An Evening
Service
with music from the Requiem Mass by Gabriel
Fauré
Gabriel Fauré wrote the Requiem, the best-known of his large-scale choral
works, between 1887 and 1890, adding further instrumental parts in 1900. The
text is based on the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead but it departs
significantly from the standard liturgical text.
John Bawden explains: “Fauré
included two new sections, the lyrical Pie Jesu and the transcendent In Paradisum,
with its soaring vocal line and murmuring harp accompaniment. He also omitted
the Dies Irae and Tuba Mirum - for most composers an opportunity to exploit to
the full the dramatic possibilities of all the available choral and orchestral
forces. Consequently the prevailing mood is one of peacefulness and serenity,
and the work has often been described, quite justly, as a Requiem without the
Last Judgement.”
Preparation
Hymn 14 Eternal Light, shine in
my heart
O God, make
speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help
us.
Lead your people
to freedom, O God,
and banish all darkness from
our hearts and minds.
The Rector
introduces the service.
I Introit – Kyrie
Rest eternal give them,
Lord,
and let light always shine
on them.
It is right to hymn you,
God, in Sion
and to you will be made a
vow in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer, to you all
flesh will come.
Lord have mercy, Christ have
mercy, Lord have mercy.
II Offertorium
O Lord, Jesus Christ, king
of glory,
free the souls of the dead from
the punishment of hell and the deep pit.
O Lord Jesus Christ, king of
glory,
deliver the dead souls from
the mouth of the lion,
so they are not swallowed by
hell and do not fall into darkness.
Sacrifices and prayers to
you, Lord, with praise we offer
receive them for those souls
whom today we remember.
Make them, Lord, from death
cross over to life
as once to Abraham you
promised and to his seed.
The
Word of God
Old Testament reading: Joshua
1:1-9
Each
Scripture reading concludes with
This is the word of the
Lord.
Thanks be to God.
III Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
of hosts,
full are the heavens and
earth with the glory of you.
Hosanna in the highest.
New Testament reading: Ephesians
6:10-20
IV Pie Jesu
Merciful Jesus, Lord, give
them rest,
give them rest, eternal
rest.
A sermon is preached.
Hymn 602 Blest are the pure in
heart
Confession and Forgiveness
Christ the light
of the world has come to dispel
the darkness of
our hearts.
In his light let
us examine ourselves and confess our sins.
Silence may be kept.
Let us admit to
God the sin which always confronts us.
Lord God,
we have
sinned against you;
we have done
evil in your sight.
We are sorry
and repent.
Have mercy on
us according to your love.
Wash away our
wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin.
Renew a right
spirit within us
and restore
us to the joy of your salvation,
through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
The Rector declares God’s
forgiveness.
V Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world,
give them rest.
Let light eternal shine on
them, Lord,
with your saints for
eternity,
for you are merciful.
give them eternal rest, Lord,
and let light always shine
on them.
Intercessions
That the rest of
this day may be holy,
peaceful and full
of your presence;
in faith we
pray.
We pray to you our God.
That the work we
have done and the people we have met today
may bring us
closer to you;
in faith we
pray.
We pray to you our God.
That we may hear
and respond to your call to peace and justice;
in faith we
pray.
We pray to you our God.
That you will sustain the faith and hope of those who are lonely,
oppressed and
anxious;
in faith we
pray.
We pray to you our God.
That you will
strengthen us in your service,
and fill our
hearts with longing for your kingdom;
in faith we
pray.
We pray to you our God.
God of mercy,
you know us
and love us and hear our prayer:
keep us in
the eternal fellowship of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
The Collect of the Day and
the Lord’s Prayer
VI Libera me
Free me, Lord, from death
eternal
on that day of dread,
when the heavens will be
shaken and the earth,
while you come to judge the
world with fire.
I am made to shake, and am
afraid,
awaiting the trial and the
coming anger.
That day, day of anger, of
calamity and misery,
that day, the day of great
and exceeding bitterness.
Sending Out
The Rector pronounces God’s blessing
on his people
VII In Paradisum
Into paradise may angels
draw them,
on your arrival, may the
martyrs receive you
and lead you into the holy
city Jerusalem.
May the chorus of angels
receive you,
and with Lazarus, once a
beggar,
may you have eternal rest.
