O gladsome light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
— Phos Hilaron, 2019 Book of Common Prayer p. 44 —
Houston’s skyline is magnificent. Billowing clouds shift and plume above, mesmerizing anyone who pauses to look. Colors paint the sky at sunrise and sunset, while skyscrapers sparkle day and night—reflecting the sun or emanating their own lights.
While not every culture or vocation follows strict office hours, most human life is patterned around changing light—the rising and setting of the sun. The availability of light shapes the cadence of our days: sunrise increases our energy for the day's work, while sunset encourages our nervous system to wind down in preparation for rest.
Evening Prayer marks a tonal shift in our days, similar to the setting of the sun. Traditionally prayed between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m., it bookends our lives alongside Morning Prayer. Both of these Offices offer a robust structure—reading through the Bible in a year and the psalms in a 30- or 60-day cadence. They are vital markers in our discipleship, as God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Changes in physical light resonate with this fundamental reality
Evening Prayer is distinct from Morning Prayer in how it invokes God’s presence. In the morning, you express a desire for God to work throughout the day ahead. In the evening, you reflect on where God has been and how you partnered with Him. As a time for slowing down, Evening Prayer collects the graces of the day and looks toward the night and rest to come.
Particularly, the Phos Hilaron, translated as O Gladsome Light, is one of the oldest Christian hymns sung in the evenings. Evening Prayer stewards this 3rd- or 4th-century hymn as a meditation on the sunset. Praying it once introduces you to its beauty, but habitual repetition each evening will deepen its meaning. I encourage you to pray it in the evenings as you watch the changing light, reflecting on God’s grace throughout your day.
Nicole Kallsen, Curate