welcome to canterbury cathedral we are standing in the dinery garden at 5 30 when normally coral even song would be sung in the cathedral we are of course in our homes as so many of you are this evening and so we're saying some prayers here in the garden we shall say part of even song and we will then say some prayers for our nation and for our world at this serious time oh god make speed to save us o lord make haste to help us glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy ghost as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end amen praise ye the lord the lord's name be praised i'm going to read two of the short psalms which are for this evening of the month psalm 130 followed by psalm 131 out of the deep have i called unto thee o lord lord hear my voice o let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint if thou lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss o lord who may abide it for there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared i look for the lord my soul doth wait for him in his word is my trust my soul flees unto the lord before the morning watch i say before the morning watch o israel trust in the lord for with the lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption and he shall redeem israel from all his sins psalm 131 lord i am not high-minded i have no proud looks i do not exercise myself in great matters which are too high for me but i refrain my soul and keep it low like as a child that is weaned from his mother my soul is even as a weaned child o israel trust in the lord from this time forth forevermore so we read as our first lesson part of isaiah chapter 40. comfort comfort my people says your god speak tenderly to jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended her iniquity pardoned she has received from the lord's hand double measure for all her sins a voice cries in the wilderness prepare the way of the lord make straight in the desert a highway for our god every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low the uneven ground shall become level and the rough places plain and the glory of the lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the lord has spoken so we say magnificat the evening hymn the song of mary my soul doth magnify the lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in god my savior for he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed for he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his name and his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations he has shown strength with his arm he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts he has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble and meek he has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent empty away he remembering his mercy hath opened his servant israel as he promised to our forefathers abraham and his siege forever glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy ghost as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end amen our new testament lesson is taken from the gospel of saint john the 10th chapter beginning at the 22nd verse it was the feast of the dedication at jerusalem it was winter and jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of solomon so the jews gathered round him and said to him how long will you keep us in suspense if you are the christ tell us plainly jesus answered them i told you and you do not believe the works that i do in my father's name they bear witness to me but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep my sheep hear my voice and i know them and they follow me and i give them eternal life and they shall never perish and no one shall snatch them out of my hand that chapter of saint john's gospel is the chapter which begins with jesus talking about himself as the good shepherd who knows his sheep and cares for them in another part of the gospels we find the story of the shepherd who goes out to find the one lost sheep rather than caring for the moment for the 99 who are safe all these stories are symbols of care today here in this nation we are set to give great thanks for our national health service indeed tonight we're asked to come into the garden as we are now at eight o'clock and clap our hands in great applause applauding the work of the national health service in caring for all those who need care and help in this time of great need we shall be remembering as we applaud all those who have volunteered and we give great thanks for the fact that double the number of volunteers have put themselves forward to help at this time this is a time of seriousness and sadness and for some loneliness but it's also a time when people put themselves out to give help to others we give thanks for all that as we say now our evening prayers let us pray use the prayer on our website for today praying for those who are sick and suffering and also giving thanks for and praying for those who care for them loving god bless with your compassion all those who care for family members and friends those who care in hospitals and clinics all over the world give them strength in times of tiredness give them calm in times of anxiety give them courage in times of despair that through their skill and their love the sick would be comforted and healed relationships deepened and hope renewed through jesus christ our lord amen so we say together in whatever words you would normally use and with whatever language you would use the prayer that our savior taught us saying 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 forever and ever are men a moment of silence we make any prayers special to ourselves for those whom we know and love and especially those in need and finally the evening prayer lighten our darkness we beseech thee oh lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy only son our savior jesus christ amen may god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit bless and keep you this night and always amen