Continuing in the Covenant of Baptism: To Hear the Word of God and Share in the Lord’s Supper

Continuing in the Covenant of Baptism: To Hear the Word of God and Share in the Lord’s Supper

A Midweek Evening Prayer Service for Lent 2

Opening Dialogue

Behold, now is the acceptable time;
    now is the day of salvation.

Turn us again, O God of our salvation,                                                                                                              that the light of your face may shine on us.

May your justice shine like the sun;
    and may the poor be lifted up.

Hymn of Light - O Light Whose Splendor Thrills (ELW# 563)

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Thanksgiving for Light

The Lord be with you.
    And also with you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
    It is right to give our thanks and praise.

We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning you called light into being, and you set light in the sky to govern night and day.

In a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night you led your people into freedom. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ: may your Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; you are merciful, and you love your whole creation, and with all your creatures we give you glory, through your Son Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen. 

Psalmody: Psalm 119:97-104 spoken responsively by the full verse

Oh, how I love your teaching!
All the day long it is in my mind.

Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, 
for it is always with me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers, 

for your decrees are my study.

I am wiser than the elders,

because I observe your commandments.

I restrain my feet from every evil way,

that I may keep your word.

I do not turn aside from your judgments,

because you yourself have taught me.

How sweet are your words to my taste!

They are sweeter than honey to my mouth.

Through your commandments I gain understanding;

therefore I hate every lying way.

 

Hymn - What is This Place? (ELW# 524)
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A reading from the Gospel of Luke 24:28-32

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

Here ends the lesson.
Thanks be to God.

Reflection

By David Lose

    If this passage sounds a little familiar, it’s not because you’re imagining things.
    Let’s first set the scene. Emmaus is about seven miles from Jerusalem. Which means these two, now three with Jesus, have likely been walking and talking for a couple of hours. By the time they get to their home, it’s evening, and so Cleopas and his companion urge Jesus to stay with them because it’s not safe to be on the roads at night. They still don’t recognize Jesus, but they are grateful for his insight and companionship.
    And then comes the familiar part. As they sit at table, Luke writes, Jesus “took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.” Do you remember where you heard these words before? They are nearly identical to Luke’s description of the Last Supper and are the words that now comprise our celebration of the Lord’s Supper. And all of a sudden – as Jesus again presides over the breaking of bread with his disciples – the eyes of Cleopas and his companion are opened, they recognize Jesus, and he vanishes.
What’s going on here?
    Well, I think Luke is trying to tell us something. Keep in mind that Luke is writing a generation or two after Jesus walked the earth to a community that probably never saw Jesus. Now think again about what happens in this story. Two disciples are met along the way by Jesus who opens up the Scriptures and then shares a sacred meal revealing his identity and presence. When you put it that way, it sounds a lot like church – the opening of the Scriptures and the sharing of the sacred meal of communion.
So I think Luke, through this resurrection story, reminds all those who never saw Jesus in the flesh that he is available each and every time Christians gather around the word and the meal.
    Pretty cool.
Every meal is sacred when Christians gather to share it. When we share the Lord's Supper, we are most certainly to recognize the presence of the Lord with us. The meal in today's verses, however, is a reminder that even the most common times of table fellowship are sacred and precious moments of Jesus' presence. When we eat together, let's never let a single meal pass without our conscious realization and recognition of the Lord's being with us.

Amen.

Scriptural Dialogue                                                                                                              

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets,                                        but in these last days God has spoken to us by the Son.

Gospel Canticle - My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness (ELW #251)
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The Prayers

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
    Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
    Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
    Lord, have mercy.

For the health of the creation, for abundant harvests that all may share, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
    Lord, have mercy.

For public servants, the government, and those who protect us; for those who work to bring peace, justice, healing, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.

    Lord, have mercy.

For those who travel, for those who are sick and suffering, and for those who are in captivity, let us pray to the Lord.

    Lord, have mercy.

For deliverance in the time of affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

    Lord, have mercy.

For all servants of the church, for this assembly, and for all people who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.

    Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

A time of silence follows.

Giving thanks for all who have gone before us and are at rest, rejoicing in the communion of all the saints, we commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to you, through Christ our Lord.

    To you, O Lord.

O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever.

Amen.

We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected us today. We ask you to forgive us all our sins, where we have done wrong, and graciously to protect us tonight. Into your hands we commend ourselves: our bodies, our souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels be with us, so that the wicked foe may have no power over us.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray as Jesus taught us:

Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
        on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
    as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
    and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
    and the glory are yours,
    now and forever. Amen.

Blessing

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.                                                                                         

Amen.