Daily Readings: December 25, 2023

Christmas Day

Morning	Evening
Psalm 2 Psalm 85	Psalm 110:1-5(6-7) Psalm 132
1 John 4:7-16 John 3:31-36 Micah 4:1-5,5:2-4

The Collect of the Day

The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day

December 25

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day

December 25

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day

December 25

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalms

2

Quare fremuerunt gentes?BCP p. 586

¹Why are the nations in an uproar? *Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?

²Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt, and the princes plot together, *against the Lord and against his Anointed?

³“Let us break their yoke,” they say; *“let us cast off their bonds from us.”

⁴He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *the Lord has them in derision.

⁵Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *and his rage fills them with terror.

⁶“I myself have set my king *upon my holy hill of Zion.”

⁷Let me announce the decree of the Lord: *he said to me, “You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *and the ends of the earth for your possession.

⁹You shall crush them with an iron rod *and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”

¹⁰And now, you kings, be wise; *be warned, you rulers of the earth.

¹¹Submit to the Lord with fear, *and with trembling bow before him;

¹²Lest he be angry and you perish; *for his wrath is quickly kindled.

¹³Happy are they all *who take refuge in him!

85

Benedixisti, DomineBCP p. 708

¹You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, *you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

²You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *and blotted out all their sins.

³You have withdrawn all your fury *and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.

⁴Restore us then, O God our Savior; *let your anger depart from us.

⁵Will you be displeased with us for ever? *will you prolong your anger from age to age?

⁶Will you not give us life again, *that your people may rejoice in you?

⁷Show us your mercy, O Lord, *and grant us your salvation.

⁸I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him.

⁹Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *that his glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰Mercy and truth have met together; *righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

¹¹Truth shall spring up from the earth, *and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

¹²The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *and our land will yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness shall go before him, *and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Daily Office Readings

¹In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, ²and many nations shall come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 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. ³He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. ⁴but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 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; ⁵For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.