Fishing in the Keep of Silence

There is a hush now while the hills rise up
and God is going to sleep. He trusts the ship
of Heaven to take over and proceed beautifully
as he lies dreaming in the lap of the world.
He knows the owls will guard the sweetness
of the soul in the massive keep of silence,
looking out with eyes open or closed over
the length of Tomales Bay that the egrets
conform to, whitely broad in flight, white
and slim in standing. God, who thinks about
poetry all the time, breathes happily as He
repeats to Himself: there are fish in the net,
lots of fish this time in the net of the heart.

--Linda Gregg (1942-2019), American poet, from All of It Singing: New and Selected Poems, 2008

Scripture reference: Luke 5:1-11, 5th Sunday after Epiphany C

Evening

The light passes 
from ridge to ridge, 
from flower to flower— 
the hepaticas, wide-spread 
under the light 
grow faint— 
the petals reach inward, 
the blue tips bend 
toward the bluer heart 
and the flowers are lost.

The cornel-buds are still white, 
but shadows dart
from the cornel-roots—
black creeps from root to root, 
each leaf 
cuts another leaf on the grass,
shadow seeks shadow,
then both leaf
and leaf-shadow are lost.

--H. D. (1886-1961), Angle-American poet

Prayer for Light (at Evening)

The heaven, O Lord,

is bright with the clear shining of the stars,

and the earth is serene with radiant light,

since You have shone upon the world

from Your holy habitation.

Chase then, we ask You,

all darkness from our minds.

Kindle our hearts

with the splendour of Your grace.

Enlighten our eyes

with the radiance of Your brightness,

that we may attain to see You for ever. 

--Mozarabic prayer from Evelyn Underhill's Prayer Book 

Image from the Hubble telescope.

Vesper Prayer (Lent)

Holy God, in love you created us and called our being “good.” With open hearts, we praise you for your unfailing love. With open hands, we offer you our labors. Bless and guide us now as our day turns toward evening; through your grace, may we share with others the love we receive from you. In the name of God our Creator, Jesus our brother, and the Spirit who lights our way. Amen.

--from Daily Prayer for All Seasons, authorized by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, 2014, p. 74

Evening Prayer

O God, we praise You for the night and for sleep. Release our limbs of toil. Smooth our brow of care. Grant us a refreshing draught of forgetfulness. Comfort those who toss on a bed of pain, or whose nerves crave sleep and find it not. Save them from despondent thoughts in the darkness. May they learn to lean on Your all-pervading life and love so, their souls may grow tranquil and their bodies may rest.

-- Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918), American Baptist minister and social reformer, one of the founders of the Social Gospel Movement

Let Evening Come

Let the light of late afternoon
shine through chinks in the barn, moving
up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing
as a woman takes up her needles 
and her yarn. Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned
in long grass. Let the stars appear
and the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.
Let the wind die down. Let the shed
go black inside. Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
in the oats, to air in the lung
let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don't
be afraid. God does not leave us
comfortless, so let evening come.

-- Jane Kenyon (1947-1995). from Let Evening Come (1990)

A Celtic Evening Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.


found at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2013/10/25/a-celtic-evening-blessing/#6HhlDUfgLK82igvJ.99

God With Me Laying Down (Dia Liom a Laighe)

GOD with me lying down,
God with me rising up,
God with me in each ray of light,
Nor I a ray of joy without Him,
   Nor one ray without Him.

Christ with me sleeping,
Christ with me waking,
Christ with me watching,
Every day and night,
   Each day and night.

God with me protecting,
The Lord with me directing,
The Spirit with me strengthening,
For ever and for evermore,
   Ever and evermore, Amen.
      Chief of chiefs, Amen.

--from the Carmina Gadelica, told by Mary Macrae, edited and translated by Alexander Carmichael (1900).

Photo of the Kildalton Cross and Church, @800 CE, from wikimedia commons.

Prayer of Invocation for Evening

Lord of the evening hour,
who hast often met with us at the close of day,
be our refuge now from the noise of the world
and the care of our own spirits.

Grant us thy peace.

Let not the darkness of our ignorance and folly,
of our sorrow and sin
hide thee from us.
Draw hear to us that we may be near to thee.
Speak to each of us the word we need,
and let thy word abide in us
till it has wrought in us thy holy will.

Quicken and refresh our hearts,
renew and increase our strength,
that we may grow into the likeness of thy faithful children,
and by our worship at this time
be enabled better to serve thee in our daily life
in the spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

--John Hunter, Devotional Services, 1915, cited in Morgan Phelps Noyes, Prayers for Services