Morning Prayer for Thursdays in Christmas, Rite Two
25 December 2021
according to the Book of Common Prayer (p. 75ff.)
Share These Prayers
Invite someone to scan this QR code to pray with you.
This liturgy leaves spaces for the Psalm and up to three lessons. A reader might hold these passages ready to share at the appropriate places in the liturgy.
On Saturday nights of Sundays, if this service is taking the place of a Eucharist, one might wish to use lessons from the Eucharistic Lectionary, which can be conveniently found at lectionarypage.net.
Lessons for the daily office during the Christmas season (12 days) can be found in the Book of Common Prayer on pp. 940f.
You will note that lessons are not provided on those pages for 26, 27, and 28 December. Those are feast days for St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents, respectively. Their readings can be found in the BCP on page 996. To make things a little more confusing, if any of these three feasts occur on a Sunday, they are transferred to the nearest subsequent weekday. For example, in 2021, 26 December is a Sunday. So the feast of St. Stephen is transferred to 27 Dec, the feast of St. John to 28 Dec, and the feast of the Holy Innocents to 29 December. (Calendars will disagree among themselves about this.)
If you don’t have a Bible handy, specific passages can be looked up on oremus Bible Browser.
For the first collect, “Proper to the Day” (after the Suffrages), one may again use lectionarypage.net, the collect for the current (on weekdays, the preceding) Sunday. In the BCP, Contemporary-language Collects are found on pp. 211ff. Collects for the three feasts following Christmas Day may be found on BCP pp. 237f.
Officiant:
Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10, 11)
BCP 80
The Invitatory and Psalter
Officiant:
Lord, open our lips.
People:
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
All:
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. Alleluia.
People:
Alleluia. To us a child is born: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.
BCP 82
Jubilate (Psalm 100)
All:
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting; *
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
People:
Alleluia. To us a child is born: Come let us adore him. Alleluia.
The People are seated.
The Psalms are sung or said in a suitable manner (e.g., responsively by verse, in unison, or read by the lector).
Psalm ____
. . .
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
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 Lessons
Reader:
A Reading (Lesson) from _____________.
…
Reader:
The Word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Silence may be kept.
BCP 85
Canticle 8: The Song of Moses – Cantemus Domino (Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18)
Especially suitable for use in Easter Season
All:
I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, *
the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
Yahweh is his Name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; *
the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; *
the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them *
on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.
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.
Reader:
A Reading (Lesson) from _____________.
…
Reader:
The Word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Silence may be kept.
BCP 94
Canticle 20: Glory to God – Gloria in excelsis
All:
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his 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.
Reader:
A Reading (Lesson) from _____________.
…
Reader:
The Word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Silence may be kept.
A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here.
The Apostles’ Creed
Officiant and People together, all standing
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
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.
The Prayers
The people stand or kneel
Officiant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
Officiant and People:
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.
BCP 98
Suffrages B
Officiant & People call and respond:
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you;
R. We praise your Name for ever.
V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. For we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope;
R. And we shall never hope in vain.
Collect Proper to the Day
BCP 100
A Collect for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP 100
A Prayer for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.
Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.
BCP 125
The General Thanksgiving
Officiant and People:
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
BCP 102
Officiant:
Let us bless the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
The Officiant then concludes with the following sentence of scripture:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
All:
Amen.