Evening Prayer: Sunday 14 December 2025

Sunday 14 December 2025

This is the new revised order for Daily Prayer authorised for experimental use. You can find the 2006 Revised version here.

Third Sunday of Advent
Advent

O God make speed to save us;
O Lord make haste to help us.

Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.
Amen.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God; * in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.
(Psalm 141.8)

Opening (from Psalms 140 and 141)

1. I have said to the Lord, ”You are my God;
listen, O Lord, to my supplication.”

2. Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you

3. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor *
and render justice to the needy.

4. Surely, the righteous will give thanks to your name,*
and the upright shall continue in your sight.

Glory ...
or a suitable Hymn

Psalm 109
1. Hold not your tongue, *
O God of my praise.

2. For the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me; *
they speak to me with a lying tongue.

3. They encompass me with hateful words *
and fight against me without a cause.

4. Despite my love, they accuse me; *
but as for me, I pray for them.

5. They repay evil for good, *
and hatred for my love.

6. Set the wicked against them, *
and let an accuser stand at their side.

7. When they are judged, let them be found guilty, *
and let their appeal be in vain.

8. Let their days be few, *
and let another take their office.

9. Let their children be orphaned, *
and their spouses widowed.

10. Let their children be waifs and beggars; *
let them be driven from the ruins of their homes.

11. Let creditors seize everything they have; *
let strangers plunder their gains.

12. Let there be no one to show their kindness, *
and none to pity their orphaned children.

13. Let their descendants be destroyed, *
and their name be blotted out in the next generation.

14. Let the wickedness of their ancestors be remembered before the Lord, *
and their mothers’ sin not be blotted out;

15. Let their sin be always before the Lord; *
but let their names be rooted out from the earth;

16. because they did not remember to show mercy, *
but persecuted the poor and needy and sought to kill the brokenhearted.

17. They loved cursing, let it come upon them; *
they took no delight in blessing, let it depart from them.

18. They put on cursing like a garment, *
let it soak into their bodies like water and into their bones like oil;

19. Let it be to them like the cloak which they wrap around themselves, *
and like the belt that they wear continually.

20. Let this be the recompense from the Lord to my accusers, *
and to those who speak evil against me.

21. But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your name; *
for your tender mercy’s sake, deliver me.

22. For I am poor and needy, *
and my heart is wounded within me.

23. I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; *
I am shaken off like a locust.

24. My knees are weak through fasting, *
and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.

25. I have become a reproach to them; *
they see and shake their heads.

26. Help me, O Lord my God; *
save me for your mercy’s sake.

27. Let them know that this is your hand, *
that you, O Lord, have done it.

28. They may curse, but you will bless; *
let those who rise up against me be put to shame, and your servant will rejoice.

29. Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace *
and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.

30. I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth; *
in the midst of the multitude will I praise God;

31. because the Lord stands at the side of the needy, *
to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Glory …

Conclusion


Revelation 22

1. I am the Alpha and the Omega, *
says the Lord.

2. The first and the last,*
the beginning and the end.

3. I am the root and offspring of David,*
the bright morning star.

4. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come;*
let anyone who hears, say, Come,

5 Let anyone who is thirsty come;*
let anyone who desires take the water of life without price.

6. The Lord says, Surely I am coming soon.*
Amen; come, Lord Jesus!

Glory …

Antiphon: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God; * in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.

READING(S)

John 5:31-40

‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent. ‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Silence

Response (Psalm 28.9)

Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Shepherd them and carry them for ever.
Bless your inheritance.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
Save your people and bless your inheritance.

SONG OF MARY

Song of Mary Antiphon: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,* because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted. (Isaiah 61.1)

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... (may be said by all)

Song of Mary Antiphon: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,* because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted. (Isaiah 61.1)

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

Stir up our prayers, Lord, and hear us:
that they who are sorrowful and suffering
may rejoice at the Advent of your only-begotten Son;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen

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.