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Christmas Day
(If you can, go to mass today. If you can't, read the mass propers
for today, found on pages 96-99
of the Book of Common Prayer.)
MORNING PRAYER (Abbreviated Version)
MORNING PRAYER (Full Version)
Ps 89:1-30. Misericordias Domini.
First Lesson
Isaiah 9:2-7
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy:
they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as
men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff
of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For
every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments
rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be
no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth
even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Second Lesson
Luke 2:1-20
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor
of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished
that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory
of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them
into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and
the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which
were told them by the shepherds.
19 But
Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for
all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto
them.
EVENING
PRAYER (Abbreviated
+ Full)
(Christmas Day)
Ps 45. Eructavit cor meum.
First Lesson
Micah 4:1-5 & 5:2-4
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain
of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people
shall flow unto it.
2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up
to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:
for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem.
3 And
he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar
off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig
tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD
of hosts hath spoken it.
5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god,
and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and
ever.
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto
me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been
from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which
travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren
shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in
the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide:
for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
Questions(s)
Second
Lesson
1 John 4:7-14
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every
one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because
he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son
to be the Saviour of the world.
December
26 - Saint Stephen
MORNING PRAYER (Abbreviated Version)
MORNING PRAYER (Full Version)
Ps 118. Confitemini Domino.
First Lesson
2 Chronicles 24:17-22
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah,
and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto
them.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers,
and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem
for this their trespass.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the
LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give
ear.
20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada
the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them,
Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD,
that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he
hath also forsaken you.
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones
at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the
LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada
his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died,
he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
Second Lesson
Acts 6
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto
them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word
of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip,
and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas
a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed,
they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called
the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit
by which he spake.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes,
and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not
to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall
destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses
delivered us.
15 And
all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his
face as it had been the face of an angel.
EVENING
PRAYER (Abbreviated
+ Full)
(December 26 - Saint Stephen)
Ps 30. Exaltabo te, Domine.
Ps 31:1-6. In te, Domine, speravi.
First Lesson
Wisdom 4:7-15
7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall
he be in rest.
8 For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of
time, nor that is measured by number of years.
9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life
is old age.
10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among
sinners he was translated.
11 Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should
alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.
12 For
the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest;
and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple
mind.
13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time:
14 For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take
him away from among the wicked.
15 This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they
up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his
saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.
Second Lesson
Acts 7:59-8:8
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell
asleep.
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there
was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;
and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of
Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great
lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every
house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where
preaching the word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached
Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things
which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he
did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many
that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and
that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
December
27 - Saint John the Evangelist
MORNING PRAYER (Abbreviated Version)
MORNING PRAYER (Full Version)
Ps 23. Dominus regit me.
Ps 24. Domini est terra.
First Lesson
Exodus 33:12-23
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring
up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt
send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou
hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight,
show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace
in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give
thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry
us not up hence.
16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have
found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us?
so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people
that are upon the face of the earth.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that
thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and
I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee,
and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will
be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on
whom I will show mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no
man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou
shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that
I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with
my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back
parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Second Lesson
John 13:20-26,31-35
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever
I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me.
21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified,
and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall
betray me.
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom
he spake.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples,
whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask
who it should be of whom he spake.
25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is
it?
26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when
I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it
to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son
of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in
himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall
seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot
come; so now I say to you.
34 A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as
I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.
EVENING
PRAYER (Abbreviated
+ Full)
(December 27 - Saint John the Evangelist)
Ps 97. Dominus regnavit.
First Lesson
Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is
the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried,
and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then
said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean
lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for
mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal
in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched
thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Second
Lesson
Revelation 1
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to
show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;
and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of
Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of
this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:
for the time is at hand.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto
you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is
to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the
earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in
his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father;
to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him,
and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth
shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the
Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation,
and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle
that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
10 I
was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and,
What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven
churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and
unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the
Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a
furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth
went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid
his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first
and the last:
18 I
am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which
are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right
hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are
the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks
which thou sawest are the seven churches.
December
28 - Holy Innocents
MORNING PRAYER (Abbreviated Version)
MORNING PRAYER (Full Version)
Ps 8. Domine, Dominus noster.
Ps 26. Judica me, Domine.
First Lesson
Jeremiah 31:1-6,15-16
1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all
the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword
found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause
him to rest.
3 The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin
of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and
shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the
planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount
Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the
LORD our God.
15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,
and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to
be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine
eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD;
and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
Second Lesson
Matthew 18:1-14
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the
midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom
of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth
me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe
in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about
his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be
that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off,
and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into
life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet
to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye,
rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
10 Take
heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say
unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face
of my Father which is in heaven.
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them
be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth
into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth
more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not
astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven,
that one of these little ones should perish.
EVENING
PRAYER (Abbreviated
+ Full)
(December 28 - Holy Innocents)
Ps 19. Caeli enarrant.
Ps 126. In convertendo.
First Lesson
Isaiah 54:1-13
1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into
singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child:
for more are the children of the desolate than the children of
the married wife, saith the LORD.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the
curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords,
and strengthen thy stakes;
3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left;
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate
cities to be inhabited.
4 Fear
not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded;
for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the
shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy
widowhood any more.
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name;
and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole
earth shall he be called.
6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved
in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith
thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies
will I gather thee.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but
with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the
LORD thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn
that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so
have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke
thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed;
but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the
covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy
on thee.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy
foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles,
and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great
shall be the peace of thy children.
Second Lesson
Mark 10:13-16, 23-31
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch
them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto
them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid
them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them,
and blessed them.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples,
How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom
of God!
24 And
the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth
again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them
that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves,
Who then can be saved?
27 And
Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but
not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and
have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There
is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father,
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the
gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands,
with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
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