Celtic Evening Prayer

Spirit of the Risen Christ,

as the lamps light up the evening

shine into our hearts and kindle in us

the fire of your love.

The light of Christ has come into the world.

The light of Christ has come into the world.

We offer to you, Lord, the troubles of this day.

Silence

We lay down our burdens at your feet.

Forgive us our sins,

give us your peace,

and help us to receive your Word.

In the name of Christ.

Amen.

Prayer

Let us pray:

God,

God the Maker,

maker of colour, sound, texture, quietness,

and the restless beauty in living things,

We bless you.

God,

God the Maker,

maker of granite and mustard seed,

of grey cloud and starlight,

of earthquake and heartbeat,

We bless you.

God,

God, the Maker,

maker of all that is unseen,

of all that has been,

of all that words could never capture,

We bless you.

God,

God the maker,

we the children of your love,

the creatures of your kindness,

the guardians of your creation,

bless you.

We bless you for your making,

your trusting,

your loving,

your never-ending goodness.

Amen.

Psalm 8

O Lord our God,

how glorious is your name in all the earth;

your majesty is praised above the heavens.

On the lips of children and babies

you have found praise

to foil your enemy,

to silence the foe and the rebel.

When I look at the heavens,

the work of your hands,

at the moon and stars which you have arranged,

what are human beings

that you should remember them,

mere mortals

that you should care for them?

You have made them in your own image,

and crowned them with glory and honour;

you have given them responsibility

for your handwork,

and put all things under their dominion;

all of them, sheep and cattle,

yes, even the savage beasts,

birds of the air and fish

that make their way through the waters.

O Lord, our God,

how glorious is your name,

in all the earth!

Word of God

Listen for the Word of the Lord;

Our ears are open.

Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

(Isaiah 58.6-9a NRSV)

‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

(Matthew 6.1-4 NRSV)

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Thanksgiving

We give you thanks, our Father,

that you are always present,

in all things,

each day and each night.

We give you thanks for your gifts of creation,

life and friendship.

We give you thanks for the particular blessings of this day.

Silence is kept or the naming of blessings aloud

Intercessions

Let us pray for God’s world.

That its beauty may be preserved,

its variety retained,

its integrity respected,

Lord, hear us.

That pollution and cruel exploitation might cease

so that rivers can clap their hands,

waste places burst into flower,

valleys laugh and sing,

wild life live in safety,

all as you intended,

Lord, hear us.

That the children of tomorrow

may not need a museum to show them

the wonders of nature today,

Lord, hear us.

That the poorest nations of the world

may not harvest their fields

only to fill foreign tables,

Lord, hear us.

That Christ who pointed to the birds,

the flowers, the corn, the sunset,

might not find their beauty lacking

were he to return.

Lord, hear us.

Open prayer

Hear us, Creator of all;

convert the hearts of those who ravage the earth,

and strengthen the resolve of those who respect it.

And since the earth is your gift to us,

prevent us from destroying by thoughtlessness

that which is not ours to own.

Amen.

Lord's Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

Our Father, 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 lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Blessing

Now may the Spirit of God,

who brooded over the water

and brought order out of chaos,

find a home in our hearts

and settle our minds as we sleep

that tomorrow we may wake

and live to God’s glory.

Amen.

Sources:

A Wee Worship Book, Wild Goose Worship Group.

The Celtic Prayer Book, volume 1, Ray Simpson, Kevin Mayhew Ltd.