Monday, December 26, 2011

Morning Prayer for the Christmas Season


Morning Prayer for Christmas
From Christmas to Epiphany

Introductory Responses

Blessed are you, O Christ, Son of God,
you were before time began
and came into the world to save us.
Blessed are you, Sun of righteousness;
you shine with the Father’s love
and illumine the whole universe.
Blessed are you, Son of Mary;
born a child, you shared our humanity.
Let heaven and earth shout their praise.
With all the voices of heaven
we celebrate the coming of our Saviour.
Let heaven and earth shout their praise.
With all creatures on earth
we sing and dance at his birth.
Praise and honour and glory to you, O Lord most high.

Morning Prayer continues with the Invitatory or the Psalm.

The Invitatory

Song of Good News (Isaiah 40.9-11)
Go up to a high mountain,
            O Zion, herald of joy;
lift up your voice in strength,
            Jerusalem, herald of joy.
Lift it up, fear not;
            say to the cities of Judah:  “Behold your God!
Behold, the Lord comes in might,
            comes to rule with a mighty arm;
behold, with the Lord comes the reward,
            before the Lord the recompense.
Like a shepherd will God feed the flock,
            gathering the lambs in arm,
holding them gently to the breast
            gently leading those with young.”

Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever.  Amen.
or
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever.  Amen.

The Psalm

The Psalm of the Day or one of the following may be used.

Sundays in Christmas                        Psalm 148
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
            praise God in the heights.
2 Praise the Lord all you angels; *
            sing praises, all you host of heaven.
3 Praise the Lord, sun and moon; *
            sing praises, all you shining stars.
4 Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens, *
            sing praises, you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord; *
            who gave the command and they were created,
6 who made them stand fast for ever and ever, *
            who gave them a law which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, *
            you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8 fire and hail, snow and fog, *
            tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
9 mountains and all hills, *
            fruit trees and all cedars;
10 wild beasts and all cattle, *
            creeping things and wingèd birds;
11 sovereigns of the earth and all peoples, *
            princes and all rulers of the world;
12 young men and young women, *
            old and young together.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, *
            whose name only is exalted,
            whose splendour is over earth and heaven.
14 The Lord has raised up strength for this people
and praise for all loyal servants, *
            the children of Israel, a people who are near to the Lord.
            Hallelujah!

Blessed are you, Lord our God, creator of heaven and earth; you open our eyes to see the wonders around us, and our hearts and mouths to praise you.  Now give us strength for your loving service.  Amen.

Mondays in Christmas                       Psalm 147.12-20
12 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
            praise you God, O Zion,

13 who has strengthen the bars of your gates, *
            who has blessed your children within you.

14 For the Lord has established peace on your borders *
            and satisfies you with the finest wheat.

15 The Lord sends out a command to the earth, *
            and the word runs very swiftly.

16 The Lord gives snow like wool *
            and scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

17 The Lord scatters hail like bread-crumbs; *
            who can stand against such cold?

18  The Lord sends for a word and melts them, *
            blowing with the wind and the waters flow.

19 The Lord declares the word to Jacob, *
            statutes and judgements to Israel.

20 The Lord has not done so to any other nation; *
            to them these judgements have not been revealed.
            Hallelujah!

God of the universe, Lord of life, give us grace to see you in all your works, in all creatures, all people and in our hearts, that we may faithfully serve you and worthily praise your holy name.  Amen.

Tuesdays in Christmas                       Psalm 110.1-5
1 The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand, *
            until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord will send the sceptre of your power out of Zion, *
            saying, “Rule over your enemies round about you.
3 Royal state has been yours from the day of your birth, *
            in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you,
            like dew from the womb of the morning.”
4 The Lord has sworn and will not recant: *
            “You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord who is at your right hand *
will smite rulers in the day of wrath.

Source of authority and justice, render unjust power impotent and turn the hearts of those who abuse authority from selfishness to a love of the common good.  Amen.

Wednesdays in Christmas                  Psalm 136.1-9, 23-26
1 Give thanks to the Lord who is good, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever.
4 Who only does great wonders, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
5 who by wisdom made the heavens, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
7 who created great lights, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
8 the sun to rule the day, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
9 the moon and the stars to govern the night, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
24 and delivered us from our enemies, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
25 who gives food to all creatures, *
            for God’s mercy endures for ever;
26 give thanks to the God of heaven, *
for God’s mercy endures for ever.

Maker and Sustainer of all things, Source of all life and goodness, help us always to love and serve one another and to worship you with joy and gladness.  Amen.

Thursdays in Christmas                     Psalm 27.5-13
5  For in the day of trouble you shall keep me safe in your shelter; *
            you shall hide me in the secrecy of your dwelling
            and set me high upon a rock.

6  Even now you lift up my head
above my enemies round about me. *
            Therefore I will offer in your dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness;
            I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7  Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; *
            have mercy on me and answer me.
8  You speak in my heart and say , “Seek my face.” *
            Your face, Lord, will I seek.
9  Hide not your face from me,
nor turn away your servant in displeasure. *
            You have been my helper; cast me not away;
            do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10  Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
            the Lord will sustain me.
11  Show me your way, O Lord; *
            lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
12  Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
            for false witnesses have risen up against me,
            and also those who speak malice.
13  What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the Lord *
            in the land of the living!
14  O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure;
be strong, and God shall comfort your heart; *
            wait patiently for the Lord.

Faithful God, the shelter of all who hope in you, may those who seek your face be set free from fear and distress, and come to see your goodness in the land of the living.  Amen.

Fridays in Christmas              Psalm 16
1  Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
            I have said to the Lord,
            “You are my Lord, my good above all other.”
2  All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
            upon those who are noble among the people.
3  But those who run after other gods *
            shall have their troubles multiplied.
4  Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
            nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5  O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; *
            it is you who uphold my lot.
6  My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
            indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7  I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; *
            my heart teaches me, night after night.
8  I have set the Lord always before me; *
            because God is at my right hand I shall not fall.
9  My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
            my body also shall rest in hope.
10  For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
            nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11  You will show me the path of life; *
            in your presence there is fullness of joy,
            and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Gracious God, we bless your holy name for the heritage you have given us.  Show us the path of life, that we may follow it in hope, and come to know the joy of the resurrection.  Amen.

Saturdays in Christmas                     Psalm 100
1 Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
            serve the Lord with gladness
            and come into God’s presence with a song.
2 Know this:  the Lord, the Lord is God; *
            the Lord made us and to the Lord we belong;
            we are God’s people and the sheep of the Lord’s pasture.
3 Enter the gates of the Lord with thanksgiving;
go into the courts of God with praise; *
            give thanks to God and call upon the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is good,
whose steadfast love is everlasting; *
            and whose faithfulness endures from age to age.

God who created all living beings, sustain us with your hand and help us always to give you thanks, for you alone are worthy of thanksgiving, praise and honour, now and for ever.  Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with the Reading.

The Reading

A Reading from a daily lectionary or one of the following may be read.

Sundays in Christmas                        Proverbs 8.22-23, 27-31
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.  Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

Mondays in Christmas                       Isaiah 49.13-16
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones.  But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.”  Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion to the child her womb?  Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

Tuesdays in Christmas                       1 Kings 3.5, 9, 10, 12
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”  And Solomon said, “Give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”  It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.  God said to Solomon, “I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.”

Wednesdays in Christmas                  Micah 5.2, 4-5a
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.  And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God,.  And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

Thursdays in Christmas                     1 Samuel 2.1-3,
Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength to exalted in my God.  My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.  The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts.  He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash-heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honour.  For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.”

Fridays in Christmas                          Numbers 6.22-27
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the Israelites:  You shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”’  So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Saturdays in Christmas                     Sirach 24.1-6
Wisdom praises herself, and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.  In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory.  “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist.  I dwelt in the highest heavens, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. Alone I compassed the vault of heaven and traversed the depths of the abyss.  Over waves of the sea, over all the earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway.”

After a period of silent reflection one of the following is said.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
or
Here what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.
or
Holy Word, Holy Wisdom.
Thanks be to God.

Morning Prayer continues with the Responsory or the Canticle.

The Responsory

Your salvation, O God, is near to those who fear you: *
your glory shall dwell in our land.

Your salvation, O God, near to those who fear you: *
your glory shall dwell in our land.

I will listen to what you, Lord God, are saying,
for you are speaking peace to your faithful people
and to those who turn their heart to you. *
Your glory shall dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other. *
Your glory shall dwell in our land.

Truth shall spring up from the earth,
and righteousness shall look down from heaven. *
Your glory shall dwell in our land.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. *
Your salvation, O God, near to those who fear you: *
your glory shall dwell in our land.
or
Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit. *
Your salvation, O God, near to those who fear you: *
your glory shall dwell in our land.

Morning Prayer continues with the Canticle.

The Canticle

Glory to God
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
            we worship you, we give you thanks,
            we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
            have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
            receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
            Jesus Christ,
            with the Holy Spirit,           
            in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with an Affirmation of Faith or the Litany.

Affirmation of Faith

Either of the following may be said.

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.  Amen.

Hear, O Israel
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
           
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

Morning Prayer continues with the Litany.

The Litany

In joy and humility let us pray to the creator of the universe, saying, “Hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.”

By the good news of our salvation brought to Mary by the angel, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

By the mystery of the Word made flesh, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

By the birth in time of the timeless Son of God, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

By the manifestation of the King of glory to the shepherds and magi, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.


By the submission of the maker of the world to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

By the baptism of the Son of God in the river Jordan, hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

Grant that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; hear us, O Lord, and grant us peace.

Free prayer may be offered and silence is kept.  After the silence the Collect of the Day or one of the following collects may be said.

Christmas I
God of all ages, in the birth of Christ your boundless love for your people shattered the power of darkness.  Be born in us with that same love and light, that our song may blend with all the choirs of heaven and earth to the glory of your holy name.  Amen.

Christmas II
Christ, our God, whom humble shepherds worshipped at a manger, you are holy and most high, merciful and might.  Startle us to wakefulness, that we may rejoice in your new and glorious dawn, and, in your holy name, act to mend this suffering world.  Amen.

Christmas III
God, you spoke and your Word became flesh, breathing a new song of joy and praise into the world.  Grant that we may bear the good news of your salvation, proclaiming your promise of peace to the ends of the earth.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as our Saviour taught 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. 
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil. 
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.  Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with the Dismissal.

The Dismissal

Let us bless the incarnate Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Then may be said.

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill us with his joy and peace.  Amen.

Liturgical Resources Used

All scriptural passages are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (c) 1989 by The National Council of Churches.

The Psalms are taken from The Book of Alternative Services (c) 1985 by The Anglican Church of Canada.  They have been emended by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett for inclusive language and, when necessary, renumbered to conform to the versification of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

The Psalm Prayers are taken from The Book of Alternative Services (c) 1985 by The Anglican Church of Canada and have been emended by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett.

The Apostles’ Creed which originally appeared in Praying Together (c) 1988 by the English Language Liturgical Consultation, is taken from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (c) by The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Collects after the Litany are those for the three propers for Christmas as published in Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (c) 2002 by The Consultation on Common Texts.

The concluding Doxology is adapted from The Book of Occasional Services 2003 (c) 2004 by The Church Pension Fund.

All other liturgical texts are taken from The Book of Alternative Services (c) 1985 by The Anglican Church of Canada with emendations by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett.


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