The Book of Divine Worship at least provides a decent Catholic version of Evensong: very appropriately, the Psalm and Lessons appointed for to-night were Ps 36(37); Ezra ix, 1-15; and St Luke xiv, 1-11. The Psalmist sings of the trials of the just persecuted by the wicked; in Ezra, prayer is offered to God for having preserved even a remnant, together with repentance for mingling with unbelievers; and Our Lord reminds us to take the lowest place, that the master of the feast may say, Friend, go up higher. Are not the parallels with the Anglicans obvious?
This is the Eve of the Sunday nearest November 9th; the Collect therefor in the B.D.W. is taken from the B.C.P.'s Collect for the 6th after Epiphany, a powerfully eschatological prayer:
O God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, he liveth and reigneth ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
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