O Gracious Light

The Evening Prayer liturgy in the Episcopal church has a wonderful part named "O Gracious Light" or Phos hilaron.  It goes as follows:

O gracious 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.

Last night as I sat out in the garden watching the setting sun light the world, I was reminded of these wonderful verses.  Here's some photos to illustrate the 'vesper light' and the beauty of our world.