the second lesson from the day's Eucharist, and a brief homily are followed by everyone singing the invariable gospel for this liturgy: the Magnificat of Luke 1:46-55. While we sing Mary's canticle of praise, the minister honors the assembly and the Paschal Candle with incense. Sung Prayers of the Faithful, including time for those present to add aloud their own petitions, are gathered together in the Lord's Prayer.
A sung blessing and an exchange of a sign of Christ's peace sends us on our way home.
This liturgy of the hours takes no more than 45 minutes but in less than an hour the hurried, harried business of these weeks can be laid aside like a burden while a light mantle of peace spreads over us with warmth on a chilled New England night.
That's Evening Prayer at Holy Family Parish on the Sundays of Advent and the Christmas season. If you live near by, please join us at 7:00 p.m. If you live far away, please know that we will remember you in our prayer rising like incense...
Oh, how I miss Evening Prayer, particularly during Advent. Entering the quiet church with a lit candle to guide you, the peacefulness and the quiet surround you and fill you. And then, once your body and mind have slowed down the song begins.....for those who have never gone before, now is the time to give yourself a Christmas gift. Evening prayer is one of the greatest things I miss now that I have moved so far away. However, just thinking about it refreshes my soul.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Great description of Evening Prayer. I was one of the fortunate ones to be there for the 1st Sunday of Advent. It was so peaceful and warm.
ReplyDeleteI have learned yet another new thing from your blog, Concord Pastor. I had never heard the word "trisagion." I looked it up on Google and found the translation is "thrice holy." The version we sing at Evening Prayer is: "Holy is God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Living Forever." I would also like to encourage anyone who has not come to Advent Evening Prayer to do so. It is so peaceful. The day's cares slip away, and peace enters one's being. I almost feel as if we are in a monastic cloister. My first experience with Evening Prayer was about six years ago. At the time I was a member of St. Bernard's. Evening Prayer at Our Lady's was mentioned in the bulletin. I decided to see what it was. Since then, I have tried to attend as many Advent Evening Prayers as I can. On those Sunday evenings, I trade my seasonal "chicken-with-her-head-cut-off" behavior for serenity. I highly recommend!
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