Morning Prayer
CHRISTMAS DAY
CHRISTMAS DAY
O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.
Amen.
Psalmody
Antiphon: Your justice Lord dawns like morning light; its dawning is as sure as the sunrise. (Hosea 6.3)
Opening
Venite
1 O come let us sing out to the Lord,*
let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his face with thanksgiving*
and cry out to him joyfully in psalms.
3 For the Lord is a great God,*
and a great king above all gods.
4 In his hands are the depths of the earth,*
and the peaks of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his and he made it;*
his hands moulded dry land.
6 Come let us worship and bow down,*
and kneel before the Lord our maker.
7 For he himself is our God;*
we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
8 Today if only you would hear his voice:*
‘Do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness;
9 when your fathers tested me;*
put me to proof though they had seen my works.
10 Of whom I swore in my wrath:*
“They shall not enter my rest.”’
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable Hymn
(Or from Psalm 85)
1 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying,*
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people.
2 Truly his salvation is very near to those who fear him,*
that his glory may dwell in our land.
3 Mercy and truth have met together;*
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
4 Truth shall spring up from the earth,*
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable hymn
Psalm 89.1-18
1 Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing;*
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.
2 For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever;*
you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.
3 ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;*
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
4 “I will establish your line for ever,*
and preserve your throne for all generations.”’
5 The heavens bear witness to your wonders, O Lord,*
and to your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?*
who is like the Lord among the gods?
7 God is much to be feared in the council of the holy ones,*
great and terrible to all those round about him.
8 Who is like you, Lord God of hosts?*
O mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all around you.
9 You rule the raging of the sea*
and still the surging of its waves.
10 You have crushed Rahab of the deep with a deadly wound;*
you have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 Yours are the heavens; the earth also is yours;*
you laid the foundations of the world and all that is in it.
12 You have made the north and the south;*
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;*
strong is your hand and high is your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne;*
love and truth go before your face.
15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout!*
they walk, O Lord, in the light of your presence.
16 They rejoice daily in your name;*
they are jubilant in your righteousness.
17 For you are the glory of their strength,*
and by your favour our might is exalted.
18 Truly, the Lord is our ruler;*
the Holy One of Israel is our king.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Remember us, gracious God, when we cannot see your way and purpose, and renew in us the joy of your kingdom of light and life. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Conclusion
Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come,*
the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold darkness shall cover the earth,*
thick darkness the peoples;
3 but the Lord will arise upon you;*
God's glory will be seen upon you.
4 Nations shall come to your light;*
kings to the brightness of your rising.
5 The sun shall be no more your light by day;*
nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night;
6 but the Lord will be your everlasting light,*
your God will be your glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: Your justice Lord dawns like morning light, its dawning is as sure as the sunrise.
Reading(s)
Zechariah 2.10-13
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all people, before the Lord; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
1 Letter of John 4.7-16
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.
Silence
Response Psalm (Psalm 119.130)
When your word goes forth it gives light.
When your word goes forth it gives light.
It gives understanding to the simple
It gives light.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
When your word goes forth it gives light.
Benedictus
Benedictus antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)
1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
2 He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
3 Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
4 He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6 free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
7 You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8 to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10 to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
(may be said by all)
Benedictus antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen
Collect of the Day
O God our Father,
the light of whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
grant that the radiance of that true light,
which enlightens our minds by faith,
may shine brightly through our words and deeds;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen
God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Amen
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal.
Amen.
Evening Prayer
CHRISTMAS DAY
CHRISTMAS DAY
O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;* as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.
Amen.
Psalmody
Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.
Opening (from Psalm 33)
1 The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him*
on those who wait upon his love.
2 To pluck their lives from death,*
and to feed them in time of famine.
3 Our soul waits for the Lord;*
he is our help and our shield.
4 Indeed, our heart rejoices in him,*
for in his holy name we put our trust.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
or a suitable Hymn
Psalm 89.19-37
19 You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people:*
‘I have set the crown upon a warrior
and have exalted one chosen out of the people.
20 I have found David my servant;*
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
21 My hand will hold him fast*
and my arm will make him strong.
22 No enemy shall deceive him,*
nor any wicked man bring him down.
23 I will crush his foes before him*
and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and love shall be with him,*
and he shall be victorious through my name.
25 I shall make his dominion extend*
from the Great Sea to the River.
26 He will say to me, “You are my Father,*
my God, and the rock of my salvation.”
27 I will make him my firstborn*
and higher than the kings of the earth.
28 I will keep my love for him for ever,*
and my covenant will stand firm for him.
29 I will establish his line for ever*
and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 If his children forsake my law*
and do not walk according to my judgements;
31 If they break my statutes*
and do not keep my commandments ;
32 I will punish their transgressions with a rod*
and their iniquities with the lash;
33 But I will not take my love from him,*
nor let my faithfulness prove false.
34 I will not break my covenant,*
nor change what has gone out of my lips.
35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness:*
“I will not lie to David.
36 His line shall endure for ever*
and his throne as the sun before me;
37 It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon,*
the abiding witness in the sky.”
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Remember us, gracious God, when we cannot see your way and purpose, and renew in us the joy of your kingdom of light and life. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Conclusion
Philippians 2
1 Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus:*
the divine nature was his from the first:
2 Yet he did not grasp at equality with God;*
he emptied himself and became like a slave.
3 Taking the nature of man he was revealed in human form;*
he humbled himself and became obedient even to death,
death on a cross.
4 Therefore God has raised him on high,*
and has given him a name above every other name;
5 So that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,*
in heaven, on earth, and in the depths;
6 And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord;*
to the glory of God the Father.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.
Reading(s)
John 3.31-36
The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.
Silence
Response Psalm Psalm 89.27
I will make him my first-born.
I will make him my first-born.
Higher than the kings of the earth.
My first-born.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
I will make him my first-born.
Magnificat
Magnificat Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. Luke 2.11
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
*my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
(may be said by all)
Magnificat Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord. Luke 2.11
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Collect of the Day
O God our Father,
the light of whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
grant that the radiance of that true light,
which enlightens our minds by faith,
may shine brightly through our words and deeds;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Night Prayer
CHRISTMAS DAY
CHRISTMAS DAY
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
Psalmody
Antiphon: O Lord, my God, my Saviour, by day and night I cry to you.
(not repeated in the psalm)
Psalm 88
2 Let my prayer enter into your presence;*_x000D_ incline your ear to my lamentation._x000D_3 For I am full of trouble;*_x000D_ my life is at the brink of the grave._x000D_4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;*_x000D_ I have become like one who has no strength;_x000D_5 Lost among the dead,*_x000D_ like the slain who lie in the grave,_x000D_6 Whom you remember no more,*_x000D_ for they are cut off from your hand._x000D_7 You have laid me in the depths of the Pit,*_x000D_ in dark places, and in the abyss._x000D_8 Your anger weighs upon me heavily,*_x000D_ and all your great waves overwhelm me._x000D_9 You have put my friends far from me;_x000D_ you have made me to be abhorred by them;*_x000D_ I am in prison and cannot get free._x000D_10 My sight has failed me because of trouble;*_x000D_ Lord, I have called upon you daily;_x000D_ I have stretched out my hands to you._x000D_ 11 Do you work wonders for the dead?*_x000D_ will those who have died stand up and give you thanks?_x000D_12 Will your loving-kindness be declared in the grave?*_x000D_ your faithfulness in the land of destruction?_x000D_13 Will your wonders be known in the dark?*_x000D_ or your righteousness in the country where all is forgotten?_x000D_14 But as for me, O Lord, I cry to you for help;*_x000D_ in the morning my prayer comes before you._x000D_15 Lord, why have you rejected me?*_x000D_ why have you hidden your face from me?_x000D_16 Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the_x000D_point of death;*_x000D_ I have borne your terrors with a troubled mind._x000D_17 Your blazing anger has swept over me;* _x000D_your terrors have destroyed me;_x000D_18 They surround me all day long like a flood;*_x000D_ they encompass me on every side._x000D_19 My friend and neighbour you have put away from me,*_x000D_ and darkness is my only companion.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: O Lord, my God, my Saviour, by day and night I cry to you._x000D__x000D_
Reading(s)
Jeremiah 14.9
You are in our midst, Lord, and we bear your name. Do not forsake us.
Thanks be to God.
Silence
Response (Psalm 31.5)
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Nunc Dimittis
Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord,* while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace;* your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation* which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations,* and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Antiphon: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Prayers
Collect
O God our Father,
the light of whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
grant that the radiance of that true light,
which enlightens our minds by faith,
may shine brightly through our words and deeds;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Conclusion
The Lord be with you;
and also with you.
Let us bless the Lord;
Thanks be to God.
May the almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit, bless and keep us.
Amen.
or
Bless the Lord, the God of our fathers;
Sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
Sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
The almighty and most merciful Lord
guard us and give us his blessing.
Amen.