Evening Prayer Saturday, 13 June 2020
A reading from Mark’s Gospel
Jesus calms the storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’
41 They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’
Mark 4: 35–41 NIV®
As evening approaches, let us leave the busyness of the day behind us
and go over to a place of quietness and calm.
At many times we may feel like Jesus’ disciples in the boat,
that the waves are breaking over us and we are nearly swamped.
We feel that events are closing in around us and we feel helpless. At these times we turn to Jesus.
Dear Lord, strengthen our faith in you, so that we may know that as long as we stay close to you, the storms and tempests of life cannot overcome us. Safe in your loving arms, we can rest this night, knowing that your loving care is with us at all times.
Tonight we ask for your blessing on all those who will spend a lonely night, without family or friends around them; grant that they will feel your comforting presence throughout the night. We ask your blessing on all who are anxious or worried about their families and loved ones. We pray, too, that you will comfort all those who are feeling hemmed-in during the lockdown, not being able to go out and meet friends and neighbours, feeling as though their home is a prison.
We give you thanks for all who work for the good of others.
We praise you, and we thank you for all those dedicated workers
who tend the sick and vulnerable. May they know that you are always with them.
We end our prayers by saying the Grace together:
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all, evermore.
Amen
