Compline - Tuesday 16th February 2021 - Shrove Tuesday
Introduction
The early Christians took over from the Jews the practice of offering prayer at fixed hours of the day. By the end of the fifth century the work of St. Benedict had formalised the structure of seven “Day Hours” and a “Night Office”. The last of the day hours – Compline – was absorbed into Evening Prayer by Archbishop Cranmer, but Anglican spirituality has consistently shown signs of a need for an act of worship before retiring for the night. This need, together with the need of a simple service which might be used in connection with retreats, or courses of sermons in Lent, led to the provision of an order for Compline in the 1928 Prayer Book.
This service is based on that developed by Bishop R.D. Silk.
The Preparation
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith (1 Peter 5:8 )
Te lucis ante terminum (sung)
To you before the end of day,
Creator of the world we pray;
In love unfailing hear our prayer;
Enfold us in your watchful care.
Keep all disturbing dreams away,
And hold the evil foe at bay,
Repose untroubled let us find
For soul and body, heart and mind.
Almighty God, this accord
Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord;
Who reigns with you eternally
In your blest Spirit’s unity. Amen
Let us confess our sins to Almighty God
Most merciful God.
We have sinned in thought and word and deed;
We are truly sorry and we ask you to forgive.
Help us by your Spirit
To live the new life in Christ
Loving you with all our heart,
And our neighbours as ourselves;
For Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
And keep us in life eternal.
Amen
Psalm 31: 1-5
In you, O Lord have I taken refuge let me never be put to shame,
deliver me in your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me, make haste to deliver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold
for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me
for you are my tower of strength
Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen
The Word
Lord, you are in our midst, we are called by your name.
Do not desert us, O Lord our God (Jeremiah 14:9)
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Thanks be to God
Nunc Dimittis with antiphon
Save us, O Lord, while we are awake; guard us while we sleep; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in his peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen
Save us, O Lord, while we are awake; guard us while we sleep; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in his peace.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and the life everlasting.
Prayers
Lord have mercy on us
Christ have mercy on us
Lord have mercy on us
As our Saviour taught us we boldly pray:
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
Collects
Visit this house we pray you, Lord; drive far from it all the snares of the enemy;
may your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace;
and may your blessing be always upon us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Be with us, merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night;
that we, who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us
Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless and preserve us.
Amen
The early Christians took over from the Jews the practice of offering prayer at fixed hours of the day. By the end of the fifth century the work of St. Benedict had formalised the structure of seven “Day Hours” and a “Night Office”. The last of the day hours – Compline – was absorbed into Evening Prayer by Archbishop Cranmer, but Anglican spirituality has consistently shown signs of a need for an act of worship before retiring for the night. This need, together with the need of a simple service which might be used in connection with retreats, or courses of sermons in Lent, led to the provision of an order for Compline in the 1928 Prayer Book.
This service is based on that developed by Bishop R.D. Silk.
The Preparation
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith (1 Peter 5:8 )
Te lucis ante terminum (sung)
To you before the end of day,
Creator of the world we pray;
In love unfailing hear our prayer;
Enfold us in your watchful care.
Keep all disturbing dreams away,
And hold the evil foe at bay,
Repose untroubled let us find
For soul and body, heart and mind.
Almighty God, this accord
Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord;
Who reigns with you eternally
In your blest Spirit’s unity. Amen
Let us confess our sins to Almighty God
Most merciful God.
We have sinned in thought and word and deed;
We are truly sorry and we ask you to forgive.
Help us by your Spirit
To live the new life in Christ
Loving you with all our heart,
And our neighbours as ourselves;
For Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
And keep us in life eternal.
Amen
Psalm 31: 1-5
In you, O Lord have I taken refuge let me never be put to shame,
deliver me in your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me, make haste to deliver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold
for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me
for you are my tower of strength
Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen
The Word
Lord, you are in our midst, we are called by your name.
Do not desert us, O Lord our God (Jeremiah 14:9)
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Thanks be to God
Nunc Dimittis with antiphon
Save us, O Lord, while we are awake; guard us while we sleep; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in his peace.
- Lord you now have set your servant free
- For these eyes of mine have seen the Saviour
- a light to reveal you to the nations
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen
Save us, O Lord, while we are awake; guard us while we sleep; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in his peace.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and the life everlasting.
Prayers
Lord have mercy on us
Christ have mercy on us
Lord have mercy on us
As our Saviour taught us we boldly pray:
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
Collects
Visit this house we pray you, Lord; drive far from it all the snares of the enemy;
may your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace;
and may your blessing be always upon us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Be with us, merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night;
that we, who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us
Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless and preserve us.
Amen
